1 T he men of Israel had made a promise in Mizpah, saying, “None of us will give his daughter in marriage to a man of Benjamin.”

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

2 S o the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening. In loud voices they cried,

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

3 “ O Lord, God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel? Why should there be one family group missing in Israel today?”

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 T he people got up early the next day and built an altar there. They gave burnt gifts and peace gifts on it.

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

5 T hen the people of Israel said, “Who among all the family groups of Israel did not come with the people to the Lord?” For they had made a promise about the one who did not come to the Lord at Mizpah, saying, “For sure he will be put to death.”

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 T he people of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin. They said, “One family is 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 will we do for wives for those who are left? We have promised by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters in marriage.”

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 T hey said, “Who of the families of Israel did not come to the Lord at Mizpah?” And they found that no one had come to the meeting from Jabesh-gilead.

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 W hen the people were called, they saw that not one of the people of Jabesh-gilead was there.

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

10 T he people sent 12, 000 powerful soldiers to go there. They told them, “Go and kill the people of Jabesh-gilead with the sword. Kill the women and the children also.

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 T his is what you must do. Destroy every man and every woman who has had a man.”

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

12 T hey found 400 young women who had never had a man. So they brought them to the tents at Shiloh, 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 T hen all the people sent news to the people of Benjamin at the rock of Rimmon. They told them they wanted to have peace 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 S o the people of Benjamin returned. The people of Israel gave them the women they had saved alive from the women of Jabesh-gilead. But 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 T he people were sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had divided the families 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 leaders of the people said, “What will we do for wives for those who are left? All the women of Benjamin were killed.”

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 something that can be given to those of Benjamin who are left. Or a family will be taken 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 our daughters for wives.” For the men of Israel had promised, “A curse will come to the one 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, “See, there is a special supper to the Lord every year in Shiloh. It is north of Bethel, east of the road 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 T hey told the men of Benjamin, “Go and hide in the grape-fields. Wait there

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

21 a nd watch. The daughters of Shiloh might come out to dance. Then come out of the grape-fields. Each of you will catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh. Then 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 W hen their fathers or brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Give them to us of your own free will. For we did not leave a wife for each of the men of Benjamin in battle. And you did not give them any. You would have been doing wrong.’”

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 T he men of Benjamin did so. They took wives from those who danced, one for each man. They carried them away and returned to their land. Then they built the cities again and lived 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 T he people of Israel left there at that time. Each man returned to his family in his own land.

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 T here was no king in Israel in those days. Each man did what he thought was right.

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