Judges 21
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, "There shall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin as wife."
Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, Not any of us shall give his daughter unto Benjamin for wife.
2 The people came to Bethel, and sat there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept severely.
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;
3 They said, "LORD God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?"
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?
4 It happened on the next day that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
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.
5 The children of Israel said, "Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up in the assembly to the LORD?" For they had made a great oath concerning anyone who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely be put to death."
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.
6 The children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, "There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
And the children of Israel felt regret for Benjamin their brother, and they said, One tribe hath this day been cut down from Israel.
7 How shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?"
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?
8 They said, "What one is there of the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah?" Look, no one came to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly.
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.
9 For when the people were numbered, look, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead there.
For the people were numbered, and, behold, there was not present a man of the inhabitants of Yabesh-gil'ad.
10 The congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
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.
11 This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has slept with a man, but the virgins you are to keep alive." And they did so.
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.
12 They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins who had never slept with a man; and they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
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.
13 The whole congregation sent and spoke to the people of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.
And the whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin that were on the rock Rimmon, and offered them peace.
14 Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead: and yet so they weren't enough for them.
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.
15 The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a gap in the tribes of Israel.
And the people felt regret for Benjamin; because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16 Then the elders of the congregation said, "How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?"
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?
17 They said, "How will an inheritance remain for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel.
And they said, Their inheritance must be secured for Benjamin, that not a tribe may be blotted out from Israel.
18 However we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, 'Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.'"
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.
19 They said, "Look, there is a feast of the LORD from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah."
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.
20 They commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go ye and lie in wait in the vineyards;
21 and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards, and each man catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
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.
22 It shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them, 'Grant them graciously to us, because we didn't take wives for each man in battle, neither did you give them to them, otherwise you would now be guilty.'"
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.
23 The people of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of those who danced, whom they carried off. They went and returned to their inheritance, built the cities, and lived in them.
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.
24 The children of Israel departed there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.
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.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did what was right in his own eyes.
