Judges 21
1 Now the children of Israel had also sworn in Maspha, saying: None of us shall give of his daughters to the children of Benjamin to wife.
And [the] man of Israel he had sworn at Mizpah saying anyone of us not he will give daughter his to Benjamin to a wife.
2 And they all came to the house of God in Silo, and abiding before him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and weep, saying:
And it came the people Beth-el and they sat there until the evening before God and they lifted up voice their and they wept weeping great.
3 O Lord God of Israel, why is so great an evil come to pass in thy people, that this day one tribe should be taken away from among us?
And they said why? O Yahweh [the] God of Israel has it happened (this [thing] *LA(bh)*) in Israel to be missing this day from Israel a tribe one.
4 And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
And it was from [the] next day and they rose early the people and they built there an altar and they offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the army of the Lord? for they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were in Maspha, that whosoever were wanting should be slain.
And they said [the] people of Israel who? [is [the] one] who not he went up in the assembly from all [the] tribes of Israel to Yahweh for the oath great it was to [the one] who not he went up to Yahweh Mizpah saying certainly he will be put to death.
6 And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
And they had compassion [the] people of Israel to Benjamin brother its and they said it has been cut off this day a tribe one from Israel.
7 Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
What? will we do for them for [those who] remain for wives and we we have sworn by Yahweh to not to give to them any of daughters our to wives.
8 Therefore they said: Who is thereof all the tribes of Israel, that came not up to the Lord to Maspha. And behold the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad were found not to have been in that army.
And they said who? [is the] one from [the] tribes of Israel which not it went up to Yahweh Mizpah and there! not he had come anyone to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly.
9 (At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
And it was mustered the people and there! there not there [was] anyone from [the] inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead.
10 So they sent ten thousand of the most valiant men, and commanded them, saying: Go and put the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad to the sword, with their wives and their children.
And they sent there the congregation two [plus] ten thousand man from [the] sons of strength and they commanded them saying go and you will strike [the] inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead to [the] mouth of [the] sword and the women and the little one[s].
11 And this is what you shall observe: Every male, and all women that have known men, you shall kill, but the virgins you shall save.
And this [is] the thing which you will do every male and every woman [who] has known lying of a male you will totally destroy.
12 And there were found of Jabes Galaad four hundred virgins, that had not known the bed of a man, and they brought them to the camp Silo, into the land of Chanaan.
And they found of [the] inhabitants of - Jabesh Gilead four hundred young woman virgin[s] who not she had known a man to lying of a male and they brought them to the camp Shiloh which [is] in [the] land of Canaan.
13 And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
And they sent all the congregation and they spoke to [the] descendants of Benjamin who [were] at [the] rock of Rimmon and they proclaimed to them peace.
14 And the children of Benjamin came at that time, and wives were given them of the daughters of Jabes Galaad: but they found no others, whom they might give in like manner.
And it returned Benjamin at the time that and they gave to them the women whom they had preserved alive from [the] women of Jabesh Gilead and not they found for them so.
15 And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
And the people it had compassion to Benjamin for he had made Yahweh a breach in [the] tribes of Israel.
16 And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.
And they said [the] elders of the congregation what? will we do for [those who] remain for wives for she is destroyed from Benjamin woman.
17 And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
And they said a possession of [the] escaped remnant [belongs] to Benjamin and not it will be wiped out a tribe from Israel.
18 For as to our own daughters we cannot give them, being bound with an oath and a curse, whereby we said: Cursed be he that shall give Benjamin any of his daughters to wife.
And we not we are able to give to them wives any of daughters our for they had sworn [the] people of Israel saying [be] cursed [one who] gives a wife to Benjamin.
19 So they took counsel, and said: Behold there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord in Silo, which is situate on the north of the city of Bethel, and on the east side of the way, that goeth from Bethel to Sichem, and on the south of the town of Lebona.
And they said here! [the] festival of Yahweh [is] in Shiloh from days - days towards which [is] from north-ward of Beth-el [the] rising of towards the sun of [the] highway which goes up from Beth-el Shechem towards and from [the] south to Lebonah.
20 And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,
(And they commanded *Q(K)*) [the] descendants of Benjamin saying go and you will lie in wait in the vineyards.
21 And when you shall see the daughters of Silo come out, as the custom is, to dance, come ye on a sudden out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife among them, and go into the land of Benjamin.
And you will see and there! if they will come out [the] daughters of Shiloh to dance in dances and you will go out from the vineyards and you will seize for yourselves each man wife his from [the] daughters of Shiloh and you will go [the] land of Benjamin.
22 And when their fathers and their brethren shall come, and shall begin to complain against you, and to chide, we will say to them: Have pity on them for they took them not away as by the right of war or conquest, but when they asked to have them, you gave them not, and the fault was committed on your part.
And it will be that they will come fathers their or brothers their (to make a complaint *Q(k)*) to us and we will say to them show favor for to us them for not we took each man wife his in the battle for not you you gave [them] to them about this time you will be guilty.
23 And the children of Benjamin did, as they had been commanded: and according to their number, they carried off for themselves every man his wife of them that were dancing: and they went into their possession and built up their cities, and dwelt in them.
And they did thus [the] descendants of Benjamin and they carried off wives to number their from the dancers whom they seized and they went and they returned to inheritance their and they rebuilt the cities and they dwelt in them.
24 The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings.
And they dispersed from there [the] people of Israel at the time that each man to tribe his and to clan his and they went out from there each man to inheritance his.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
In the days those there not [was] a king in Israel each man the right in own eyes his he will do.
