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

Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, None of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.

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

And the Israelites came to the house of God and sat there until evening before God and lifted up their voices and wept bitterly.

3 a nd 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?

And they said, O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?

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

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

5 A nd 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.

And the Israelites said, Which among all the tribes of Israel did not come up with the assembly to the Lord? For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely die.

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

And the Israelites changed their purpose for the Benjamites their kinsmen and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel today.

7 H ow 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?

What shall we do for wives for those who are left, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters as wives?

8 A nd 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 Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.

And they said, Which one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord? And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead, to the assembly.

9 F or the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.

For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the citizens of Jabesh-gilead was there.

10 A nd the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

And the congregation sent there 12, 000 of the bravest men, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword, also the women and the little ones.

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

And this is what you shall do; utterly destroy every male and every woman who is not a virgin.

12 A nd they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 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.

And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins, who had known no man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

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

And the whole congregation sent word to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon and invited them to be friendly with them.

14 A nd Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.

And Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead; and yet there were not enough for them.

15 A nd the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

And the people had compassion on Benjamin, because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

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

Then the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women of Benjamin are destroyed?

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

And they said, There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe shall not be wiped out of Israel.

18 H owbeit 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.

But we cannot give them wives of our daughters, for the Israelites have sworn, Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin.

19 T hen they said, Behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

So they said, Behold, there is the yearly feast of the Lord at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem and south of Lebonah.

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

So they commanded the Benjamites, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

21 a nd 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.

And watch; if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and catch every man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh and go to the land of Benjamin.

22 A nd 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.

And when their fathers or their brothers come to us to complain, we will say to them, Grant them graciously unto us, because we did not reserve a wife for each of them in battle, neither did you give wives to them, for that would have made you guilty.

23 A nd 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.

And the Benjamites did so and took wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they carried off; then they went and returned to their inheritance and repaired the towns and dwelt in them.

24 A nd 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.

And the Israelites left there then, every man to his tribe and family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.

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

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