The narrator in Judges 21:6–8 repeats in summary form what was recorded in Judges 21:1–3. Judges 21:6 shows the Israelites’ compassion for the Benjamites, which motivated them to go to Bethel and weep before the Lord (Judges 21:2–3). Judges 21:7 restates the dilemma that was hinted at in Judges 21:1, that Israel had sworn not to give any of their daughters for wives to Benjamin, which now meant no hope for that tribe. And then the first part of Judges 21:8 virtually repeats Judges 21:5. The narrator offers this repetition in order to halt temporarily the progress of the narrative, perhaps so that the reader can experience something of the shock that comes over Israel as they recognize their predicament.
6 And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.