1 A nd the men of Israel have sworn in Mizpeh, saying, `None of us doth give his daughter to Benjamin for a wife.'

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

2 A nd the people come in to Beth-El, and sit there till the evening before God, and lift up their voice, and weep -- a great weeping,

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

3 a nd say, `Why, O Jehovah, God of Israel, hath this been in Israel -- to be lacking to-day, from Israel, one tribe?'

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

4 A nd it cometh to pass on the morrow, that the people rise early, and build there an altar, and cause to ascend burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.

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

5 A nd the sons of Israel say, `Who he that hath not come up in the assembly out of all the tribes of Israel unto Jehovah?' for the great oath hath been concerning him who hath not come up unto Jehovah to Mizpeh, saying, `He is surely put to death.'

Then 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.”

6 A nd the sons of Israel repent concerning Benjamin their brother, and say, `There hath been to-day cut off one tribe from Israel,

The people of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin. They said, “One family is cut off from Israel today.

7 w hat do we do for them -- for those who are left -- for wives, and we -- we have sworn by Jehovah not to give to them of our daughters for wives?'

What 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.”

8 A nd they say, `Who is one out of the tribes of Israel who hath not come up unto Jehovah to Mizpeh?' and lo, none hath come in unto the camp from Jabesh-Gilead -- unto the assembly.

They 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.

9 A nd the people numbered themselves, and lo, there is not there a man of the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead.

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

10 A nd the company send there twelve thousand men of the sons of valour, and command them, saying, `Go -- and ye have smitten the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead by the mouth of the sword, even the women and the infants.

The 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.

11 A nd this the thing which ye do; every male, and every woman knowing the lying of a male, ye devote.'

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

12 A nd they find out of the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead four hundred young women, virgins, who have not known man by the lying of a male, and they bring them in unto the camp at Shiloh, which in the land of Canaan.

They found 400 young women who had never had a man. So they brought them to the tents at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan.

13 A nd all the company send, and speak, unto the sons of Benjamin who in the rock Rimmon, and proclaim to them peace;

Then 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.

14 a nd Benjamin turneth back at that time, and they give to them the women whom they have kept alive of the women of Jabesh-Gilead, and they have not found for them so.

So 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.

15 A nd the people repented concerning Benjamin, for Jehovah had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.

The people were sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had divided the families of Israel.

16 A nd the elders of the company say, `What do we do to the remnant for wives -- for the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin?'

Then the leaders of the people said, “What will we do for wives for those who are left? All the women of Benjamin were killed.”

17 A nd they say, `A possession of an escaped party to Benjamin, and a tribe is not blotted out from Israel;

And 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.

18 a nd we -- we are not able to give to them wives out of our daughters, for the sons of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed he who is giving a wife to Benjamin.'

But 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.”

19 A nd they say, `Lo, a festival of Jehovah in Shiloh, from time to time, which on the north of Beth-El, at the rising of the sun, by the highway which is going up from Beth-El to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.'

So 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.”

20 A nd they command the sons of Benjamin, saying, `Go -- and ye have laid wait in the vineyards,

They told the men of Benjamin, “Go and hide in the grape-fields. Wait there

21 a nd have seen, and lo, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances -- then ye have gone out from the vineyards, and caught for you each his wife out of the daughters of Shiloh, and gone to the land of Benjamin;

and 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.

22 a nd it hath been, when their fathers or their brethren come in to plead unto us, that we have said unto them, Favour us them, for we have not taken each his wife in battle, for ye -- ye have not given to them at this time ye are guilty.'

When 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.’”

23 A nd the sons of Benjamin do so, and take women according to their number, out of the dancers whom they have taken violently away; and they go, and turn back unto their inheritance, and build the cities, and dwell in them.

The 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.

24 A nd the sons of Israel go up and down thence at that time, each to his tribe, and to his family; and they go out thence each to his inheritance.

The people of Israel left there at that time. Each man returned to his family in his own land.

25 I n those days there is no king in Israel; each doth that which is right in his own eyes.

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