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

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us will give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.”

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

The people came to Bethel, and sat there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept severely.

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

They said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be one tribe lacking in Israel today?”

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

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

5 T hen 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.”

The children of Israel said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up in the assembly to Yahweh?” For they had made a great oath concerning him who didn’t come up to Yahweh to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.”

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

The children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, “There is one tribe cut off from Israel today.

7 W hat 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

How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?”

8 A nd 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.

They said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up to Yahweh to Mizpah?” Behold, no one came from Jabesh Gilead to the camp to the assembly.

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

For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead there.

10 A nd 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.

The congregation sent twelve thousand of the most valiant men 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 T his is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every man and every woman who has lain with a man.”

This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, 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 not known a man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins, who had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

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

The whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.

14 B enjamin 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.

Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead. There still weren’t enough for them.

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

The people grieved for Benjamin, because Yahweh 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 are destroyed out of Benjamin?”

Then the elders of the congregation said, “How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?”

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

They said, “There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel.

18 B ut 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.”

However we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, ‘Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.’”

19 S o 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.”

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

20 A nd they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

They commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

21 a nd 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.

and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards, and each man catch his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

22 I t 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.’”

It shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them, ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we didn’t take for each man his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, otherwise you would now be guilty.’”

23 T he 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.

The children of Benjamin did so, and took wives for themselves, according to their number, of those who danced, whom they carried off. They went and returned to their inheritance, built the cities, and lived in them.

24 T he 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.

The children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they each went out from there to his own inheritance.

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

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.