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

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

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

So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and lifted up their voices and wept bitterly.

3 A nd 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?

They said, “Why, O Lord, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today in Israel?”

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

It came about the next day that the people arose early and built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

5 A nd 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.

Then the sons of Israel said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up in the assembly to the Lord ?” For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord at Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.”

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

And the sons of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel today.

7 W hat 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?

What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?” Provision for Their Survival

8 A nd 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.

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

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

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

10 A nd 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.

And the congregation sent 12, 000 of the valiant warriors there, and commanded them, saying, “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.

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

This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every man and every woman who has lain with a man.”

12 A nd 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.

And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a 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 word to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon and invited them to be friendly with them.

Then the whole congregation sent word and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.

14 A nd 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.

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

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

And the people were sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

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

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

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

They said, “ There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel.

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

But we cannot give them wives of our daughters.” For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.”

19 S o 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.

So they said, “Behold, there is a feast of the Lord from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south side of Lebonah.”

20 S o they commanded the Benjamites, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

21 A nd 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.

and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

22 A nd 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.

It shall come about, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we shall say to them, ‘Give them to us voluntarily, because we did not take for each man of Benjamin a wife in battle, nor did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.’”

23 A nd 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.

The sons of Benjamin did so, and took wives according to their number from those who danced, whom they carried away. And they went and returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the cities and lived in them.

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

The sons of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and each one of them went out from there to his inheritance.

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

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