士師記 21
1 以色列人曾在米茲帕起誓說：「我們中誰也不可把自己的女兒嫁給本雅明人為妻。」
Now, the men of Israel, had sworn in Mizpah, saying, —Not a man from among us, shall give his daughter unto Benjamin, to wife.
2 民眾來到貝特耳，在天主面前，坐在那裏，放聲大哭，直到晚上；
So then the people came to Bethel, and abode there, until the evening, before God, —and lifted up their voice, and wept bitterly,
3 然後說：「上主以色列的天主! 為什麼在以色列中間發生了這事，今日竟使以色列中少了一支派﹖」
and said, Wherefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, hath this come about in Israel, —that there should be lacking, to-day, out of Israel, one tribe?
4 次日，百姓一早起來，在那裏築了一座祭壇，獻了全燔祭與和平祭。
And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there, an altar, —and offered ascending-sacrifices, and peace-offerings.
5 以後，以色列子民問說：「以色列眾支派中，有誰沒有上到上主面前，參加集會呢﹖」因為他們先前對於那些凡不上米茲帕到上主面前來的人，曾發過嚴誓說：「死無赦! 」
And the sons of Israel said, Who was there that came not up, in the convocation, out of all the tribes of Israel, unto Yahweh? For, the great oath, had been taken, as to any who came not up unto Yahweh at Mizpah, saying—He shall be, put to death.
6 以色列子民對他們的弟兄本雅明起了憐憫之心說：「今天以色列絕了一支派。
And the sons of Israel grieved for Benjamin, their brother, —and they said, There is cut off, to-day, one tribe out of Israel.
7 我們曾指著上主起過誓，決不將我們的女兒給他們為妻，那麼，我們怎樣給所剩下的人娶妻呢﹖」
What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, —seeing that, we ourselves, have sworn by Yahweh, not to give them of our daughters, for wives?
8 他們又問說：「以色列眾支派中，有那一支派沒有上米茲帕來到上主面前呢﹖」看，由基肋阿得雅貝士中沒有一人入營，參加集會。
So they said, What one of the tribes of Israel is there, that hath not come up unto Yahweh at Mizpah? And lo! no man had come into the camp, out of Jabesh-gilead, unto the convocation:
9 的確，檢閱百姓的時候，沒有一個基肋阿得雅貝士的居民在場。
When the people were numbered, lo! there was not there a man of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead.
10 因此會眾打發一萬二千勇士到那裏去，吩咐他們說：「你們去用刀屠殺基肋阿得雅貝士的居民，連婦女孩子都在內。
So the assembly sent thither twelve thousand men, of the sons of valour, —and commanded them, saying: —Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, with the edge of the sword, with the women, and the little ones.
11 你們要這樣作；所以男子和與男子同過房的婦女，盡行殺掉，但要保留處女。」他們就這樣作了。
And, this, is the thing that ye shall do, —Every male, and every woman that hath cohabited with man, shall ye devote to destruction.
12 他們在基肋阿得雅貝士居民中，尋得了四百個未曾認識過男子，也未曾與男子同過房的少年處女，就把她們帶到客納罕地史羅營裏。
And they found—of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead—four hundred young women, virgins, who had not cohabited with man, —so they brought them into the camp, at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 全會眾又打發人往黎孟岩石去，與住在那裏的本雅明子孫談判，與他們講和。
Then the whole assembly sent, and spake unto the sons of Benjamin, who were in the cliff Rimmon, —and proclaimed to them, peace.
14 本雅明子孫當時就回來了，會眾就把基肋阿得雅貝士女子中所保留的少女，給他們為妻，但是數目不足。史羅搶妻
So Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, —but they found not for them [to suffice], even so.
15 民眾仍為本雅明人傷心難過，因為上主使以色列支派中有了缺陷。
Now, the assembly, had grieved for Benjamin, —because Yahweh had made a breach, in the tribes of Israel.
16 會中的長老說：「本雅明的婦女既然都消滅了，我們怎樣給所剩下的人娶妻呢﹖」
So then, the elders of the assembly said, What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, —for womankind, hath been destroyed out of Benjamin?
17 又說：「本雅民的遺民該有承嗣，免得以色列中泯沒一支。
And they said, There is an inheritance for the escaped of Benjamin, —and there must not be wiped out, a tribe, out of Israel.
18 但是，我們不能將自己的女兒給他們為妻，因為以色列曾起誓說：誰把女兒給本雅明人是可詛咒的! 」
Yet, we, may not give them wives, of our own daughters, For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed, be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
19 有人說：「看，年年在史羅舉行上主的慶節。」─使羅位於貝特耳之北，貝特耳至舍根大路之東，肋波納之南。
Then said they—Lo! the festival of Yahweh in Shiloh, from year to year, Which [Shiloh] is on the north of Bethel, towards sunrise, by the highway that goeth up from Bethel, towards Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
20 於是他們給本雅明子孫出主意說：「你們往葡萄園去，藏在那裏。
And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, —Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
21 等到你們看見史羅的童女出來列隊跳舞，你們就從葡萄園中出來，從史羅的女兒中，各搶一個為妻，然後回本雅明地方去。
and look, and lo! if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then shall ye come forth out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife, of the daughters of Shiloh, —and go your way to the land of Benjamin.
22 她們的父親或兄弟若是出來與我們爭論，我們就說：求你們看我們的情面，恩待這些人，因為他們戰場上沒有得到女子為妻；況且又不是你們將女兒交給他們；若是你們給的，那就有罪了。」
And it shall be, when their fathers, or their brethren, come in to complain to us, that we will say unto them—As a favour to us, grant them, because we took not for each man his wife in the battle, —for, ye yourselves, gave them not unto them, so as, now, to be guilty.
23 本雅明子孫就這樣作了：按數目搶跳舞的女子，各娶一個為妻；以後他們就走了，回到自己的地業，重建城邑，住在那裏。
And the sons of Benjamin did so, and carried off wives, according to their number, of them who were dancing, whom they seized, —and they went their way, and returned unto their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt therein.
24 以後以色列子民從那裏各回自己的支派和家族，從那裏各回自己的家鄉。
And the sons of Israel at that time went their several ways from thence, every man to his own tribe, and to his own family, —yea they went forth from thence, every man to his own inheritance.
25 那時，在以色列沒有君王，各人任意行事。
In those days, there was no king in Israel, —every man did, that which was right in his own eyes.
