Judges 21
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, Not any of us shall give his daughter unto Benjamin for wife.
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.
2 And the people came to Beth-el, and abode there till the evening, before God, and they lifted up their voices, and wept with a great lamentation;
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:
3 And they said, Wherefore, O Lord, God of Israel, is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be lacking this day out of Israel one tribe?
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?
4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.
And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the Lord? For there had been taken the great oath concerning him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
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.
6 And the children of Israel felt regret for Benjamin their brother, and they said, One tribe hath this day been cut down from Israel.
And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
7 What shall we do as respecteth wives for those that remain, since we have sworn by the Lord that we will give none of our daughters unto them for wives?
Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
8 And they said, what one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up unto the Lord to Mizpah? And, behold, there had not come to the camp a man from Yabesh-gil'ad to the assembly.
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.
9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there was not present a man of the inhabitants of Yabesh-gil'ad.
(At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand persons of the valiant men, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Yabesh-gil'ad with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
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.
11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, every male, and every woman that hath known [man] by lying with him, shall ye devote.
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.
12 And they found among the inhabitants of Yabesh-gil'ad four hundred young virgins that had not known man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
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.
13 And the whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin that were on the rock Rimmon, and offered them peace.
And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
14 And Benjamin returned at that time: and they gave unto them the wives whom they had saved alive out of the women of Yabesh-gil'ad; but they found not sufficient for them in this way.
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.
15 And the people felt regret for Benjamin; because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
16 And the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for those that remain as respecteth wives; because the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin?
And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.
17 And they said, Their inheritance must be secured for Benjamin, that not a tribe may be blotted out from Israel.
And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 Nevertheless we ourselves are not able to give them wives of our daughters; for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
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.
19 And they said, Behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh from year to year [at a place] which is on the north side of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
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.
20 And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go ye and lie in wait in the vineyards;
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,
21 And look out, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh go out to dance in dances: then come ye forth out of the vineyards, and snatch you every man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go then to the land of Benjamin.
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.
22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to contend with us, that we will say unto them, Be favorable unto them for our sakes; because we took not for each man his wife in the war; [and] because ye yourselves did not give them unto them, that ye should at this time be guilty.
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.
23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took themselves wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they had stolen away; and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and rebuilt the cities, and dwelt in them.
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.
24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.
The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did what was right in his own eyes.
In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
