Judges 21
21
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us will give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.” 2The people came to Bethel and sat there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept severely. 3They said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be one tribe lacking in Israel today?”
4 On the next day, the people rose early and built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5The children of Israel said, “Who is there amongst all the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up in the assembly to the LORD?” For they had made a great oath concerning him who didn’t come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” 6The children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, “There is one tribe cut off from Israel today. 7How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?” 8They said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up to the LORD to Mizpah?” Behold, no one came from Jabesh Gilead to the camp to the assembly. 9For when the people were counted, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead there. 10The congregation sent twelve thousand of the most valiant men there, 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. 11This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has lain with a man.” 12They found amongst the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins who had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 The whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them. 14Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead. There still weren’t enough for them. 15The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. 16Then the elders of the congregation said, “How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?” 17They said, “There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel. 18However, 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.’” 19They said, “Behold, 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.” 20They commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, 21and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards, and each man catch his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 22It 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 for each man his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them; otherwise you would now be guilty.’”
23 The children of Benjamin did so, and took wives for themselves 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. 24The children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they each went out from there to his own inheritance. 25In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.
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Judges 21
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.
2And 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:
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?
4And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace. And they said:
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.
6And the children of Israel, being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
7Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn not to give our daughters to them.
8Therefore 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(At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
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.
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.
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 Silo, into the land of Chanaan.
13And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
14And 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.
15And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out 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.
17And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of 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.
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.
20And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid 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.
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.
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.
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.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.