Judges 21

1  NOW THE men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, None of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.2  And the Israelites came to the house of God [Bethel] and sat there until evening before God and 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 next morning the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.5  And the Israelites said, Which among all the tribes of Israel did not come up with 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 surely die.6  And the Israelites changed their purpose [and had compassion] for the Benjamites their kinsmen and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel today.7  What shall we do for wives for those who are left, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters as wives?8  And they said, Which one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord? And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead, to the assembly.9  For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the citizens of Jabesh-gilead was there.10  And the congregation sent there 12,000 of the bravest men, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword, also the women and the little ones.11  And this is what you shall do; utterly destroy every male and every woman who is not a virgin.12  And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins, who had known no man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.13  And the whole congregation sent word to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon and invited them to be friendly with 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 there were not enough 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 of Benjamin are destroyed?17  And they said, There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe shall not be wiped out of Israel.18  But we cannot give them wives of our daughters, for the Israelites have 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 Lebonah.20  So they commanded the Benjamites, 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 catch every 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 us to complain, we will say to them, Grant them graciously unto us, because we did not reserve a wife for each of them in battle, neither did you give wives to them, for that would have made you guilty [of breaking your oath].23  And the Benjamites did so and took wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they carried off; then they went and returned to their inheritance and repaired the towns and dwelt in them.24  And the Israelites left there then, 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.

Judges 21

600 Brides for 600 Brothers

1 The Israelites had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will allow his daughter to marry a Benjaminite.”2 So the people came to Bethels and sat there before God until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably.t

3 They said, “Why, O Lord God of Israel, has this happened in Israel?” An entiret tribe has disappeared from Israel today!”
4 The next morning the people got up early and built an altar there. They offered up burnt sacrifices and token of peace.t5 The Israelites asked, “Who from all the Israelite tribes has not assembled before the Lord?” They had made a solemn oath that whoever did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah must certainly be executed.t6 The Israelites regretted what had happened tot their brother Benjamin. They said, “Today we cut off an entiret tribe from Israel!7 How can we find wives for those who are left?t After all, we took an oath in the Lord’s name not to give them our daughters as wives.”8 So they asked, “Who from all the Israelite tribes did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?” Now it just so happened no one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the gathering.t9 When they took roll call,t they noticedt none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there.10 So the assembly sent 12,000 capable warriorst against Jabesh Gilead.t They commanded them, “Go and kill with your swordst the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, including the women and little children.11 Do this:t exterminate every male, as well as every woman who has had sexual relations with a male.t But spare the lives of any virgins.” So they did as instructed.s

12 They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young girls who were virgins – they had never had sexual relations with a male.t They brought them back to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
13 The entire assembly sent messengers to the Benjaminites at the cliff of Rimmon and assured them they would not be harmed.t

14 The Benjaminites returned at that time, and the Israelitest gave to them the women they had spared from Jabesh Gilead. But there were not enough to go around.t
15 The people regretted what had happened tot Benjamin because the Lord had weakenedt the Israelite tribes.16 The leaderst of the assembly said, “How can we find wives for those who are left?t After all, the Benjaminite women have been wiped out.17 Thet remnant of Benjamin must be preserved. An entire Israelite tribe should not be wiped out.t18 But we can’t allow our daughters to marry them,t for the Israelites took an oath, saying, ‘Whoever gives a woman to a Benjaminite will be destroyed!’t19 However, there is an annual festival to the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethels (east of the main road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem) and south of Lebonah.”20 So they commanded the Benjaminites, “Go hide in the vineyards,21 and keep your eyes open.t When you seet the daughters of Shiloh coming out to dance in the celebration,t jump out from the vineyards. Each one of you, catch yourself a wife from among the daughters of Shiloh and then go home to the land of Benjamin.

22 When their fathers or brothers come and protest to us,s we’ll say to them, “Do us a favor and let them be,t for we could not get each one a wife through battle.ts Don’t worry about breaking your oath!t You would only be guilty if you had voluntarily given them wives.’”s
23 The Benjaminites did as instructed.t They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives.t They went homet to their own territory,t rebuilt their cities, and settled down.t24 Then the Israelites dispersed from there to their respective tribal and clan territories. Each went from there to his own property.t

25 In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.ts