士师记 21
1 以色列人在米斯巴曾起誓说：“我们都不将女儿给便雅悯人为妻。”
The sons of Israel had also taken an oath at Mizpah, and they said, “None of us shall give his daughters as a wife to the sons of Benjamin.”
2 以色列人来到伯特利，坐在 神面前直到晚上，放声痛哭，
And they all went to the house of God at Shiloh. And sitting in his sight until evening, they lifted up their voice, and they began to weep, with a great wailing, saying,
3 说：“耶和华—以色列的 神啊，为何以色列中有这样缺了一支派的事呢？”
“Why, O Lord, God of Israel, has this evil happened among your people, so that this day one tribe would be taken away from us?”
4 次日清早，百姓起来，在那里筑了一座坛，献燔祭和平安祭。
Then, rising at first light on the next day, they built an altar. And they offered holocausts and victims of peace offerings there, and they said,
5 以色列人彼此问说：“以色列各支派中，谁没有同会众上到耶和华面前来呢？”先是以色列人起过大誓说，凡不上米斯巴到耶和华面前来的，必将他治死。
“Who, out of all the tribes of Israel, did not ascend with the army of the Lord?” For they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were at Mizpah, that whoever was not present would be slain.
6 以色列人为他们的弟兄便雅悯后悔，说：“如今以色列中绝了一个支派了。
And the sons of Israel, having been led to repentance over their brother Benjamin, began to say: “One tribe has been taken away from Israel.
7 我们既在耶和华面前起誓说，必不将我们的女儿给便雅悯人为妻，现在我们当怎样办理、使他们剩下的人有妻呢？”
From where shall they receive wives? For we have all sworn in common that we will not give our daughters to them.”
8 又彼此问说：“以色列支派中谁没有上米斯巴到耶和华面前来呢？”他们就查出基列·雅比没有一人进营到会众那里；
For this reason, they said, “Who is there, out of all the tribes of Israel, that did not ascend to the Lord at Mizpah?” And behold, the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead were found not to have been among that army.
9 因为百姓被数的时候，没有一个基列·雅比人在那里。
(Likewise, in the time when they had been at Shiloh, not one of them was found to be there.)
10 会众就打发一万二千大勇士，吩咐他们说：“你们去用刀将基列·雅比人连妇女带孩子都击杀了。
And so they sent ten thousand very robust men, and they instructed them, saying, “Go and strike down the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead with the edge of the sword, including their wives and little ones.”
11 所当行的就是这样：要将一切男子和已嫁的女子尽行杀戮。”
And this shall be what you ought to do: “Every one of the male gender, as well as all the women who have known men, shall be put to death. But the virgins you shall reserve.”
12 他们在基列·雅比人中，遇见了四百个未嫁的处女，就带到迦南地的示罗营里。
And four hundred virgins, who had not known the bed of a man, were found from Jabesh-Gilead. And they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan.
13 全会众打发人到临门磐的便雅悯人那里，向他们说和睦的话。
And they sent messengers to the sons of Benjamin, who were at the rock of Rimmon, and they instructed them, so that they would receive them in peace.
14 当时便雅悯人回来了，以色列人就把所存活基列·雅比的女子给他们为妻，还是不够。
And the sons of Benjamin went, at that time, and wives were given to them from the daughters of Jabesh-Gilead. But others were not found, whom they might give in a similar manner.
15 百姓为便雅悯人后悔，因为耶和华使以色列人缺了一个支派 。
And all of Israel was very saddened, and they did penance for destroying one tribe out of Israel.
16 会中的长老说：“便雅悯中的女子既然除灭了，我们当怎样办理、使那余剩的人有妻呢？”
And those greater by birth said: “What shall we do with the remainder, those who have not received wives? For all the females of Benjamin have been cut down,
17 又说：“便雅悯逃脱的人当有地业，免得以色列中涂抹了一个支派。
and we must take great care, and make provision with a very great diligence, so that one tribe may not be wiped away from Israel.
18 只是我们不能将自己的女儿给他们为妻；因为以色列人曾起誓说，有将女儿给便雅悯人为妻的，必受咒诅。”
As for our own daughters, we are not able to give them, being bound by an oath and a curse, when we said, ‘Accursed is he who will give any of his daughters to Benjamin as a wife.’”
19 他们又说：“在利波拿以南，伯特利以北，在示剑大路以东的示罗，年年有耶和华的节期”；
And they took counsel, and they said, “Behold, there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord at Shiloh, which is situated to the north of the city of Bethel, and on the eastern side of the way that one takes from Bethel to Shechem, and to the south of the town of Lebonah.”
20 就吩咐便雅悯人说：“你们去，在葡萄园中埋伏。
And they instructed the sons of Benjamin, and they said: “Go, and hide in the vineyards.
21 若看见示罗的女子出来跳舞，就从葡萄园出来，在示罗的女子中各抢一个为妻，回便雅悯地去。
And when you will have seen daughters of Shiloh being led out to dance, according to custom, go forth suddenly from the vineyards, and let each one seize one wife from among them, and travel into the land of Benjamin.
22 他们的父亲或是弟兄若来与我们争竞，我们就说：‘求你们看我们的情面，施恩给这些人，因我们在争战的时候没有给他们留下女子为妻。这也不是你们将女子给他们的；若是你们给的，就算有罪。’”
And when their fathers and brothers arrive, and they begin to complain against you and to argue, we will say to them: ‘Take pity on them. For they have not seized them by right of war or conquest. Instead, begging to receive them, you did not give them, and so the sin was on your part.’”
23 于是便雅悯人照样而行，按着他们的数目从跳舞的女子中抢去为妻，就回自己的地业去，又重修城邑居住。
And so the sons of Benjamin did just as they had been ordered. And according to their number, they seized for themselves one wife each, out of those who were led out dancing. And they went into their own possession, and they built up their cities, and they lived in them.
24 当时以色列人离开那里，各归本支派、本宗族、本地业去了。
The sons of Israel also returned, according to their tribes and families, to their tents.
25 那时，以色列中没有王，各人任意而行。
In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.
