Judg 21:22 | NETfull | STEP | When their fathers or brothers come and protest to us, we’ll say to them, “Do us a favor and let them be, for we could not get each one a wife through battle. Don’t worry about breaking your oath! You would only be guilty if you had voluntarily given them wives.’”

Judges 21:22

22 When their fathers or brothers come and protest to us, ^{▼▼ The (original) LXX and Vulgate read “to you.”} we’ll say to them, “Do us a favor and let them be, ^{▼▼ The words “and let them be” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} for we could not get each one a wife through battle. ^{▼▼Heb “for we did not take each his wife in battle.”} ^{▼▼ Through battle. This probably refers to the battle against Jabesh Gilead, which only produced four hundred of the six hundred wives needed.} Don’t worry about breaking your oath! ^{▼▼ This sentence is not in the Hebrew text. It is supplied in the translation to clarify the logic of the statement.} You would only be guilty if you had voluntarily given them wives.’” ^{▼▼Heb “You did not give to them, now you are guilty.” The MT as it stands makes little sense. It is preferable to emend לֹא (lo’, “not”) to לוּא (lu’, “if”). This particle introduces a purely hypothetical condition, “If you had given to them [but you didn’t].” See G. F. Moore, Judges (ICC), 453–54.}