Judges 21

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Now the children of Israel had also sworn in Maspha, saying: None of us shall give of his daughters to the children of Benjamin to wife.	1 Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah that none of them would give his daughter in marriage to anyone from Benjamin.
2 And they all came to the house of God in Silo, and abiding before him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and weep, saying:	2 So the people went to Bethel and remained there before God until evening, raising their voices in bitter lament.
3 O Lord God of Israel, why is so great an evil come to pass in thy people, that this day one tribe should be taken away from among us?	3 They said, "LORD, God of Israel, why has it come to pass in Israel that today one tribe of Israel should be lacking?"
4 And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:	4 Early the next day the people built an altar there and offered holocausts and peace offerings.
5 Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the army of the Lord? for they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were in Maspha, that whosoever were wanting should be slain.	5 Then the Israelites asked, "Are there any among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the LORD for the assembly?" For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who did not go up to the LORD at Mizpah should be put to death without fail.
6 And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.	6 The Israelites were disconsolate over their brother Benjamin and said, "Today one of the tribes of Israel has been cut off.
7 Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.	7 What can we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?"
8 Therefore they said: Who is thereof all the tribes of Israel, that came not up to the Lord to Maspha. And behold the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad were found not to have been in that army.	8 And when they asked whether anyone among the tribes of Israel had not come up to the LORD in Mizpah, they found that none of the men of Jabesh-gilead had come to the encampment for the assembly.
9 (At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)	9 A roll call of the army established that none of the inhabitants of that city were present.
10 So they sent ten thousand of the most valiant men, and commanded them, saying: Go and put the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad to the sword, with their wives and their children.	10 The community, therefore, sent twelve thousand warriors with orders to go to Jabesh-gilead and put those who lived there to the sword, including the women and children.
11 And this is what you shall observe: Every male, and all women that have known men, you shall kill, but the virgins you shall save.	11 They were told to include under the ban all males and every woman who was not still a virgin.
12 And there were found of Jabes Galaad four hundred virgins, that had not known the bed of a man, and they brought them to the camp Silo, into the land of Chanaan.	12 Finding among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins, who had had no relations with men, they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
13 And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.	13 Then the whole community sent a message to the Benjaminites at the rock Rimmon, offering them peace.
14 And the children of Benjamin came at that time, and wives were given them of the daughters of Jabes Galaad: but they found no others, whom they might give in like manner.	14 When Benjamin returned at that time, they gave them as wives the women of Jabesh-gilead whom they had spared; but these proved to be not enough for them.
15 And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.	15 The people were still disconsolate over Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.
16 And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.	16 And the elders of the community said, "What shall we do for wives for the survivors? For every woman in Benjamin has been put to death."
17 And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.	17 They said, "Those of Benjamin who survive must have heirs, else one of the Israelite tribes will be wiped out.
18 For as to our own daughters we cannot give them, being bound with an oath and a curse, whereby we said: Cursed be he that shall give Benjamin any of his daughters to wife.	18 Yet we cannot give them any of our daughters in marriage, because the Israelites have sworn, 'Cursed be he who gives a woman to Benjamin!'"
19 So they took counsel, and said: Behold there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord in Silo, which is situate on the north of the city of Bethel, and on the east side of the way, that goeth from Bethel to Sichem, and on the south of the town of Lebona.	19 Then they thought of the yearly feast of the LORD at Shiloh, north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.
20 And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,	20 And they instructed the Benjaminites, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards.
21 And when you shall see the daughters of Silo come out, as the custom is, to dance, come ye on a sudden out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife among them, and go into the land of Benjamin.	21 When you see the girls of Shiloh come out to do their dancing, leave the vineyards and each of you seize one of the girls of Shiloh for a wife, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 And when their fathers and their brethren shall come, and shall begin to complain against you, and to chide, we will say to them: Have pity on them for they took them not away as by the right of war or conquest, but when they asked to have them, you gave them not, and the fault was committed on your part.	22 When their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we shall say to them, 'Release them to us as a kindness, since we did not take a woman apiece in the war. Had you yourselves given them these wives, you would now be guilty.'"
23 And the children of Benjamin did, as they had been commanded: and according to their number, they carried off for themselves every man his wife of them that were dancing: and they went into their possession and built up their cities, and dwelt in them.	23 The Benjaminites did this; they carried off a wife for each of them from their raid on the dancers, and went back to their own territory, where they rebuilt and occupied the cities.
24 The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings. In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.	24 Also at that time the Israelites dispersed; each of them left for his own heritage in his own clan and tribe.
	25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what he thought best.