Judges 21:1-24

1Now the menH376 of IsraelH3478 had swornH7650 in MizpahH4709, sayingH559, There shall not any of us giveH5414 his daughterH1323 to the Benjaminites as wifeH802.

2And the peopleH5971 cameH935 to Bethel, and abode there till even before 1GodH430, and liftedH5375 up their voicesH6963 and weptH1058 bitterly,

3and saidH559, Jehovah, 2GodH430 of IsraelH3478, whyH4100 is it come to pass in IsraelH3478, that there should beH1961 this dayH3117 oneH259 tribeH7626 lacking in IsraelH3478?

4And it came to pass on the morrow, that the peopleH5971 roseH7925 earlyH7925, and builtH1129 there an altarH4196, and offeredH5927 up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.

5And the children of IsraelH3478 saidH559, Who is there among all the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 that came not up with the congregation to Jehovah? For they had [made] a greatH1419 oathH7621 concerningH413 him that came not up to Jehovah to MizpahH4709, sayingH559, He shall certainly beH1961 putH4191 to deathH4191.

6And the children of IsraelH3478 repentedH5162 them for BenjaminH1144 their brotherH251, and saidH559, To-day is oneH259 tribeH7626 extirpated from IsraelH3478.

7What shall we do for wivesH802 for them that remainH3498? since we have swornH7650 by Jehovah that we will not giveH5414 them of our daughtersH1323 for wivesH802.

8And they saidH559, What oneH259 is there of the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 that cameH935 not up to MizpahH4709 to Jehovah? And behold, there cameH935 none to the campH4264 from Jabesh-Gilead, to the congregation;

9for the peopleH5971 were numbered, and behold, there were none of the inhabitantsH3427 of Jabesh-Gilead there.

10And the assemblyH5712 sentH7971 thither twelve thousandH505 menH376 of the most valiant and commandedH6680 them, sayingH559, GoH7971 and smite the inhabitantsH3427 of Jabesh-Gilead with the edge of the swordH2719, and the womenH802 and the children.

11And this is the thingH1697 which ye shall do: ye shall utterly destroyH2763 every maleH2145, and every womanH802 that hath lain with man.

12And they foundH4672 among the inhabitantsH3427 of Jabesh-Gilead fourH702 hundredH3967 youngH5291 womenH1330 that were virginsH1330, who had knownH3045 no manH376 by lying with any maleH2145, and they broughtH935 them to the campH4264, to ShilohH7887, which is in the landH776 of CanaanH3667.

13And the whole assemblyH5712 sentH7971 to speakH1696 to the children of BenjaminH1144 that were at the cliffH5553 of RimmonH7417, and to proclaimH7121 peaceH7965 to them.

14And BenjaminH1144 cameH4672 again at that timeH6256; and they gaveH5414 them the wivesH802 whom they had saved aliveH2421 of the womenH802 of Jabesh-Gilead; but even so they foundH4672 not enough for them.

15And the peopleH5971 repentedH5162 them for BenjaminH1144, because Jehovah had madeH6213 a breachH6556 in the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478.

16And the eldersH2205 of the assemblyH5712 saidH559, What shall we do for wivesH802 for them that remainH3498? for the womenH802 have been destroyedH8045 out of BenjaminH1144.

17And they saidH559, There must be a possessionH3425 for those of BenjaminH1144 that have escapedH6413, that a tribeH7626 be not blotted out of IsraelH3478.

18But we cannot giveH5414 them wivesH802 of our daughtersH1323, for the children of IsraelH3478 have swornH7650, sayingH559, CursedH779 be he that giveth a wifeH802 to the Benjaminites!

19And they saidH559, Behold, there is a feastH2282 of Jehovah from year to year in ShilohH7887, which is on the northH6828 side of Bethel, toward the sun-rising of the highwayH4546 that goesH5927 up from Bethel to ShechemH7927, and on the southH5045 of Lebonah.

20And they commandedH6680 the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144, sayingH559, Go and lieH693 in waitH693 in the vineyardsH3754;

21and seeH7200, and behold, if the daughtersH1323 of ShilohH7887 comeH1980 out to dance in the dances, then comeH1980 out of the vineyardsH3754, and catch you every manH376 his wifeH802 of the daughtersH1323 of ShilohH7887, and goH1980 to the landH776 of BenjaminH1144.

22And it shall beH1961, when their fathersH1 or their brethren comeH935 to complain to us, that we will sayH559 to them, Gratify us with them, because we did not takeH3947 each manH376 his wifeH802 in the warH4421; for ye did not giveH5414 them to them, that ye should now beH1961 guiltyH816.

23And the children of BenjaminH1144 did soH3651, and tookH5375 wivesH802, according to their numberH4557, of them that danced, whom they caught; and they wentH7725 and returnedH7725 to their inheritanceH5159, and builtH1129 the citiesH5892, and dweltH3427 in them.

24And the children of IsraelH3478 departed thence at that timeH6256, every manH376 to his tribeH7626 and to his familyH4940, and they wentH1980 out from thence every manH376 to his inheritanceH5159.