| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.” | 1The men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah: "None of us will give his daughter to a Benjaminite in marriage." |
| 2So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly. | 2So the people went to Bethel and sat there before God until evening. They wept loudly and bitterly, |
| 3“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!” | 3and cried out, "Why, LORD God of Israel, has it occurred that one tribe is missing in Israel today?" |
| 4The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings. | 4The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. |
| 5The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death. | 5The Israelites asked, "Who of all the tribes of Israel didn't come to the LORD with the assembly?" For a great oath had been taken that anyone who had not come to the LORD at Mizpah would certainly be put to death. |
| 6And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel. | 6But the Israelites had compassion on their brothers, the Benjaminites, and said, "Today a tribe has been cut off from Israel. |
| 7What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?” | 7What should we do about wives for the survivors? We've sworn to the LORD not to give them any of our daughters as wives." |
| 8So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly. | 8They asked, "Which city among the tribes of Israel didn't come to the LORD at Mizpah?" It turned out that no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp and the assembly. |
| 9For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there. | 9For when the people were counted, no one was there from the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead. |
| 10So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children. | 10The congregation sent 12,000 brave warriors there and commanded them: "Go and kill the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword, including women and children. |
| 11This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.” | 11This is what you should do: Completely destroy every male, as well as every female who has slept with a man." |
| 12So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. | 12They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young women, who had not had sexual relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. |
| 13Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon. | 13The whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon. |
| 14And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them. | 14Benjamin returned at that time, and Israel gave them the women they had kept alive from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough for them. |
| 15The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel. | 15The people had compassion on Benjamin, because the LORD had made this gap in the tribes of Israel. |
| 16Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?” | 16The elders of the congregation said, "What should we do about wives for those who are left, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?" |
| 17They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out. | 17They said, "There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out. |
| 18But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.” | 18But we can't give them our daughters as wives." For the Israelites had sworn, "Anyone who gives a wife to a Benjaminite is cursed." |
| 19“But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.” | 19They also said, "Look, there's an annual festival to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah." |
| 20So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards | 20Then they commanded the Benjaminites: "Go and 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. | 21Watch, 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. |
| 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.’ ” | 22When their fathers or brothers come to us and protest, we will tell them, 'Show favor to them, since we did not get enough wives for each of them in the battle. You didn't actually give the women to them, so you are not guilty of breaking your oath.'" |
| 23The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them. | 23The Benjaminites did this and took the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and lived in them. |
| 24And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance. | 24At that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and family. Each returned from there to his own inheritance. |
| 25In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. | 25In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted. |
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