Judges 21:21
New International Version
and watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, rush from the vineyards and each of you seize one of them to be your wife. Then return to the land of Benjamin.

New Living Translation
When you see the young women of Shiloh come out for their dances, rush out from the vineyards, and each of you can take one of them home to the land of Benjamin to be your wife!

English Standard Version
and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and snatch each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

Berean Standard Bible
and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

King James Bible
And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards, and each of you shall seize his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

NASB 1995
and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

NASB 1977
and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

Legacy Standard Bible
and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards, and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh and go to the land of Benjamin.

Amplified Bible
and watch; if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of [the tribe of] Benjamin.

Christian Standard Bible
Watch, and when you see the young women of Shiloh come out to perform the dances, each of you leave the vineyards and catch a wife for yourself from the young women of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Watch, and when you see the young women of Shiloh come out to perform the dances, each of you leave the vineyards and catch a wife for yourself from the young women of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

American Standard Version
and see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

Contemporary English Version
Wait there for the young women of Shiloh to come out and perform their dances. Then rush out and grab one of the young women, then take her home as your wife.

English Revised Version
and see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, come out of the vineyards. Each of you catch a woman from Shiloh to be your wife. Then go back to the territory of Benjamin.

Good News Translation
and watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to dance during the festival, you come out of the vineyards. Each of you take a wife by force from among them and take her back to the territory of Benjamin with you.

International Standard Version
Watch when the unmarried women from Shiloh come out to participate in the dances. Then come out of the vineyards and each of you grab a wife from the unmarried women from Shiloh. Then go back home to the territory of Benjamin.

Majority Standard Bible
and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

NET Bible
and keep your eyes open. When you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to dance in the celebration, 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.

New Heart English Bible
and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards, and each man catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

Webster's Bible Translation
And see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

World English Bible
and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards, and each man catch his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and have seen, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances—then you have gone out from the vineyards, and each caught his wife out of the daughters of Shiloh for yourselves, and have gone to the land of Benjamin;

Young's Literal Translation
and have seen, and lo, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances -- then ye have gone out from the vineyards, and caught for you each his wife out of the daughters of Shiloh, and gone to the land of Benjamin;

Smith's Literal Translation
And see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh shall come forth to dance in dances, and come ye out from the vineyards and catch for yourselves each his wife from the daughters of Shiloh) and go to the land of Benjamin.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when you will have seen daughters of Shiloh being led out to dance, according to custom, go forth suddenly from the vineyards, and let each one seize one wife from among them, and travel into the land of Benjamin.

New American Bible
When you see the women of Shiloh come out to join in the dances, come out of the vineyards and catch a wife for each of you from the women of Shiloh; then go on to the land of Benjamin.

New Revised Standard Version
and watch; when the young women of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and each of you carry off a wife for himself from the young women of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when you shall see the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance with tambourines, then come out of the vineyards and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And whenever you see that some of the daughters come out of Shiloh to strike on tambourines, go out from the vineyard and each man catch for yourselves his woman from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benyamin
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and ye shall see; and lo! if there come out the daughters of the inhabitants of Selom to dance in dances, then shall ye go out of the vineyards and seize for yourselves every man a wife of the daughters of Selom, and go ye into the land of Benjamin.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wives for the Benjamites
20So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards 21and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 22When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’ ”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 22:25-27
But if the man encounters a betrothed woman in the open country, and he overpowers her and lies with her, only the man who has done this must die. / Do nothing to the young woman, because she has committed no sin worthy of death. This case is just like one in which a man attacks his neighbor and murders him. / When he found her in the field, the betrothed woman cried out, but there was no one to save her.

Genesis 24:13-14
Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. / Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

Exodus 2:16-21
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. / And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock. / When the daughters returned to their father Reuel, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?” ...

1 Samuel 9:11-13
And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?” / “Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place. / As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.”

Genesis 34:1-2
Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land. / When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the region, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.

Ruth 2:8-9
Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Do not go and glean in another field, and do not go away from this place, but stay here close to my servant girls. / Let your eyes be on the field they are harvesting, and follow along after these girls. Indeed, I have ordered the young men not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”

1 Samuel 21:5
David answered, “Women have indeed been kept from us, as is usual when I set out. And the bodies of the young men are holy even on common missions. How much more so today!”

2 Samuel 13:11-14
And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, “Come lie with me, my sister!” / “No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not violate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! / Where could I ever take my shame? And you would be like one of the fools in Israel! Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” ...

Song of Solomon 1:7-8
Tell me, O one I love, where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you rest them at midday? Why should I be like a veiled woman beside the flocks of your companions? / If you do not know, O fairest of women, follow the tracks of the flock, and graze your young goats near the tents of the shepherds.

Proverbs 7:6-23
For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice. / I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment, / crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house, ...

Matthew 25:1-13
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. / Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. / The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. ...

John 4:7-10
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” / (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) / “You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) ...

Luke 14:16-24
But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. / When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ / But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’ ...

Matthew 22:1-14
Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables: / “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. / He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come. ...

John 2:1-11
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, / and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. / When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come you out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

dance

Judges 11:34
And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

Exodus 15:20
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

1 Samuel 18:6
And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

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Benjamin Catch Caught Dance Dances Dancing Daughters Join Part Seize Shiloh Vine-Gardens Vineyards Watch Watching Wife
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Benjamin Catch Caught Dance Dances Dancing Daughters Join Part Seize Shiloh Vine-Gardens Vineyards Watch Watching Wife
Judges 21
1. The people bewail the desolation of Benjamin
8. By the destruction of Jabesh Gilead they provide them four hundred wives.
16. They advise the remainder to surprise the virgins that danced at Shiloh














and watch
The Hebrew root for "watch" is "שָׁמַר" (shamar), which means to keep, guard, or observe. In this context, it implies a vigilant and strategic observation. The Benjamites were instructed to be alert and ready for the moment of opportunity. Spiritually, this can be seen as a call for believers to be watchful and discerning, always ready to act according to God's timing and guidance.

When you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to perform their dances
The phrase "daughters of Shiloh" refers to the young women from the town of Shiloh, a significant religious center in Israel at the time. Shiloh was where the Tabernacle was located, making it a place of worship and pilgrimage. The dances were likely part of a religious festival, possibly the Feast of Tabernacles, which included joyous celebrations. This highlights the cultural and religious practices of ancient Israel, where community and worship were intertwined. Theologically, it reminds us of the joy and celebration found in communal worship and the importance of cultural traditions in expressing faith.

rush out of the vineyards
The vineyards symbolize a place of growth, fruitfulness, and sustenance. In the Bible, vineyards often represent prosperity and blessing. The instruction to "rush out" suggests urgency and decisiveness. For the Benjamites, it was a moment to seize an opportunity for restoration and continuation of their tribe. Spiritually, it can be seen as a metaphor for leaving behind comfort zones to pursue God's promises and purposes with urgency and determination.

and each of you catch a wife for yourself from the daughters of Shiloh
The word "catch" here is translated from the Hebrew "חָטַף" (chataf), meaning to seize or snatch. This reflects the desperate situation of the Benjamites, who needed to find wives to ensure the survival of their tribe. Historically, this was a time of moral and social chaos in Israel, as described in the Book of Judges, where "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). This phrase challenges us to consider the complexities of human actions and the consequences of living outside of God's ordained order.

and go to the land of Benjamin
The "land of Benjamin" refers to the territory allotted to the tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This instruction signifies a return to their inheritance and a restoration of their community. Theologically, it speaks to the theme of redemption and restoration, where God provides a way for His people to return to their rightful place and purpose. It encourages believers to trust in God's plan for restoration, even in the midst of difficult and seemingly impossible situations.

Verse 21. - Come out. The verb is in the masculine gender, though the daughters of Shiloh is the subject (see above, ver. 12, note), To dance in dances. Bishop Patrick says that the feast of tabernacles was the only feast at which Jewish maidens were permitted to dance. Go to the land of Benjamin. The close vicinity of the high road leading from Shechem to Bethel on the border of Benjamin would facilitate their flight.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and watch.
וּרְאִיתֶ֗ם (ū·rə·’î·ṯem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

When
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you see
וְ֠הִנֵּה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

the daughters
בְנוֹת־ (ḇə·nō·wṯ-)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

of Shiloh
שִׁילוֹ֮ (šî·lōw)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7887: Shiloh -- a city in Ephraim

come out
יֵ֨צְא֥וּ (yê·ṣə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

to perform
לָח֣וּל (lā·ḥūl)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2342: To twist, whirl, to dance, to writhe in pain, fear, to wait, to pervert

their dances,
בַּמְּחֹלוֹת֒ (bam·mə·ḥō·lō·wṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4246: A dance

each of you
אִ֥ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

is to come out
וִֽיצָאתֶם֙ (wî·ṣā·ṯem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

of the vineyards,
הַכְּרָמִ֔ים (hak·kə·rā·mîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3754: A garden, vineyard

catch
וַחֲטַפְתֶּ֥ם (wa·ḥă·ṭap̄·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2414: To clutch, to seize as a, prisoner

for himself
לָכֶ֛ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

a wife
אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ (’iš·tōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

the daughters
מִבְּנ֣וֹת (mib·bə·nō·wṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

of Shiloh,
שִׁיל֑וֹ (šî·lōw)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7887: Shiloh -- a city in Ephraim

and go
וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֖ם (wa·hă·laḵ·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

to the land
אֶ֥רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Benjamin.
בִּנְיָמִֽן׃ (bin·yā·min)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1144: Benjamin -- 'son of the right hand', youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Israelites


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OT History: Judges 21:21 And see and behold if the daughters (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 21:20
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