| New American Standard Bible 1995 | English Standard Version |
| 1Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, "None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin in marriage." | 1Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, “No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.” |
| 2So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. | 2And the people came to Bethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. |
| 3They said, "Why, O LORD, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today in Israel?" | 3And they said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?” |
| 4It came about the next day that the people arose early and built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. | 4And the next day the people rose early and built there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. |
| 5Then the sons of Israel said, "Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who 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 at Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely be put to death." | 5And 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 surely be put to death.” |
| 6And the sons of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin and said, "One tribe is cut off from Israel today. | 6And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day. |
| 7"What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?" | 7What 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?” |
| 8And they said, "What one is there of the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the LORD at Mizpah?" And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly. | 8And 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. |
| 9For when the people were numbered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. | 9For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. |
| 10And the congregation sent 12,000 of the valiant warriors there, and commanded them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones. | 10So the congregation sent 12,000 of their bravest men there and commanded them, “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword; also the women and the little ones. |
| 11"This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every man and every woman who has lain with a man." | 11This is what you shall do: every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall devote to destruction.” |
| 12And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. | 12And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. |
| 13Then the whole congregation sent word and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them. | 13Then the whole congregation sent word to the people of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and proclaimed peace to them. |
| 14Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had kept alive from the women of Jabesh-gilead; yet they were not enough for them. | 14And Benjamin returned at that time. And they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, but they were not enough for them. |
| 15And the people were sorry for Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. | 15And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. |
| 16Then 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?" | 16Then 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?” |
| 17They said, "There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel. | 17And they said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel. |
| 18"But we cannot give them wives of our daughters." For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, "Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin." | 18Yet we cannot give them wives from our daughters.” For the people of Israel had sworn, “Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin.” |
| 19So they said, "Behold, there is a feast of the LORD from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south side of Lebonah." | 19So 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.” |
| 20And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, | 20And they commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards |
| 21and 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. | 21and 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. |
| 22"It shall come about, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we shall say to them, 'Give them to us voluntarily, because we did not take for each man of Benjamin a wife in battle, nor did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.'" | 22And 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.’” |
| 23The sons of Benjamin did so, and took wives according to their number from those who danced, whom they carried away. And they went and returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the cities and lived in them. | 23And the people of Benjamin 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 lived in them. |
| 24The sons of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and each one of them went out from there to his inheritance. | 24And 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. |
| 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 what was right in his own eyes. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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