Iudicum 21

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Juraverunt quoque filii Israël in Maspha, et dixerunt : Nullus nostrum dabit filiis Benjamin de filiabus suis uxorem.	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 Veneruntque omnes ad domum Dei in Silo, et in conspectu ejus sedentes usque ad vesperam, levaverunt vocem, et magno ululatu cœperunt flere, dicentes :	2 So the people went to Bethel and remained there before God until evening, raising their voices in bitter lament.
3 Quare, Domine Deus Israël, factum est hoc malum in populo tuo, ut hodie una tribus auferretur ex nobis ?	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 Altera autem die diluculo consurgentes, exstruxerunt altare : obtuleruntque ibi holocausta, et pacificas victimas, et dixerunt :	4 Early the next day the people built an altar there and offered holocausts and peace offerings.
5 Quis non ascendit in exercitu Domini de universis tribubus Israël ? grandi enim juramento se constrinxerant, cum essent in Maspha, interfici eos qui defuissent.	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 Ductique pœnitentia filii Israël super fratre suo Benjamin, cœperunt dicere : Ablata est tribus una de Israël :	6 The Israelites were disconsolate over their brother Benjamin and said, "Today one of the tribes of Israel has been cut off.
7 unde uxores accipient ? omnes enim in commune juravimus, non daturos nos his filias nostras.	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 Idcirco dixerunt : Quis est de universis tribubus Israël, qui non ascendit ad Dominum in Maspha ? Et ecce inventi sunt habitatores Jabes Galaad in illo exercitu non fuisse.	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 (Eo quoque tempore cum essent in Silo, nullus ex eis ibi repertus est.)	9 A roll call of the army established that none of the inhabitants of that city were present.
10 Miserunt itaque decem millia viros robustissimos, et præceperunt eis : Ite, et percutite habitatores Jabes Galaad in ore gladii, tam uxores quam parvulos eorum.	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 Et hoc erit quod observare debebitis : omne generis masculini, et mulieres quæ cognoverunt viros, interficite ; virgines autem reservate.	11 They were told to include under the ban all males and every woman who was not still a virgin.
12 Inventæque sunt de Jabes Galaad quadringentæ virgines, quæ nescierunt viri thorum : et adduxerunt eas ad castra in Silo, in terram 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 Miseruntque nuntios ad filios Benjamin, qui erant in petra Remmon, et præceperunt eis, ut eos susciperent in pace.	13 Then the whole community sent a message to the Benjaminites at the rock Rimmon, offering them peace.
14 Veneruntque filii Benjamin in illo tempore, et datæ sunt eis uxores de filiabus Jabes Galaad : alias autem non repererunt, quas simili modo traderent.	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 Universusque Israël valde doluit, et egit pœnitentiam super interfectione unius tribus ex Israël.	15 The people were still disconsolate over Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.
16 Dixeruntque majores natu : Quid faciemus reliquis, qui non acceperunt uxores ? omnes in Benjamin feminæ conciderunt,	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 et magna nobis cura, ingentique studio providendum est, ne una tribus deleatur ex Israël.	17 They said, "Those of Benjamin who survive must have heirs, else one of the Israelite tribes will be wiped out.
18 Filias enim nostras eis dare non possumus, constricti juramento et maledictione qua diximus : Maledictus qui dederit de filiabus suis uxorem Benjamin.	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 Ceperuntque consilium, atque dixerunt : Ecce solemnitas Domini est in Silo anniversaria, quæ sita est ad septentrionem urbis Bethel, et ad orientalem plagam viæ, quæ de Bethel tendit ad Sichimam, et ad meridiem oppidi 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 Præceperuntque filiis Benjamin, atque dixerunt : Ite, et latitate in vineis.	20 And they instructed the Benjaminites, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards.
21 Cumque videritis filias Silo ad ducendos choros ex more procedere, exite repente de vineis, et rapite ex eis singuli uxores singulas, et pergite in terram 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 Cumque venerint patres earum, ac fratres, et adversum vos queri cœperint atque jurgari, dicemus eis : Miseremini eorum : non enim rapuerunt eas jure bellantium atque victorum : sed rogantibus ut acciperent, non dedistis, et a vestra parte peccatum est.	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 Feceruntque filii Benjamin ut sibi fuerat imperatum : et juxta numerum suum, rapuerunt sibi de his quæ ducebant choros, uxores singulas : abieruntque in possessionem suam ædificantes urbes, et habitantes in eis.	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 Filii quoque Israël reversi sunt per tribus et familias in tabernacula sua. In diebus illis non erat rex in Israël : sed unusquisque quod sibi rectum videbatur, hoc faciebat.	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.