And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
The people of Israel felt deep regret about what had happened to Benjamin, their brother tribe, and said, 'One of our tribes has been cut off from Israel today.'
The writer is showing how the Israelites realized they had gone too far in punishing the tribe of Benjamin and were now grieving that they had nearly destroyed one of their own tribes.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes after the brutal civil war between Israel and the tribe of Benjamin over the horrific crime at Gibeah. The other eleven tribes had sworn not to give their daughters in marriage to Benjamin and had nearly wiped them out in battle, leaving only 600 Benjaminite men alive. Now the Israelites were facing the reality that they might have completely destroyed one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
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