Judges 21 – Bible | Equip God’s People

World English Bible Classic

^[1] Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us will give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.” ^[2] The people came to Bethel and sat there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept severely. ^[3] They said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be one tribe lacking in Israel today?” ^[4] On the next day, the people rose early and built an altar there, 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 grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, “There is one tribe cut off from Israel today. ^[7] 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] 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] For when the people were counted, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead there. ^[10] 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] This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has lain with a 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. There still weren’t enough for them. ^[15] The people grieved for Benjamin, because Yahweh had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. ^[16] 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] 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 is 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 out of the vineyards, and each man catch 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; otherwise you would now be guilty.’ ” ^[23] 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] 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] In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.

King James Version

^[1] Now the menH376 of IsraelH3478 had swornH7650(NiphPerf) in Mizpeh,H4709 saying,H559(QalInf) There shall not anyH376 of us giveH5414(QalImpf) his daughterH1323 unto BenjaminH1144 to wife.H802 ^[2] And the peopleH5971 cameH935(QalImpf) to the houseH1004 of God,H430(QK) and abodeH3427(QalImpf) there till evenH6153 beforeH6440 God,H430 and lifted upH5375(QalImpf) their voices,H6963 and weptH1058(QalImpf) sore;H1419 ^[3] And said,H559(QalImpf) O LordH3068 GodH430 of Israel,H3478 why is this come to pass in Israel,H3478 that there should be to dayH3117 oneH259 tribeH7626 lackingH6485(NiphInf) in Israel?H3478 ^[4] And it came to pass on the morrow,H4283 that the peopleH5971 rose early,H7925(HiphImpf) and builtH1129(QalImpf) there an altar,H4196 and offeredH5927(HiphImpf) burnt offeringsH5930 and peace offerings.H8002 ^[5] And the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 said,H559(QalImpf) Who [is there] among all the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 thatH834 cameH5927(QalPerf) not up with the congregationH6951 unto the Lord?H3068 For they had made a greatH1419 oathH7621 concerning him that came not upH5927(QalPerf) to the LordH3068 to Mizpeh,H4709 saying,H559(QalInf) He shall surelyH4191(QalInf) be put to death.H4191(HophImpf) ^[6] And the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 repentedH5162(NiphImpf) them for BenjaminH1144 their brother,H251 and said,H559(QalImpf) There is oneH259 tribeH7626 cut offH1438(NiphPerf) from IsraelH3478 this day.H3117 ^[7] How shall we doH6213(QalImpf) for wivesH802 for them that remain,H3498(NiphPtc) seeing we have swornH7650(NiphPerf) by the LordH3068 that we will not giveH5414(QalInf) them of our daughtersH1323 to wives?H802 ^[8] And they said,H559(QalImpf) What oneH259 [is there] of the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 that came not upH5927(QalPerf) to MizpehH4709 to the Lord?H3068 And, behold, there cameH935(QalPerf) noneH376 to the campH4264 from JabeshgileadH3003 to the assembly.H6951 ^[9] For the peopleH5971 were numbered,H6485(HithImpf) and, behold, [there were] noneH376 of the inhabitantsH3427(QalActPtc) of JabeshgileadH3003 there. ^[10] And the congregationH5712 sentH7971(QalImpf) thither twelveH8147 thousandH505 menH376 of the valiantest,H1121 and commandedH6680(PielImpf) them, saying,H559(QalInf) GoH3212(QalImpv) and smiteH5221(HiphPerf) the inhabitantsH3427(QalActPtc) of JabeshgileadH3003 with the edgeH6310 of the sword,H2719 with the womenH802 and the children.H2945 ^[11] And this [is] the thingH1697 that ye shall do,H6213(QalImpf) Ye shall utterly destroyH2763(HiphImpf) every male,H2145 and every womanH802 that hath lainH4904 by man.H3045(QalActPtc) ^[12] And they foundH4672(QalImpf) among the inhabitantsH3427(QalActPtc) of JabeshgileadH3003 fourH702 hundredH3967 youngH5291 virgins,H1330 that had knownH3045(QalPerf) no manH376 by lyingH4904 with any male:H2145 and they broughtH935(HiphImpf) them unto the campH4264 to Shiloh,H7887 which [is] in the landH776 of Canaan.H3667 ^[13] And the whole congregationH5712 sentH7971(QalImpf) [some] to speakH1696(PielImpf) to the childrenH1121 of BenjaminH1144 that [were] in the rockH5553 Rimmon,H7417 and to callH7121(QalImpf) peaceablyH7965 unto them. ^[14] And BenjaminH1144 came againH7725(QalImpf) at that time;H6256 and they gaveH5414(QalImpf) them wivesH802 which they had saved aliveH2421(PielPerf) of the womenH802 of Jabeshgilead:H3003 and yet so they sufficedH4672(QalPerf) them not. ^[15] And the peopleH5971 repentedH5162(NiphPtc) them for Benjamin,H1144 because that the LordH3068 had madeH6213(QalPerf) a breachH6556 in the tribesH7626 of Israel.H3478 ^[16] Then the eldersH2205 of the congregationH5712 said,H559(QalImpf) How shall we doH6213(QalImpf) for wivesH802 for them that remain,H3498(NiphPtc) seeing the womenH802 are destroyedH8045(NiphPerf) out of Benjamin?H1144 ^[17] And they said,H559(QalImpf) [There must be] an inheritanceH3425 for them that be escapedH6413 of Benjamin,H1144 that a tribeH7626 be not destroyedH4229(NiphImpf) out of Israel.H3478 ^[18] Howbeit we mayH3201(QalImpf) not giveH5414(QalInf) them wivesH802 of our daughters:H1323 for the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 have sworn,H7650(NiphPerf) saying,H559(QalInf) CursedH779(QalPasPtc) [be] he that givethH5414(QalActPtc) a wifeH802 to Benjamin.H1144 ^[19] Then they said,H559(QalImpf) Behold, [there is] a feastH2282 of the LordH3068 in ShilohH7887 yearlyH3117 [in a place] which [is] on the north sideH6828 of Bethel,H1008 on the east sideH4217 of the highwayH4546 that goeth upH5927(QalActPtc) from BethelH1008 to Shechem,H7927 and on the southH5045 of Lebonah.H3829 ^[20] Therefore they commandedH6680(PielImpf) the childrenH1121 of Benjamin,H1144 saying,H559(QalInf) GoH3212(QalImpv) and lie in waitH693(QalPerf) in the vineyards;H3754 ^[21] And see,H7200(QalPerf) and, behold, if the daughtersH1323 of ShilohH7887 come outH3318(QalImpf) to danceH2342(QalInf) in dances,H4246 then come ye outH3318(QalPerf) of the vineyards,H3754 and catchH2414(QalPerf) you every manH376 his wifeH802 of the daughtersH1323 of Shiloh,H7887 and goH1980(QalPerf) to the landH776 of Benjamin.H1144 ^[22] And it shall be, when their fathersH1 or their brethrenH251 comeH935(QalImpf) unto us to complain,H7378(QalInf) that we will sayH559(QalPerf) unto them, Be favourableH2603(QalImpv) unto them for our sakes: because we reservedH3947(QalPerf) not to each manH376 his wifeH802 in the war:H4421 for ye did not giveH5414(QalPerf) unto them at this time,H6256 [that] ye should be guilty.H816(QalImpf) ^[23] And the childrenH1121 of BenjaminH1144 did so,H6213(QalImpf) and tookH5375(QalImpf) [them] wives,H802 according to their number,H4557 of them that danced,H2342(PolePtc) whom they caught:H1497(QalPerf) and they wentH3212(QalImpf) and returnedH7725(QalImpf) unto their inheritance,H5159 and repairedH1129(QalImpf) the cities,H5892 and dweltH3427(QalImpf) in them. ^[24] And the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 departedH1980(HithImpf) thence at that time,H6256 every manH376 to his tribeH7626 and to his family,H4940 and they went outH3318(QalImpf) from thence every manH376 to his inheritance.H5159 ^[25] In those daysH3117 [there was] no kingH4428 in Israel:H3478 every manH376 didH6213(QalImpf) [that which was] rightH3477 in his own eyes.H5869

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