Judges 21:1-23

1Now the menH376 of IsraelH3478 had sworn an oathH7650 at MizpahH4709, sayingH559, “Not oneH376H3808 of usH4480 will give his daughterH1323 in marriageH5414 to a BenjamiteH1144H802.”

2So the peopleH5971 cameH935 to BethelH1008 and satH3427 thereH8033 beforeH6440 GodH430 untilH5704 eveningH6153, lifting upH5375 their voicesH6963 and weepingH1058H1065 bitterlyH1419. 3“WhyH4100, O LORDH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478,” they cried outH559, “has thisH2063 happenedH1961 in IsraelH3478? TodayH3117 in IsraelH3478 oneH259 tribeH7626 is missingH6485!”

4

The next dayH4283 the peopleH5971 got up earlyH7925, builtH1129 an altarH4196 thereH8033, and presentedH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 and peace offeringsH8002. 5The IsraelitesH1121H3478 askedH559, “WhoH4310 among allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 did notH3808 comeH5927 to the assemblyH6951 beforeH413 the LORDH3068?” ForH3588 they had takenH1961 a solemnH1419 oathH7621 that anyoneH834 who failedH3808 to come upH5927 beforeH413 the LORDH3068 at MizpahH4709H559 would surely be put to deathH4191.

6And the IsraelitesH1121H3478 grievedH5162 forH413 their brothersH251, the BenjamitesH1144, and saidH559, “TodayH3117 aH259 tribeH7626 is cut offH1438 from IsraelH3478. 7WhatH4100 should we doH6213 about wivesH802 for the survivorsH3498, since weH587 have swornH7650 by the LORDH3068 notH1115 to giveH5414 them our daughtersH1323 in marriageH802?”

8So they askedH559, “WhichH4310 oneH259 of the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 failedH3808 to come upH5927 beforeH413 the LORDH3068 at MizpahH4709?” And, in factH2009, no oneH3808H376 from Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568 had comeH935 toH413 the campH4264 for the assemblyH6951. 9For when the peopleH5971H2009 were countedH6485, noneH369H376 of the residentsH3427 of Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568 were thereH8033.

10So the congregationH5712 sentH7971 12,000H8147H6240H505 ofH1121 their most valiantH2428 menH376 and commanded themH6680: “GoH1980 and putH5221 to the swordH6310H2719 those livingH3427 in Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568, including womenH802 and childrenH2945. 11ThisH2088H1697 is whatH834 you are to doH6213: Devote to destructionH27631 everyH3605 maleH2145, as well as everyH3605 femaleH802 who has had relations withH3045H4904 a manH2145.”

12So they foundH4672 among the inhabitantsH3427 of Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568 fourH702 hundredH3967 youngH5291 womenH1330 whoH834 had notH3808 had relations withH3045H376H4904 a manH2145, and they broughtH935 themH853 toH413 the campH4264 at ShilohH7887 in the landH776 of CanaanH3667.

13Then the wholeH3605 congregationH5712 sentH7971 a messageH1696H7121 of peaceH7965 toH413 the BenjamitesH1121H1144 whoH834 were at the rockH5553 of RimmonH7417. 14And at thatH1931 timeH6256 the BenjamitesH1144 returnedH7725 and were givenH5414 the womenH802 who were sparedH2421H802 from Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568. But there were notH3808H4672 enoughH3651 women for all of them.

15The peopleH5971 grievedH5162 for BenjaminH1144, becauseH3588 the LORDH3068 had madeH6213 a voidH6556 in the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478.

16Then the eldersH2205 of the congregationH5712 saidH559, “WhatH4100 should we doH6213 about wivesH802 for those who remainH3498, sinceH3588 the womenH802 of BenjaminH1144 have been destroyedH8045?” 17They addedH559, “There must be heirsH3425 for the survivorsH6413 of BenjaminH1144, so that a tribeH7626 of IsraelH3478 will notH3808 be wiped outH4229. 18But weH587 cannotH3808H3201 giveH5414 them our daughtersH1323 as wivesH802.”

ForH3588 the IsraelitesH1121H3478H559 had swornH7650, “Cursed isH779 he who givesH5414 a wifeH802 to a BenjamiteH1144.”

19“But lookH2009,” they saidH559, “there is a yearlyH3117 feastH2282 to the LORDH3068 in ShilohH7887, whichH834 is northH6828 of BethelH1008 eastH4217H8121 of the roadH4546 that goes upH5927 fromH1008 BethelH1008 to ShechemH7927, and southH5045 of LebonahH3829.”

20So they commandedH6680 the BenjamitesH1121H1144H559: “GoH1980, hideH693 in the vineyardsH3754 21and watchH7200. WhenH518 you seeH2009 the daughtersH1323 of ShilohH7887 come outH3318 to performH2342 their dancesH4246, each of youH376 is to come outH3318 of the vineyardsH3754, catchH2414 for himself a wifeH802 fromH4480 the daughtersH1323 of ShilohH7887, and goH1980 to the landH776 of BenjaminH1144. 22WhenH3588 their fathersH1 orH176 brothersH251 comeH935 to usH413 to complainH7378, we will tell themH559H413, ‘Do us a favorH2603 by helping themH853, sinceH3588 we did notH3808 getH3947 wivesH802 for each of themH376 in the warH4421. SinceH3588 youH859 did notH3808 actuallyH6256 give themH5414 your daughters, you have no guiltH816.’”

23The BenjamitesH1121H1144 didH6213 as instructed and carried awayH5375 the numberH4557 of womenH802 they needed fromH4480 the dancersH2342 they caughtH1497. They wentH1980 backH7725 toH413 their own inheritanceH5159, rebuiltH1129 their citiesH5892, and settledH3427 in them.