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.
Iuraverunt quoque filii Israel in Maspha et dixerunt: Nullus nostrum dabit filiis Beniamin de filiabus suis uxorem.
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:
Veneruntque omnes ad domum Dei in Silo, et in conspectu eius sedentes usque ad vesperam, levaverunt vocem, et magno ululatu cœperunt flere, dicentes:
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?
Quare Domine Deus Israel factum est hoc malum in populo tuo, ut hodie una tribus auferretur ex nobis?
4 And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
Altera autem die diluculo consurgentes, extruxerunt altare: obtuleruntque ibi holocausta, et pacificas victimas, et dixerunt:
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.
Quis non ascendit in exercitu Domini de universis tribubus Israel? Grandi enim iuramento se constrinxerant, cum essent in Maspha, interfici eos qui defuissent.
6 And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
Ductique pœnitentia filii Israel super fratre suo Beniamin, cœperunt dicere: Ablata est tribus una de Israel,
7 Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
unde uxores accipient? Omnes enim in commune iuravimus, non daturos nos his filias nostras.
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.
Idcirco dixerunt: Quis est de universis tribubus Israel, qui non ascendit ad Dominum in Maspha? Et ecce inventi sunt habitatores Iabes Galaad in illo exercitu non fuisse.
9 (At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
(Eo quoque tempore cum essent in Silo, nullus ex eis ibi repertus est.)
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.
Miserunt itaque decem millia viros robustissimos, et præceperunt eis: Ite, et percutite habitatores Iabes Galaad in ore gladii, tam uxores quam parvulos eorum.
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.
Et hoc erit quod observare debebitis: Omne generis masculini, et mulieres, quæ cognoverunt viros, interficite, virgines autem reservate.
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.
Inventæque sunt de Iabes Galaad quadringentæ virgines, quæ nescierunt viri thorum, et adduxerunt eas ad castra in Silo, in Terram Chanaan.
13 And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
Miseruntque nuncios ad filios Beniamin, qui erant in Petra Remmon, et præceperunt eis, ut eos susciperent in pace.
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.
Veneruntque filii Beniamin in illo tempore, et datæ sunt eis uxores de filiabus Iabes Galaad: alias autem non repererunt, quas simili modo traderent.
15 And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
Universusque Israel valde doluit, et egit pœnitentiam super interfectione unius tribus ex 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.
Dixeruntque maiores natu: Quid faciemus reliquis, qui non acceperunt uxores? Omnes in Beniamin feminæ conciderunt,
17 And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
et magna nobis cura, ingentique studio providendum est, ne una tribus deleatur ex 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.
Filias enim nostras eis dare non possumus, constricti iuramento et maledictione, qua diximus: Maledictus qui dederit de filiabus suis uxorem Beniamin.
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.
Ceperuntque consilium, atque dixerunt: Ecce sollemnitas Domini est in Silo anniversaria, quæ sita est ad Septentrionem urbis Bethel, et ad Orientalem plagam viæ, quæ de Bethel tendit ad Sichimam, et ad Meridiem oppidi Lebona.
20 And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,
Præceperuntque filiis Beniamin, atque dixerunt: Ite, ad latitate in vineis.
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.
Cumque videritis filias Silo ad ducendos choros ex more procedere, exite repente de vineis, et rapite ex eis singuli uxores singulas, et pergite in Terram Beniamin.
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.
Cumque venerint patres earum, ac fratres, et adversum vos queri cœperint, atque iurgari, dicemus eis: Miseremini eorum: non enim rapuerunt eas iure bellantium atque victorum, sed rogantibus ut acciperent, non dedistis, et a vestra parte peccatum est.
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.
Feceruntque filii Beniamin, ut sibi fuerat imperatum: et iuxta numerum suum rapuerunt sibi de his, quæ ducebant choros, uxores singulas: abieruntque in possessionem suam ædificantes urbes, et habitantes in eis.
24 The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings.
Filii quoque Israel reversi sunt per tribus, et familias in tabernacula sua.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
In diebus illis non erat rex in Israel: sed unusquisque quod sibi rectum videbatur, hoc faciebat.
