Judges 21
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
以色列人在米斯巴曾起誓說：「我們都不將女兒給便雅憫人為妻。」
2 So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.
以色列人來到伯特利，坐在上帝面前直到晚上，放聲痛哭，
3 “Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”
說：「耶和華－以色列的上帝啊，為何以色列中有這樣缺了一支派的事呢？」
4 The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.
次日清早，百姓起來，在那裏築了一座壇，獻燔祭和平安祭。
5 The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.
以色列人彼此問說：「以色列各支派中，誰沒有同會眾上到耶和華面前來呢？」先是以色列人起過大誓說，凡不上米斯巴到耶和華面前來的，必將他治死。
6 And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.
以色列人為他們的弟兄便雅憫後悔，說：「如今以色列中絕了一個支派了。
7 What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”
我們既在耶和華面前起誓說，必不將我們的女兒給便雅憫人為妻，現在我們當怎樣辦理、使他們剩下的人有妻呢？」
8 So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.
又彼此問說：「以色列支派中誰沒有上米斯巴到耶和華面前來呢？」他們就查出基列‧雅比沒有一人進營到會眾那裏；
9 For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.
因為百姓被數的時候，沒有一個基列‧雅比人在那裏。
10 So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.
會眾就打發一萬二千大勇士，吩咐他們說：「你們去用刀將基列‧雅比人連婦女帶孩子都擊殺了。
11 This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”
所當行的就是這樣：要將一切男子和已嫁的女子盡行殺戮。」
12 So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
他們在基列‧雅比人中，遇見了四百個未嫁的處女，就帶到迦南地的示羅營裏。
13 Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.
全會眾打發人到臨門磐的便雅憫人那裏，向他們說和睦的話。
14 And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.
當時便雅憫人回來了，以色列人就把所存活基列‧雅比的女子給他們為妻，還是不夠。
15 The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
百姓為便雅憫人後悔，因為耶和華使以色列人缺了一個支派。
16 Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”
會中的長老說：「便雅憫中的女子既然除滅了，我們當怎樣辦理、使那餘剩的人有妻呢？」
17 They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
又說：「便雅憫逃脫的人當有地業，免得以色列中塗抹了一個支派。
18 But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”
只是我們不能將自己的女兒給他們為妻；因為以色列人曾起誓說，有將女兒給便雅憫人為妻的，必受咒詛。」
19 “But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
他們又說：「在利波拿以南，伯特利以北，在示劍大路以東的示羅，年年有耶和華的節期」；
20 So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards
就吩咐便雅憫人說：「你們去，在葡萄園中埋伏。
21 and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
若看見示羅的女子出來跳舞，就從葡萄園出來，在示羅的女子中各搶一個為妻，回便雅憫地去。
22 When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”
他們的父親或是弟兄若來與我們爭競，我們就說：『求你們看我們的情面，施恩給這些人，因我們在爭戰的時候沒有給他們留下女子為妻。這也不是你們將女子給他們的；若是你們給的，就算有罪。』」
23 The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.
於是便雅憫人照樣而行，按着他們的數目從跳舞的女子中搶去為妻，就回自己的地業去，又重修城邑居住。
24 And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance.
當時以色列人離開那裏，各歸本支派、本宗族、本地業去了。
25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
那時，以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。
