Judges 21

1Now 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.

1And the men of Israel have sworn in Mizpeh, saying, `None of us doth give his daughter to Benjamin for a wife.'

2And they all came to the house of God in Silo, and sitting before him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and weep, saying:

2And the people come in to Beth-El, and sit there till the evening before God, and lift up their voice, and weep--a great weeping,

3O 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?

3and say, `Why, O Jehovah, God of Israel, hath this been in Israel--to be lacking to-day, from Israel, one tribe?'

4And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:

4And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that the people rise early, and build there an altar, and cause to ascend burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.

5Who 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.

5And the sons of Israel say, `Who <FI>is<Fi> he that hath not come up in the assembly out of all the tribes of Israel unto Jehovah?' for the great oath hath been concerning him who hath not come up unto Jehovah to Mizpeh, saying, `He is surely put to death.'

6And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.

6And the sons of Israel repent concerning Benjamin their brother, and say, `There hath been to-day cut off one tribe from Israel,

7Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.

7what do we do for them--for those who are left--for wives, and we--we have sworn by Jehovah not to give to them of our daughters for wives?'

8Therefore they said: Who is there of 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.

8And they say, `Who is <FI>that<Fi> one out of the tribes of Israel who hath not come up unto Jehovah to Mizpeh?' and lo, none hath come in unto the camp from Jabesh-Gilead--unto the assembly.

9(At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there,)

9And the people numbered themselves, and lo, there is not there a man of the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead.

10So 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.

10And the company send there twelve thousand men of the sons of valour, and command them, saying, `Go--and ye have smitten the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead by the mouth of the sword, even the women and the infants.

11And this is what you shall observe: Every male, and all women that have known men, you shall kill, but the virgins you shall save.

11And this <FI>is<Fi> the thing which ye do; every male, and every woman knowing the lying of a male, ye devote.'

12And 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 in Silo, into the land of Chanaan.

12And they find out of the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead four hundred young women, virgins, who have not known man by the lying of a male, and they bring them in unto the camp at Shiloh, which <FI>is<Fi> in the land of Canaan.

13And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.

13And all the company send, and speak, unto the sons of Benjamin who <FI>are<Fi> in the rock Rimmon, and proclaim to them peace;

14And the children of Benjamin came at that time, and wives were given them of Jabes Galaad: but they found no others, whom they might give in like manner.

14and Benjamin turneth back at that time, and they give to them the women whom they have kept alive of the women of Jabesh-Gilead, and they have not found for <FI>all of<Fi> them so.

15And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.

15And the people repented concerning Benjamin, for Jehovah had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.

16And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.

16And the elders of the company say, `What do we do to the remnant for wives--for the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin?'

17And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

17And they say, `A possession of an escaped party <FI>is<Fi> to Benjamin, and a tribe is not blotted out from Israel;

18For 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.

18and we--we are not able to give to them wives out of our daughters, for the sons of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed <FI>is<Fi> he who is giving a wife to Benjamin.'

19So 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.

19And they say, `Lo, a festival of Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> in Shiloh, from time to time, which <FI>is<Fi> on the north of Beth-El, at the rising of the sun, by the highway which is going up from Beth-El to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.'

20And they commanded the children of Benjamin and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,

20And they command the sons of Benjamin, saying, `Go--and ye have laid wait in the vineyards,

21And 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.

21and have seen, and lo, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances--then ye have gone out from the vineyards, and caught for you each his wife out of the daughters of Shiloh, and gone to the land of Benjamin;

22And 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.

22and it hath been, when their fathers or their brethren come in to plead unto us, that we have said unto them, Favour us <FI>by<Fi> them, for we have not taken <FI>to<Fi> each his wife in battle, for ye--ye have not given to them at this time <FI>that<Fi> ye are guilty.'

23And 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.

23And the sons of Benjamin do so, and take women according to their number, out of the dancers whom they have taken violently away; and they go, and turn back unto their inheritance, and build the cities, and dwell in them.

24The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings. In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.

24And the sons of Israel go up and down thence at that time, each to his tribe, and to his family; and they go out thence each to his inheritance.

25(not in this translation)

25In those days there is no king in Israel; each doth that which is right in his own eyes.