Iudicum 21
1 iuraverunt quoque filii Israhel in Maspha et dixerunt nullus nostrum dabit filiis Beniamin de filiabus suis uxorem
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 veneruntque omnes ad domum Dei in Silo et in conspectu eius sedentes usque ad vesperam levaverunt vocem et magno ululatu coeperunt flere dicentes
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 quare Domine Deus Israhel factum est hoc malum in populo tuo ut hodie una tribus auferretur ex nobis
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 altera autem die diluculo consurgentes extruxerunt altare obtuleruntque ibi holocausta et pacificas victimas et dixerunt
And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
5 quis non ascendit in exercitu Domini de universis tribubus Israhel grandi enim se iuramento constrinxerant cum essent in Maspha interfici eos qui defuissent
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 ductique paenitentia filii Israhel super fratre suo Beniamin coeperunt dicere ablata est una tribus de Israhel
And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
7 unde uxores accipient omnes enim in commune iuravimus non daturos nos his filias nostras
Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
8 idcirco dixerunt quis est de universis tribubus Israhel qui non ascendit ad Dominum in Maspha et ecce inventi sunt habitatores Iabisgalaad in illo exercitu non fuisse
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 eo quoque tempore cum essent in Silo nullus ex eis ibi reppertus est
(At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
10 miserunt itaque decem milia viros robustissimos et praeceperunt eis ite et percutite habitatores Iabisgalaad in ore gladii tam uxores quam parvulos eorum
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 et hoc erit quod observare debetis omne generis masculini et mulieres quae cognoverunt viros interficite
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 inventaeque sunt de Iabisgalaad quadringentae virgines quae nescierunt viri torum et adduxerunt eas in castra in Silo in terra 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 miseruntque nuntios ad filios Beniamin qui erant in petra Remmon et praeceperunt eis ut eos in pace susciperent
And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
14 veneruntque filii Beniamin in illo tempore et datae sunt eis uxores de filiabus Iabisgalaad alias autem non reppererunt quas simili modo traderent
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 universusque Israhel valde doluit et egit paenitudinem super interfectione unius tribus ex Israhel
And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
16 dixeruntque maiores natu quid faciemus reliquis qui non acceperunt uxores omnes in Beniamin feminae conciderunt
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 et magna nobis cura ingentique studio providendum est ne una tribus deleatur ex Israhel
And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 filias nostras eis dare non possumus constricti iuramento et maledictione qua diximus maledictus qui dederit de filiabus suis uxorem Beniamin
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 ceperuntque consilium atque dixerunt ecce sollemnitas Domini est in Silo anniversaria quae sita est ad septentrionem urbis Bethel et ad orientalem plagam viae quae de Bethel tendit ad Sycimam et ad meridiem oppidi 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 praeceperuntque filiis Beniamin atque dixerunt ite et latete in vineis
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,
21 cumque videritis filias Silo ad ducendos choros ex more procedere exite repente de vineis et rapite eas singuli uxores singulas et pergite in terram Beniamin
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 cumque venerint patres earum ac fratres et adversum vos queri coeperint 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
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 feceruntque filii Beniamin ut sibi fuerat imperatum et iuxta numerum suum rapuerunt sibi de his quae ducebant choros uxores singulas abieruntque in possessionem suam aedificantes urbes et habitantes in eis
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 filii quoque Israhel reversi sunt per tribus et familias in tabernacula sua in diebus illis non erat rex in Israhel
The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings.
25 sed unusquisque quod sibi rectum videbatur hoc faciebat
In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
