Judges 21

1 ♥ 📝 N ow the men^H376 of Israel^H3478 had sworn^H7650 in Mizpah,^H4709 saying,^H559 There shall not any^H376 of us give^H5414 his daughter^H1323 unto Benjamin^H1144 to wife.^H802

2 ♥ 📝 And the people^H5971 came^H935 to ^H1004 Beth-el,^H430 and sat^H3427 there till even^H6153 before^H6440 God,^H430 and lifted up^H5375 their voices,^H6963 and wept^H1058 sore.^H1419

3 ♥ 📝 And they said,^H559 O Jehovah,^H3068 the God^H430 of Israel,^H3478 why is this come to pass in Israel,^H3478 that there should be to-day^H3117 one^H259 tribe^H7626 lacking^H6485 in Israel?^H3478

4 ♥ 📝 And it came to pass on the morrow,^H4283 that the people^H5971 rose early,^H7925 and built^H1129 there an altar,^H4196 and offered^H5927 burnt-offerings^H5930 and peace-offerings.^H5930

5 ♥ 📝 And the children^H1121 of Israel^H3478 said,^H559 Who is there among all the tribes^H7626 of Israel^H3478 that^H834 came^H5927 not up in the assembly^H6951 unto Jehovah?^H3068 For they had made a great^H1419 oath^H7621 concerning him that came not up^H5927 unto Jehovah^H3068 to Mizpah,^H4709 saying,^H559 He shall surely^H4191 be put to death.^H4191

6 ♥ 📝 And the children^H1121 of Israel^H3478 repented^H5162 them for Benjamin^H1144 their brother,^H251 and said,^H559 There is one^H259 tribe^H7626 cut off^H1438 from Israel^H3478 this day.^H3117

7 ♥ 📝 How shall we do^H6213 for wives^H802 for them that remain,^H3498 seeing we have sworn^H7650 by Jehovah^H3068 that we will not give^H5414 them of our daughters^H1323 to wives?^H802

8 ♥ 📝 And they said,^H559 What one^H259 is there of the tribes^H7626 of Israel^H3478 that came not up^H5927 unto Jehovah^H3068 to Mizpah?^H4709 And, behold, there came^H935 none^H376 to the camp^H4264 from Jabesh-gilead^H3003 to the assembly.^H6951

9 ♥ 📝 For when the people^H5971 were numbered,^H6485 behold, there were none^H376 of the inhabitants^H3427 of Jabesh-gilead^H3003 there.

10 ♥ 📝 And the congregation^H5712 sent^H7971 thither twelve^H8147 thousand^H505 men^H376 of the valiantest,^H1121 and commanded^H6680 them, saying,^H559 Go^H3212 and smite^H5221 the inhabitants^H3427 of Jabesh-gilead^H3003 with the edge^H6310 of the sword,^H2719 with the women^H802 and the little ones.^H2945

11 ♥ 📝 And this is the thing^H1697 that ye shall do:^H6213 ye shall utterly destroy^H2763 every male,^H2145 and every woman^H802 that hath lain^H4904 by man.^H3045

12 ♥ 📝 And they found^H4672 among the inhabitants^H3427 of Jabesh-gilead^H3003 four^H702 hundred^H3967 young^H5291 virgins,^H1330 that had not known^H3045 man^H376 by lying^H4904 with him;^H2145 and they brought^H935 them unto the camp^H4264 to Shiloh,^H7887 which is in the land^H776 of Canaan.^H3667

13 ♥ 📝 And the whole congregation^H5712 sent^H7971 and spake^H1696 to the children^H1121 of Benjamin^H1144 that were in the rock^H5553 of Rimmon,^H7417 and proclaimed^H7121 peace^H7965 unto them.

14 ♥ 📝 And Benjamin^H1144 returned^H7725 at that time;^H6256 and they gave^H5414 them the women^H802 whom they had saved alive^H2421 of the women^H802 of Jabesh-gilead:^H3003 and yet so they sufficed^H4672 them not.

15 ♥ 📝 And the people^H5971 repented^H5162 them for Benjamin,^H1144 because that Jehovah^H3068 had made^H6213 a breach^H6556 in the tribes^H7626 of Israel.^H3478

16 ♥ 📝 Then the elders^H2205 of the congregation^H5712 said,^H559 How shall we do^H6213 for wives^H802 for them that remain,^H3498 seeing the women^H802 are destroyed^H8045 out of Benjamin?^H1144

17 ♥ 📝 And they said,^H559 There must be an inheritance^H3425 for them that are escaped^H6413 of Benjamin,^H1144 that a tribe^H7626 be not blotted^H4229 out from Israel.^H3478

18 ♥ 📝 Howbeit we may^H3201 not give^H5414 them wives^H802 of our daughters,^H1323 for the children^H1121 of Israel^H3478 had sworn,^H7650 saying,^H559 Cursed^H779 be he that giveth^H5414 a wife^H802 to Benjamin.^H1144

19 ♥ 📝 And they said,^H559 Behold, there is a feast^H2282 of Jehovah^H3068 from year to year^H3117 in Shiloh,^H7887 which is on the north^H6828 of Beth-el,^H1008 on the east side^H6828 of the highway^H4546 that goeth up^H5927 from Beth-el^H1008 to Shechem,^H7927 and on the south^H5045 of Lebonah.^H3829

20 ♥ 📝 And they commanded^H6680 the children^H1121 of Benjamin,^H1144 saying,^H559 Go^H3212 and lie in wait^H693 in the vineyards,^H3754

21 ♥ 📝 and see,^H7200 and, behold, if the daughters^H1323 of Shiloh^H7887 come out^H3318 to dance^H2342 in the dances,^H4246 then come ye out^H3318 of the vineyards,^H3754 and catch^H2414 you every man^H376 his wife^H802 of the daughters^H1323 of Shiloh,^H7887 and go^H1980 to the land^H776 of Benjamin.^H1144

22 ♥ 📝 And it shall be, when their fathers^H1 or their brethren^H251 come^H935 to complain^H7378 unto us, that we will say^H559 unto them, Grant them graciously^H2603 unto us, because we took^H3947 not for each man^H376 [of them] his wife^H802 in battle,^H4421 neither did ye give^H5414 them unto them, else^H6256 would ye now be guilty.^H816

23 ♥ 📝 And the children^H1121 of Benjamin^H1144 did so,^H6213 and took^H5375 them wives,^H802 according to their number,^H4557 of them that danced,^H2342 whom they carried^H1497 off: and they went^H3212 and returned^H7725 unto their inheritance,^H5159 and built^H1129 the cities,^H5892 and dwelt^H3427 in them.

24 ♥ 📝 And the children^H1121 of Israel^H3478 departed^H1980 thence at that time,^H6256 every man^H376 to his tribe^H7626 and to his family,^H4940 and they went out^H3318 from thence every man^H376 to his inheritance.^H5159

25 ♥ 📝 In those days^H3117 there was no king^H4428 in Israel:^H3478 every man^H376 did^H6213 that which was right^H3477 in his own eyes.^H5869