Judges 21:1-23

1Now the menH376 of IsraelH3478 1had swornH7650 in MizpahH4709, sayingH559, “NoneH376H3808 of us shall giveH5414 his daughterH1323 to BenjaminH1144 2in marriageH802.” 23So the peopleH5971 cameH935 to BethelH1008 and satH3427 thereH8033 beforeH6440 GodH430 untilH5704 eveningH6153, and liftedH5375 up their voicesH6963 and weptH1058 4bitterlyH1419H1065. 3They saidH559, “WhyH4100, O LordH3068, GodH430 of IsraelH3478, has thisH2088 comeH1961 about in IsraelH3478, so that oneH259 tribeH7626 should be missing todayH3117 in IsraelH3478?” 4It cameH1961 about the nextH4283 dayH4283 that the peopleH5971 aroseH7925 earlyH7925 and builtH1129 5an altarH4196 thereH8033 and offeredH5927 burntH5930 offeringsH5930 and peaceH8002 offeringsH8002.

5Then the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 saidH559, “WhoH4310 is there amongH4480 allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 whoH834 did not comeH5927 up in the assemblyH6951 to the LordH3068?” For 6they had takenH1961 a greatH1419 oathH7621 concerning him 7whoH834 did not comeH5927 up to the LordH3068 at MizpahH4709, sayingH559, “He shall surelyH4191 be putH4191 to deathH4191.” 6And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 were sorryH5162 for their brotherH251 BenjaminH1144 and saidH559, “OneH259 tribeH7626 is cutH1438 offH1438 from IsraelH3478 todayH3117. 7WhatH4100 shall we doH6213 for wivesH802 for thoseH1992 who are leftH3498, since we have 8swornH7650 by the LordH3068 not to giveH5414 them anyH4480 of our daughtersH1323 in marriageH802?”

8And they saidH559, “WhatH4310 oneH259 is there of the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 whoH834 did not comeH5927 up to the LordH3068 at MizpahH4709?” And beholdH2009, noH3808 oneH376 had comeH935 to the campH4264 from Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568 to the assemblyH6951. 9For when the peopleH5971 were 9numberedH6485, beholdH2009, not oneH376 of the inhabitantsH3427 of Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568 was thereH8033. 10And the congregationH5712 sentH7971 12,000H8147H6240H505 of the valiantH2428 warriorsH1121 thereH8033, and commandedH6680 them, sayingH559, “GoH1980 and 10strikeH5221 the inhabitantsH3427 of Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568 with the edgeH6310 of the swordH2719, with the womenH802 and the littleH2945 onesH2945. 11ThisH2088 is the thingH1697 that you shall doH6213: you 11shall utterlyH2763 destroyH2763 everyH3605 manH2145 and everyH3605 womanH802 who has 12lainH3045H4904 with a manH2145.” 12And they foundH4672 amongH4480 the inhabitantsH3427 of Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568 400H702H3967 youngH5291 virginsH1330 whoH834 had not knownH3045 a manH376 by lyingH4904 with 13him; and they broughtH935 them to the campH4264 at ShilohH7887, whichH834 is in the landH776 of CanaanH3667.

13Then the wholeH3605 congregationH5712 sentH7971 word and spokeH1696 to the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 whoH834 were 14at the rockH5553 of RimmonH7417, and 15proclaimedH7121 peaceH7965 to them. 14BenjaminH1144 returnedH7725 at that timeH6256, and they gaveH5414 them the womenH802 whomH834 they had keptH2421 aliveH2421 from the womenH802 of Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568; yet they 16were not enoughH3651 for them. 15And the peopleH5971 were sorryH5162 for BenjaminH1144 becauseH3588 the LordH3068 had madeH6213 a breachH6556 in the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478.

16Then the eldersH2205 of the congregationH5712 saidH559, “WhatH4310 shall we doH6213 for wivesH802 for those who are leftH3498, sinceH3588 the womenH802 are destroyedH8045 out of BenjaminH1144?” 17They saidH559, “There must be an inheritanceH3425 for the survivorsH6413 of BenjaminH1144, soH3808 that a tribeH7626 will not be blottedH4229 out from IsraelH3478. 18But we cannotH3201H3808 giveH5414 them wivesH802 of our daughtersH1323.” For the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 17had swornH7650, sayingH559, “CursedH779 is he who givesH5414 a wifeH802 to BenjaminH1144.”

19So they saidH559, “BeholdH2009, there is a feastH2282 of the LordH3068 from yearH3117 to yearH3117 in 18ShilohH7887, whichH834 is on the northH6828 sideH6828 of BethelH1008, on the eastH4217H8121 sideH4217H8121 of the highwayH4546 that goesH5927 up from BethelH1008 to ShechemH7927, and on the southH5045 sideH5045 of LebonahH3829.” 20And they commandedH6680 the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144, sayingH559, “GoH1980 and lieH693 in waitH693 in the vineyardsH3754, 21and watchH7200; and beholdH2009, ifH518 the daughtersH1323 of ShilohH7887 comeH3318 out to 1920takeH2342 partH2342 in the dancesH4246, then you shall comeH3318 out of the vineyardsH3754 and eachH376 of you shall catchH2414 his wifeH802 from the daughtersH1323 of ShilohH7887, and goH1980 to the landH776 of BenjaminH1144. 22It shall comeH1961 about, whenH3588 their fathersH1 orH176 their brothersH251 comeH935 to complainH7378 to us, that we shall sayH559 to them, ‘GiveH2603 them to us voluntarilyH2603, becauseH3588 we did not takeH3947 for eachH376 manH376 of Benjamin 21a wifeH802 in battleH4421, 2223norH3588H3808 did you giveH5414 them to them, else you would nowH6256 be guiltyH816.’” 23The sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 didH6213 soH3651, and tookH5375 wivesH802 according to their numberH4557 from those who dancedH2342, whomH834 they carriedH1497 awayH1497. And they wentH1980 and returnedH7725 to their inheritanceH5159 and 24rebuiltH1129 the citiesH5892 and livedH3427 in them.