Judges 21

1 Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”

2 So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.

3 “Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”

4 The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.

5 The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.

6 And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.

7 What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”

8 So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.

9 For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.

10 So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.

11 This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”

12 So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.

13 Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.

14 And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.

15 The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.

16 Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”

17 They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.

18 But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”

19 “But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”

20 So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards

21 and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

22 When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”

23 The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.

24 And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance.

25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

1 ¶ Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;

3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?

4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

5 And the children of Israel said, Who [is there] among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.

6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?

8 And they said, What one [is there] of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, [there were] none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.

10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

11 And this [is] the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.

12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which [is] in the land of Canaan.

13 And the whole congregation sent [some] to speak to the children of Benjamin that [were] in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.

14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.

15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

16 ¶ Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

17 And they said, [There must be] an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

18 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.

19 Then they said, Behold, [there is] a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly [in a place] which [is] on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

21 And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, [that] ye should be guilty.

23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took [them] wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.

24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.

25 In those days [there was] no king in Israel: every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.

1 And the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, saying, No man shall give his daughter to the Benjamites to wife.

2 And the people came unto the house of God, and tarried there until the even before God: and they lifted up their voice, and wept greatly.

3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that this day there is less of a tribe of Israel?

4 And the next morning the people rose up early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

5 And the children of Israel said: Who is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For there was a great oath made, that whosoever came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh should surely surely die.

6 And the children of Israel repented them of Benjamin their brethren, and said: This day is a tribe broken off from Israel.

7 How shall we do unto them, that the rest may have wives? For we have sworn by the LORD, that we will not give them wives of our daughters.

8 And they said: Who is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh? And, behold, there was none in the camp of the congregation of Jabesh in Gilead.

9 For they numbered the people, and, behold, there was not a citizen of Jabesh in Gilead.

10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of valiant valour, and commanded them, saying: Go and smite with the edge of the sword the inhabitants of Jabesh in Gilead, and their wives and children.

11 But thus shall ye do: All things that are male, and all women that lie with man, banish them.

12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh in Gilead four hundred damsels, virgins, which were not with any man. And they brought them into the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

13 And all the congregation sent, and spake unto the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and called unto them peaceably.

14 So the children of Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them the wives which they had received of the women of Jabesh in Gilead: and they found none more so.

15 And the people repented against Benjamin, because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

16 And the elders of the congregation said: What shall we do, that the rest of them may have wives also? For the women of Benjamin are destroyed.

17 And they said: The remnant of Benjamin must keep their inheritance, lest one tribe be cut off from Israel.

18 And we cannot give them our daughters to wife: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to the Benjamites.

19 And they said, Behold, there is a yearly feast of the LORD in Shiloh, which is on the north side toward Bethel, toward the rising of the sun, in the way that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem; and on the south side toward Libona.

20 And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying: Go and lie in wait in the vineyards.

21 And it shall come to pass, when ye see the daughters of Shiloh come out with dancing, that ye shall go forth out of the vineyards, and take every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go into the land of Benjamin.

22 And when their fathers or their brethren come to make terms with us, we will say unto them, Be merciful unto them: for we took them not with strife, but ye would not give them; the iniquity is now yours.

23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took wives according to their number of the flocks which they had spoiled, and went and dwelt in their inheritance, and built cities, and dwelt therein.

24 And the children of Israel departed from thence at that time, every man to his tribe, and every man to his family, and departed every man to his inheritance.

25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which seemed right unto him.