Judges 21

Wives Provided for the Benjamites

1 Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.2 Then the people came to the house of God, and remained there before God till evening. They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly,3 and said, O Lord God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that today there should be one tribe missing in Israel?4 So it was, on the next morning, that 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 did not come up with the assembly to the Lord? For they had made a great oath concerning anyone who had not come up to the Lord at Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.6 And the children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, One tribe is cut off from Israel today.7 What shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters as wives?8 And they said, What one is there from the tribes of Israel who did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord? And, in fact, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly.9 For when the people were counted, indeed, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead was there.10 So the congregation sent out there twelve thousand of their most valiant men, and commanded them, saying, Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, including the women and children.11 And this is the thing that you shall do: You shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has known a man intimately.12 So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins who had not known a man intimately; 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 children of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon, and announced peace to them.14 So Benjamin came back at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead; and yet they had not found enough for them.15 And the people grieved for Benjamin, because the Lord had made a void in the tribes of Israel.16 Then the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe may not be destroyed from Israel.18 However, we cannot give them wives from our daughters, for the children of Israel have sworn an oath, saying, Cursed be the one who gives a wife to Benjamin.19 Then they said, In fact, there is a yearly feast of the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.20 Therefore they instructed the children of Benjamin, saying, Go, lie in wait in the vineyards,21 and watch; and just when the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, then come out from the vineyards, and every man catch a wife for himself from the daughters of Shiloh; then go to the land of Benjamin.22 Then it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to us to complain, that we will say to them, Be kind to them for our sakes, because we did not take a wife for any of them in the war; for it is not as though you have given the women to them at this time, making yourselves guilty of your oath.23 And the children of Benjamin did so; they took enough wives for their number from those who danced, whom they caught. Then they went and returned to their inheritance, and they rebuilt the cities and dwelt in them.24 So the children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family; they went out from there, every man to his inheritance.25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone 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