Judges 21

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah that none of them would give his daughter in marriage to anyone from Benjamin.	1 Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, "No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin."
2 So the people went to Bethel and remained there before God until evening, raising their voices in bitter lament.	2 And the people came to Bethel, and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly.
3 They said, "LORD, God of Israel, why has it come to pass in Israel that today one tribe of Israel should be lacking?"	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 Early the next day the people built an altar there and offered holocausts and peace offerings.	4 And on the morrow the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
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.	5 And the people of Israel said, "Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in 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 be put to death."
6 The Israelites were disconsolate over their brother Benjamin and said, "Today one of the tribes of Israel has been cut off.	6 And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother, and said, "One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.
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?"	7 What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them any of our daughters for wives?"
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.	8 And they said, "What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah?" And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead, to the assembly.
9 A roll call of the army established that none of the inhabitants of that city were present.	9 For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there.
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.	10 So the congregation sent thither twelve thousand of their bravest men, and commanded them, "Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword; also the women and the little ones.
11 They were told to include under the ban all males and every woman who was not still a virgin.	11 This is what you shall do; every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall utterly destroy."
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.	12 And 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 at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Then the whole community sent a message to the Benjaminites at the rock Rimmon, offering them peace.	13 Then the whole congregation sent word to the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.
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.	14 And Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead; but they did not suffice for them.
15 The people were still disconsolate over Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.	15 And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
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."	16 Then the elders of the congregation said, "What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?"
17 They said, "Those of Benjamin who survive must have heirs, else one of the Israelite tribes will be wiped out.	17 And they said, "There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.
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!'"	18 Yet we cannot give them wives of our daughters." For the people of Israel had sworn, "Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin."
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.	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 And they instructed the Benjaminites, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards.	20 And they commanded the Benjaminites, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,
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.	21 and watch; if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and seize each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
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.'"	22 And when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, 'Grant them graciously to us; because we did not take for each man of them his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.'"
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.	23 And the Benjaminites did so, and took their wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they carried off; then they went and returned to their inheritance, and rebuilt the towns, and dwelt in them.
24 Also at that time the Israelites dispersed; each of them left for his own heritage in his own clan and tribe.	24 And the people of Israel departed from there at that time, 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; everyone did what he thought best.	25 In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.