21:1 Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, "No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin."
21:1 Now the Israelites had sworn at Mizpah, "No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin."

21:2 And the people came to Bethel, and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly.
21:2 And the people came to Bethel, and sat there until evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly.

21:3 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?"
21:3 They said, "O LORD, the God of Israel, why has it come to pass that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?"

21:4 And on the morrow the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
21:4 On the next day, the people got up early, and built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of well-being.

21:5 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."
21:5 Then the Israelites said, "Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the LORD?" For a solemn oath had been taken concerning whoever did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, "That one shall be put to death."

21:6 And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother, and said, "One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.
21:6 But the Israelites had compassion for Benjamin their kin, and said, "One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.

21:7 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?"
21:7 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 as wives?"

21:8 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.
21:8 Then they said, "Is there anyone from the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah?" It turned out that no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp, to the assembly.

21:9 For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'ead was there.
21:9 For when the roll was called among the people, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there.

21:10 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.
21:10 So the congregation sent twelve thousand soldiers there and commanded them, "Go, put the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead to the sword, including the women and the little ones.

21:11 This is what you shall do; every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall utterly destroy."
21:11 This is what you shall do; every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall devote to destruction."

21:12 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.
21:12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins who had never slept with a man and brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

21:13 Then the whole congregation sent word to the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.
21:13 Then the whole congregation sent word to the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.

21:14 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.
21:14 Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead; but they did not suffice for them.

21:15 And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
21:15 The people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

21:16 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?"
21:16 So the elders of the congregation said, "What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since there are no women left in Benjamin?"

21:17 And they said, "There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.
21:17 And they said, "There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, in order that a tribe may not be blotted out from Israel.

21:18 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."
21:18 Yet we cannot give any of our daughters to them as wives." For the Israelites had sworn, "Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to Benjamin."

21:19 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."
21:19 So they said, "Look, the yearly festival of the LORD is taking place at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah."

21:20 And they commanded the Benjaminites, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,
21:20 And they instructed the Benjaminites, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

21:21 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.
21:21 and watch; when the young women of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and each of you carry off a wife for himself from the young women of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

21:22 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.'"
21:22 Then if their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, 'Be generous and allow us to have them; because we did not capture in battle a wife for each man. But neither did you incur guilt by giving your daughters to them.'"

21:23 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.
21:23 The Benjaminites did so; they took wives for each of them from the dancers whom they abducted. Then they went and returned to their territory, and rebuilt the towns, and lived in them.

21:24 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.
21:24 So the Israelites departed from there at that time by tribes and families, and they went out from there to their own territories.

21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes.