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

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

³ And 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?

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

⁵ And 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.

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

⁷ How 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?

⁸ And 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 Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

⁹ For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.

¹⁰ And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

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

¹² And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead 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.

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

¹⁴ And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.

¹⁵ And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

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

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

¹⁸ Howbeit 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.

¹⁹ Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

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

²¹ And 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.

²² And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favorable 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.

²³ And 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.

²⁴ And 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.

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

---

¹ Now the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478 had sworn ^H7650 in Mizpeh, ^H4709 saying, ^H559 There shall not any ^H376 of us give ^H5414 his daughter ^H1323 unto Benjamin ^H1144 to wife. ^H802

² And the people ^H5971 came ^H935 to the house ^H1004 of God, ^{H430 H1008} and abode ^H3427 there till even ^H6153 before ^H6440 God, ^H430 and lifted up ^H5375 their voices, ^H6963 and wept ^{H1058 H1065} sore; ^H1419

³ And said, ^H559 O LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of Israel, ^H3478 why is this come to pass in Israel, ^H3478 that there should be to day ^H3117 one ^H259 tribe ^H7626 lacking ^H6485 in Israel? ^H3478

⁴ And it came to pass on the morrow, ^H4283 that the people ^H5971 rose early, ^H7925 and built ^H1129 there an altar, ^H4196 and offered ^H5927 burnt offerings ^H5930 and peace offerings. ^H8002

⁵ And the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 said, ^H559 Who is there among all the tribes ^H7626 of Israel ^H3478 that ^H834 came ^H5927 not up with the congregation ^H6951 unto the LORD? ^H3068 For they had made a great ^H1419 oath ^H7621 concerning him that came not up ^H5927 to the LORD ^H3068 to Mizpeh, ^H4709 saying, ^H559 He shall surely ^H4191 be put to death. ^H4191

⁶ And the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 repented ^H5162 them for Benjamin ^H1144 their brother, ^H251 and said, ^H559 There is one ^H259 tribe ^H7626 cut off ^H1438 from Israel ^H3478 this day. ^H3117

⁷ How shall we do ^H6213 for wives ^H802 for them that remain, ^H3498 seeing we have sworn ^H7650 by the LORD ^H3068 that we will not give ^H5414 them of our daughters ^H1323 to wives? ^H802

⁸ And they said, ^H559 What one ^H259 is there of the tribes ^H7626 of Israel ^H3478 that came not up ^H5927 to Mizpeh ^H4709 to the LORD? ^H3068 And, behold, there came ^H935 none ^H376 to the camp ^H4264 from Jabeshgilead ^{H3003 H1568} to the assembly. ^H6951

⁹ For the people ^H5971 were numbered, ^H6485 and, behold, there were none ^H376 of the inhabitants ^H3427 of Jabeshgilead ^{H3003 H1568} there.

¹⁰ And the congregation ^H5712 sent ^H7971 thither twelve ^{H8147 H6240} thousand ^H505 men ^H376 of the valiantest, ^{H1121 H2428} and commanded ^H6680 them, saying, ^H559 Go ^H3212 and smite ^H5221 the inhabitants ^H3427 of Jabeshgilead ^{H3003 H1568} with the edge ^H6310 of the sword, ^H2719 with the women ^H802 and the children. ^H2945

¹¹ And this is the thing ^H1697 that ye shall do, ^H6213 Ye shall utterly destroy ^H2763 every male, ^H2145 and every woman ^H802 that hath lain ^H4904 by man. ^H3045

¹² And they found ^H4672 among the inhabitants ^H3427 of Jabeshgilead ^{H3003 H1568} four ^H702 hundred ^H3967 young ^H5291 virgins, ^H1330 that had known ^H3045 no man ^H376 by lying ^H4904 with any male: ^H2145 and they brought ^H935 them unto the camp ^H4264 to Shiloh, ^H7887 which is in the land ^H776 of Canaan. ^H3667

¹³ And the whole congregation ^H5712 sent ^H7971 some to speak ^H1696 to the children ^H1121 of Benjamin ^H1144 that were in the rock ^H5553 Rimmon, ^H7417 and to call ^H7121 peaceably ^H7965 unto them.

¹⁴ And Benjamin ^H1144 came again ^H7725 at that time; ^H6256 and they gave ^H5414 them wives ^H802 which they had saved alive ^H2421 of the women ^H802 of Jabeshgilead: ^{H3003 H1568} and yet so they sufficed ^H4672 them not.

¹⁵ And the people ^H5971 repented ^H5162 them for Benjamin, ^H1144 because that the LORD ^H3068 had made ^H6213 a breach ^H6556 in the tribes ^H7626 of Israel. ^H3478

¹⁶ Then the elders ^H2205 of the congregation ^H5712 said, ^H559 How shall we do ^H6213 for wives ^H802 for them that remain, ^H3498 seeing the women ^H802 are destroyed ^H8045 out of Benjamin? ^H1144

¹⁷ And they said, ^H559 There must be an inheritance ^H3425 for them that be escaped ^H6413 of Benjamin, ^H1144 that a tribe ^H7626 be not destroyed ^H4229 out of Israel. ^H3478

¹⁸ Howbeit we may ^H3201 not give ^H5414 them wives ^H802 of our daughters: ^H1323 for the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 have sworn, ^H7650 saying, ^H559 Cursed ^H779 be he that giveth ^H5414 a wife ^H802 to Benjamin. ^H1144

¹⁹ Then they said, ^H559 Behold, there is a feast ^H2282 of the LORD ^H3068 in Shiloh ^H7887 yearly ^{H3117 H3117} in a place which is on the north side ^H6828 of Bethel, ^H1008 on the east side ^{H4217 H8121} of the highway ^H4546 that goeth up ^H5927 from Bethel ^H1008 to Shechem, ^H7927 and on the south ^H5045 of Lebonah. ^H3829

²⁰ Therefore they commanded ^H6680 the children ^H1121 of Benjamin, ^H1144 saying, ^H559 Go ^H3212 and lie in wait ^H693 in the vineyards; ^H3754

²¹ And see, ^H7200 and, behold, if the daughters ^H1323 of Shiloh ^H7887 come out ^H3318 to dance ^H2342 in dances, ^H4246 then come ye out ^H3318 of the vineyards, ^H3754 and catch ^H2414 you every man ^H376 his wife ^H802 of the daughters ^H1323 of Shiloh, ^H7887 and go ^H1980 to the land ^H776 of Benjamin. ^H1144

²² And it shall be, when their fathers ^H1 or their brethren ^H251 come ^H935 unto us to complain, ^H7378 that we will say ^H559 unto them, Be favourable ^H2603 unto them for our sakes: because we reserved ^H3947 not to each man ^H376 his wife ^H802 in the war: ^H4421 for ye did not give ^H5414 unto them at this time, ^H6256 that ye should be guilty. ^H816

²³ And the children ^H1121 of Benjamin ^H1144 did so, ^H6213 and took ^H5375 them wives, ^H802 according to their number, ^H4557 of them that danced, ^H2342 whom they caught: ^H1497 and they went ^H3212 and returned ^H7725 unto their inheritance, ^H5159 and repaired ^H1129 the cities, ^H5892 and dwelt ^H3427 in them.

²⁴ And the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 departed ^H1980 thence at that time, ^H6256 every man ^H376 to his tribe ^H7626 and to his family, ^H4940 and they went out ^H3318 from thence every man ^H376 to his inheritance. ^H5159

²⁵ In those days ^H3117 there was no king ^H4428 in Israel: ^H3478 every man ^H376 did ^H6213 that which was right ^H3477 in his own eyes. ^H5869

---

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

² And the people came to Beth-el, and sat there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore.

³ And they said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to-day one tribe lacking in Israel?

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

⁵ And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up in the assembly unto Jehovah? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up unto Jehovah to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.

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

⁷ How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by Jehovah that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?

⁸ And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up unto Jehovah to Mizpah? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.

⁹ For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.

¹⁰ And 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 little ones.

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

¹² And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins, that had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

¹³ And the whole congregation sent and spake to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace unto them.

¹⁴ 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 so they sufficed them not.

¹⁵ And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that Jehovah had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

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

¹⁷ And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.

¹⁸ Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

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

²⁰ And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

²¹ and see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the 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.

²² And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come to complain unto us, that we will say unto them, Grant them graciously unto us, because we took not for each man `of them' his wife in battle, neither did ye give them unto them, else would ye now be guilty.

²³ And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they carried off: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt in them.

²⁴ And 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.

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

---

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

² And 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,

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

⁴ And 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.

⁵ And the sons of Israel say, `Who `is' 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.'

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

⁷ what 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?'

⁸ And they say, `Who is `that' 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.

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

¹⁰ And 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.

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

¹² And 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 `is' in the land of Canaan.

¹³ And all the company send, and speak, unto the sons of Benjamin who `are' in the rock Rimmon, and proclaim to them peace;

¹⁴ and 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 `all of' them so.

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

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

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

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

¹⁹ And they say, `Lo, a festival of Jehovah `is' in Shiloh, from time to time, which `is' 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.'

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

²¹ and 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;

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

²³ And 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.

²⁴ And 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.

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

---

¹ Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, "No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin."

² And the people came to Bethel, and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly.

³ 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 And on the morrow the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

⁵ And the people of Israel said, "Which of all the tribes of Israel 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 to Mizpah, saying, "He shall be put to death."

⁶ And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother, and said, "One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.

⁷ What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them any of our daughters for wives?"

⁸ And they said, "What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah?" And behold, no one had come to the camp from Ja'besh-gil'ead, to the assembly.

⁹ For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'ead was there.

¹⁰ So the congregation sent thither twelve thousand of their bravest men, and commanded them, "Go and smite the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'ead with the edge of the sword; also the women and the little ones.

¹¹ This is what you shall do; every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall utterly destroy."

¹² And they found among the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'ead four hundred young virgins who had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

¹³ Then the whole congregation sent word to the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.

¹⁴ And Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Ja'besh-gil'ead; but they did not suffice for them.

¹⁵ And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

¹⁶ 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 And they said, "There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.

¹⁸ Yet we cannot give them wives of our daughters." For the people of Israel had sworn, "Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin."

¹⁹ 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 Lebo'nah."

²⁰ And they commanded the Benjaminites, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

²¹ and watch; if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and seize each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

²² And when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, 'Grant them graciously to us; because we did not take for each man of them his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.'"

²³ And the Benjaminites did so, and took their wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they carried off; then they went and returned to their inheritance, and rebuilt the towns, and dwelt in them.

²⁴ And the people of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.

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

---

¹ Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin as wife.

² The people came to Bethel, and sat there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore.

³ They said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?

⁴ It happened on the next day that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace-offerings.

⁵ 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 The children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

⁷ How shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?

⁸ They said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel who didn't come up to Yahweh to Mizpah? Behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly.

⁹ For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead there.

¹⁰ The congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant, 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 This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has lain by man.

¹² 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 The whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.

¹⁴ Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead: and yet so they weren't enough for them.

¹⁵ The people repented them for Benjamin, because that Yahweh had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

¹⁶ Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

¹⁷ They said, There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel.

¹⁸ However we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin.

¹⁹ 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 They commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

²¹ and see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come you out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

²² 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, else would you now be guilty.

²³ The children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of those who danced, whom they carried off: and they went and returned to their inheritance, and built the cities, and lived in them.

²⁴ The children of Israel departed there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.

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

---

¹ Now the men of Israel had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, Not one of us will give his daughter as a wife to Benjamin.

² And the people came to Beth-el, waiting there till evening before God, and gave themselves up to bitter weeping.

³ And they said, O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this fate come on Israel, that today one tribe has been cut off from Israel?

⁴ Then on the day after, the people got up early and made an altar there, offering burned offerings and peace-offerings.

⁵ And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel, who did not come up to the Lord at the meeting of all Israel? For they had taken a great oath that whoever did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord was to be put to death.

⁶ And the children of Israel were moved with pity for Benjamin their brother, saying, Today one tribe has been cut off from Israel.

⁷ What are we to do about wives for those who are still living? For we have taken an oath by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters for wives.

⁸ And they said, Which one of the tribes of Israel did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord? And it was seen that no one had come from Jabesh-gilead to the meeting.

⁹ For when the people were numbered, not one man of the people of Jabesh-gilead was present.

¹⁰ So they (the meeting) sent twelve thousand of the best fighting-men, and gave them orders, saying, Go and put the people of Jabesh-gilead to the sword without mercy, with their women and their little ones.

¹¹ And this is what you are to do: every male, and every woman who has had sex relations with a man, you are to put to the curse, but you are to keep safe the virgins. And they did so.

¹² Now there were among the people of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins who had never had sex relations with a man; these they took to their tents in Shiloh in the land of Canaan.

¹³ And all the meeting sent to the men of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, offering them peace.

¹⁴ Then Benjamin came back; and they gave them the women whom they had kept from death among the women of Jabesh-gilead: but still there were not enough for them.

¹⁵ And the people were moved with pity for Benjamin, because the Lord had let his wrath loose on the tribes of Israel.

¹⁶ Then the responsible men of the meeting said, What are we to do about wives for the rest of them, seeing that the women of Benjamin are dead?

¹⁷ And they said, How is the rest of Benjamin to be given offspring so that one tribe of Israel may not be put out of existence,

¹⁸ Seeing that we may not give them our daughters as wives? For the children of Israel had taken an oath, saying, Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.

¹⁹ And they said, See, every year there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh, which is to the north of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway which goes up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

²⁰ And they said to the men of Benjamin, Go into the vine-gardens, waiting there secretly,

²¹ And watching; and if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, then come from the vine-gardens and take a wife for every one of you from among the daughters of Shiloh, and go back to the land of Benjamin.

²² And when their fathers or their brothers come and make trouble, you are to say to them, Give them to us as an act of grace; for we did not take them as wives for ourselves in war; and if you yourselves had given them to us you would have been responsible for the broken oath.

²³ So the men of Benjamin did this, and got wives for themselves for every one of their number, taking them away by force from the dance; then they went back to their heritage, building up their towns and living in them.

²⁴ Then the children of Israel went away from there, every man to his tribe and his family, every man went back to his heritage.

²⁵ In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did what seemed right to him.