Judges 21
1 Also the sones of Israel sworen in Maspha, and seiden, Noon of vs schal yyue to the sones of Beniamyn a wijf of his douytris.
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 `alle camen to the hows of God in Silo, and thei saten in the `siyt of hym `til to euentid, and thei reisiden the vois, and bigunnen to wepe with greet yellyng,
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 seiden, Lord God of Israel, whi is this yuel don in thi puple, that to dai o lynage be takun awey of vs?
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 Sotheli in the tother day thei risiden eerli, and bildyden an auter, and offriden there brent sacrifices and pesible sacrifices, and seiden,
And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
5 Who of alle the lynagis of Israel stiede not in to the oost of the Lord? For whanne thei weren in Maspha, thei `hadden bounde hem silf with a greuouse ooth, that thei that failiden schulden be slayn.
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 sones of Israel weren led bi penaunce on her brother Beniamyn, and bigunnen to seie, O lynage of Israel is takun awey;
And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
7 wherof schulen thei take wyues? for alle we sworen in comyn, that we schulen not yyue oure douytris to hem.
Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
8 Therfor thei seiden, Who is of alle the lynagis of Israel, that stiede not to the Lord in Maspha? And lo! the dwelleris of Jabes of Galaad weren foundun, that thei weren not in the oost.
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 Also in that tyme, whanne thei weren in Silo, noon of hem was foundun there.
(At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
10 Therfor thei senten ten thousynde strongeste men, and comaundiden to hem, Go ye, and smyte the dwelleris of Jabes of Galaad bi the scharpnesse of swerd, as wel the wyues as `the litle children of hem.
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 thing schal be, which ye `owen to kepe, sle ye alle of male kynde, and the wymmen, that knewen men fleischli; reserue ye the virgyns.
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 foure hundrid virgyns, that knewen not the bed of man, weren foundun of Jabes of Galaad; and thei brouyten hem to the castels in Silo, in to the lond of Chanaan.
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 `thei senten messangeris to the sones of Beniamyn, that weren in the stoon of Remmon; and thei comaundiden to hem, that thei schulden resseyue tho wymmen in pees.
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 the sones of Beniamyn camen in that tyme, and the douytris of Jabes of Galaad weren youun to hem to wyues; forsothe thei founden not othere wymmen, whiche thei schulden yyue in lijk maner.
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 al Israel sorewide greetly, and dide penaunce on the sleyng of o lynage of Israel.
And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
16 And the grettere men in birthe seiden, What schulen we do to the othere men, that han not take wyues? Alle the wymmen in Beniamyn felden doun,
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 it `is to vs to puruey `with greet cure and greet studie, that o lynage be not don awey fro Israel.
And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 We moun not yyue oure douytris to hem, for we ben boundun with an ooth and cursyng, bi which we seiden, Be he cursid that yyueth of hise douytris a wijf to Beniamyn.
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 thei token a counsel, and seiden, Lo! annyuersarie solempnyte of the Lord is in Silo, whych is set at the north of the citee of Bethel, and at the eest coost of the weie that goith from Bethel to Siccyma, and at the south of the citee of Lebona.
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 thei comaundiden to the sones of Beniamyn, and seiden, Go ye, be ye hid in the vyneris;
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,
21 and whanne ye seen douytris of Silo go forth bi custom to lede daunsis, go ye out of the vyneris sudeynli, and rauysche ye hem, eche man o wijf, and go ye in to the lond of Beniamyn.
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 whanne the fadris and britheren of hem schulen come, and bigynne to pleyne and plete ayens you, we schulen seie to hem, Haue ye mercy of hem; for thei rauyschiden not hem bi riyt of fiyteris and ouercomeris, but ye `yauen not to hem preiynge that thei schulden take; and the synne is of youre part.
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 sones of Beniamyn diden as it was comaundid to hem, and bi her noumbre thei rauyschiden wyues to hem, ech man o wijf, of hem that ledden daunsis. And thei yeden in to her possessioun, and bildiden citees, and dwelliden in tho.
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 sones of Israel turneden ayen, bi lynagis and meynees, in to her tabernaclis.
The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings.
25 In tho dayes was no kyng in Israel, but ech man dide this, that semyde ryytful to hym silf.
In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
