Judges 21:17-18

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Judges 21:16-18 The Message (MSG)

The elders of the congregation said, “How can we get wives for the rest of the men, since all the Benjaminite women have been killed? How can we keep the inheritance alive for the Benjaminite survivors? How can we prevent an entire tribe from extinction? We certainly can’t give our own daughters to them as wives.” (Remember, the Israelites had taken the oath: “Cursed is anyone who provides a wife to Benjamin.”)

Judges 21:17-18 King James Version (KJV)

And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel. Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

Judges 21:17-18 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

They said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel. But we cannot give them wives of our daughters.” For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.”

Judges 21:17-18 New Century Version (NCV)

These men must have children to continue their families so a tribe in Israel will not die out. But we cannot allow our daughters to marry them, because we swore, ‘Anyone who gives a wife to a man of Benjamin is cursed.’

Judges 21:17-18 American Standard Version (ASV)

And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel. Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

Judges 21:17-18 New International Version (NIV)

The Benjamite survivors must have heirs,” they said, “so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out. We can’t give them our daughters as wives, since we Israelites have taken this oath: ‘Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to a Benjamite.’

Judges 21:17-18 New King James Version (NKJV)

And they said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe may not be destroyed from Israel. However, we cannot give them wives from our daughters, for the children of Israel have sworn an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the one who gives a wife to Benjamin.’ ”

Judges 21:17-18 Amplified Bible (AMP)

They said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be wiped out from Israel. But we cannot give them wives from our daughters.” For the sons of Israel had sworn [an oath], “Cursed is he who gives a wife to [a man from the tribe of] Benjamin.”

Judges 21:17-18 New Living Translation (NLT)

There must be heirs for the survivors so that an entire tribe of Israel is not wiped out. But we cannot give them our own daughters in marriage because we have sworn with a solemn oath that anyone who does this will fall under God’s curse.”

Judges 21:17-18 The Passion Translation (TPT)

And they said, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin to prevent the tribe from being wiped out from Israel. Yet we cannot give them any of our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “A curse will rest on anyone who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”

Judges 21:17-18 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

And they said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel. Yet we cannot give them wives from our daughters.” For the people of Israel had sworn, “Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin.”