Now the people went to Bethel and sat in the presence of God until evening, weeping loudly and bitterly.
Parallel translations
- WEB The people came to Bethel, and sat there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept severely.
- KJV And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
- BSB So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.
- NKJV Then the people came to the house of God, and remained there before God till evening. They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly,
- NASB So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and raised their voices and wept profusely.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The people came to Bethel and wept bitterly before God over the near-loss of a tribe.
Overview
Gathered before God, Israel grieved deeply that their victory had nearly erased Benjamin from the nation. Their tears reveal genuine sorrow, yet also the bitter fruit of their own rash oath and excessive vengeance. The scene shows a people troubled by consequences they themselves set in motion, lacking the wisdom to act rightly.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Judg 20:26Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.
- 1 Sam 30:4Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep.
- Judg 20:18The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” Yahweh said, “Judah first.”
- Judg 21:12They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins, who had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
- Judg 20:23The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”
- Gen 27:38Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father.” Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
- Josh 18:1The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued before them.
- Judg 2:4When Yahweh’s angel spoke these words to all the children of Israel, the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
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Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 21:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.