1 Now the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} had sworn{H7650}{(H8738)} in Mizpeh{H4709}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, There shall not any{H376} of us give{H5414}{(H8799)} his daughter{H1323} unto Benjamin{H1144} to wife{H802}.

2 And the people{H5971} came{H935}{(H8799)} to the house{H1004} of God{H430}{(H8677)}{H1008}, and abode{H3427}{(H8799)} there till even{H6153} before{H6440} God{H430}, and lifted up{H5375}{(H8799)} their voices{H6963}, and wept{H1058}{(H8799)}{H1065} sore{H1419};

3 And said{H559}{(H8799)}, 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}{(H8736)} in Israel{H3478}?

4 And it came to pass on the morrow{H4283}, that the people{H5971} rose early{H7925}{(H8686)}, and built{H1129}{(H8799)} there an altar{H4196}, and offered{H5927}{(H8686)} burnt offerings{H5930} and peace offerings{H8002}.

5 And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Who is there among all the tribes{H7626} of Israel{H3478} that{H834} came{H5927}{(H8804)} 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}{(H8804)} to the LORD{H3068} to Mizpeh{H4709}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, He shall surely{H4191}{(H8800)} be put to death{H4191}{(H8714)}.

6 And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} repented{H5162}{(H8735)} them for Benjamin{H1144} their brother{H251}, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, There is one{H259} tribe{H7626} cut off{H1438}{(H8738)} from Israel{H3478} this day{H3117}.

7 How shall we do{H6213}{(H8799)} for wives{H802} for them that remain{H3498}{(H8737)}, seeing we have sworn{H7650}{(H8738)} by the LORD{H3068} that we will not give{H5414}{(H8800)} them of our daughters{H1323} to wives{H802}?

8 And they said{H559}{(H8799)}, What one{H259} is there of the tribes{H7626} of Israel{H3478} that came not up{H5927}{(H8804)} to Mizpeh{H4709} to the LORD{H3068}? And, behold, there came{H935}{(H8804)} none{H376} to the camp{H4264} from Jabeshgilead{H3003}{H1568} to the assembly{H6951}.

9 For the people{H5971} were numbered{H6485}{(H8691)}, and, behold, there were none{H376} of the inhabitants{H3427}{(H8802)} of Jabeshgilead{H3003}{H1568} there.

10 And the congregation{H5712} sent{H7971}{(H8799)} thither twelve{H8147}{H6240} thousand{H505} men{H376} of the valiantest{H1121}{H2428}, and commanded{H6680}{(H8762)} them, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Go{H3212}{(H8798)} and smite{H5221}{(H8689)} the inhabitants{H3427}{(H8802)} 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}{(H8799)}, Ye shall utterly destroy{H2763}{(H8686)} every male{H2145}, and every woman{H802} that hath lain{H4904} by man{H3045}{(H8802)}.

12 And they found{H4672}{(H8799)} among the inhabitants{H3427}{(H8802)} of Jabeshgilead{H3003}{H1568} four{H702} hundred{H3967} young{H5291} virgins{H1330}, that had known{H3045}{(H8804)} no man{H376} by lying{H4904} with any male{H2145}: and they brought{H935}{(H8686)} 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}{(H8799)} some to speak{H1696}{(H8762)} to the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} that were in the rock{H5553} Rimmon{H7417}, and to call{H7121}{(H8799)} peaceably{H7965} unto them.

14 And Benjamin{H1144} came again{H7725}{(H8799)} at that time{H6256}; and they gave{H5414}{(H8799)} them wives{H802} which they had saved alive{H2421}{(H8765)} of the women{H802} of Jabeshgilead{H3003}{H1568}: and yet so they sufficed{H4672}{(H8804)} them not.

15 And the people{H5971} repented{H5162}{(H8737)} them for Benjamin{H1144}, because that the LORD{H3068} had made{H6213}{(H8804)} a breach{H6556} in the tribes{H7626} of Israel{H3478}.

16 Then the elders{H2205} of the congregation{H5712} said{H559}{(H8799)}, How shall we do{H6213}{(H8799)} for wives{H802} for them that remain{H3498}{(H8737)}, seeing the women{H802} are destroyed{H8045}{(H8738)} out of Benjamin{H1144}?

17 And they said{H559}{(H8799)}, There must be an inheritance{H3425} for them that be escaped{H6413} of Benjamin{H1144}, that a tribe{H7626} be not destroyed{H4229}{(H8735)} out of Israel{H3478}.

18 Howbeit we may{H3201}{(H8799)} not give{H5414}{(H8800)} them wives{H802} of our daughters{H1323}: for the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} have sworn{H7650}{(H8738)}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Cursed{H779}{(H8803)} be he that giveth{H5414}{(H8802)} a wife{H802} to Benjamin{H1144}.

19 Then they said{H559}{(H8799)}, 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}{(H8802)} from Bethel{H1008} to Shechem{H7927}, and on the south{H5045} of Lebonah{H3829}.

20 Therefore they commanded{H6680}{(H8762)} the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Go{H3212}{(H8798)} and lie in wait{H693}{(H8804)} in the vineyards{H3754};

21 And see{H7200}{(H8804)}, and, behold, if the daughters{H1323} of Shiloh{H7887} come out{H3318}{(H8799)} to dance{H2342}{(H8800)} in dances{H4246}, then come ye out{H3318}{(H8804)} of the vineyards{H3754}, and catch{H2414}{(H8804)} you every man{H376} his wife{H802} of the daughters{H1323} of Shiloh{H7887}, and go{H1980}{(H8804)} to the land{H776} of Benjamin{H1144}.

22 And it shall be, when their fathers{H1} or their brethren{H251} come{H935}{(H8799)} unto us to complain{H7378}{(H8800)}, that we will say{H559}{(H8804)} unto them, Be favourable{H2603}{(H8798)} unto them for our sakes: because we reserved{H3947}{(H8804)} not to each man{H376} his wife{H802} in the war{H4421}: for ye did not give{H5414}{(H8804)} unto them at this time{H6256}, that ye should be guilty{H816}{(H8799)}.

23 And the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} did so{H6213}{(H8799)}, and took{H5375}{(H8799)} them wives{H802}, according to their number{H4557}, of them that danced{H2342}{(H8789)}, whom they caught{H1497}{(H8804)}: and they went{H3212}{(H8799)} and returned{H7725}{(H8799)} unto their inheritance{H5159}, and repaired{H1129}{(H8799)} the cities{H5892}, and dwelt{H3427}{(H8799)} in them.

24 And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} departed{H1980}{(H8691)} thence at that time{H6256}, every man{H376} to his tribe{H7626} and to his family{H4940}, and they went out{H3318}{(H8799)} 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}{(H8799)} that which was right{H3477} in his own eyes{H5869}.