A Decision Is Made About The Tribe Of Benjamin
1 The Israelites had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, "Not one of us will allow his daughter to marry a Benjaminite."
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
1 Now the men of Israel (A)had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin (a)in marriage.”
1 The men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah: “None of us will give his daughter to a Benjaminite in marriage.”(A)
1 Now the people of Israel had taken a vow in Mizpah that went like this: "Not even one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a descendant of Benjamin!"
2 So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably.
2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
2 (B)So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and lifted up their voices and wept (b)bitterly.
2 So the people went to Bethel and sat there before God(B) until evening. They wept loudly and bitterly,
2 So the people went to Bethel, sat before God until dusk, where they cried out loud and wept bitterly.
3 They said, "Why, O Lord God of Israel, has this happened in Israel?" An entire tribe has disappeared from Israel today!"
3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?
3 They said, “Why, O Lord, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today in Israel?”
3 and cried out, “Why, Lord God of Israel, has it occurred(a) that one tribe is missing in Israel today?”
3 "Why, LORD God of Israel," they asked him, "is one tribe missing from Israel?"
4 The next morning the people got up early and built an altar there. They offered up burnt sacrifices and token of peace.
4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
4 It came about the next day that the people arose early and built (C)an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
4 The next day the people got up early, built an altar there,(C) and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
4 The next day, the people got up early, built an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 The Israelites asked, "Who from all the Israelite tribes has not assembled before the Lord?" They had made a solemn oath that whoever did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah must certainly be executed.
5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
5 Then 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 (c)they had taken a great oath concerning him (D)who did not come up to the Lord at Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.”
5 The 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.
5 The Israelis asked themselves, "Who didn't come up in our assembly in the LORD's presence from among all of the tribes of Israel?" They had taken a solemn oath concerning those who didn't come up to meet with the LORD at Mizpah that "They will certainly be executed."
6 The Israelites regretted what had happened to their brother Benjamin. They said, "Today we cut off an entire tribe from Israel!
6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
6 And the sons of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel today.
6 But the Israelites had compassion on their brothers, the Benjaminites, and said, “Today a tribe has been cut off from Israel.
6 But the Israelis were mourning for their relatives in the tribe of Benjamin. They announced, "One tribe has been eliminated from Israel today!
7 How can we find wives for those who are left? After all, we took an oath in the Lord's name not to give them our daughters as wives."
7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
7 What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have (E)sworn by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?”
7 What should we do about wives for the survivors? We’ve sworn to the Lord not to give them any of our daughters as wives.”
7 What can we do to find wives for the survivors who remain, since we've already taken an oath in the LORD's presence not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?"
8 So they asked, "Who from all the Israelite tribes did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?" Now it just so happened no one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the gathering.
8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
8 And 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.
8 They 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.
8 They asked, "What one group of the tribes of Israel didn't come up to meet the LORD at Mizpah?" It turned out that no one had come to the encampment from Jabesh-gilead,
9 When they took roll call, they noticed none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there.
9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
9 For when the people were (d)numbered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there.
9 For when the people were counted, no one was there from the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead.
9 since when they took a census of the assembly, not even one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was in attendance.
10 So the assembly sent 12,000 capable warriors against Jabesh Gilead. They commanded them, "Go and kill with your swords the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, including the women and little children.
10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
10 And the congregation sent 12,000 of the valiant warriors there, and commanded them, saying, “Go and (F)strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
10 The congregation sent 12,000 brave warriors(b) there and commanded them: “Go and kill the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword,(D) including women and children.
10 So the congregation sent out 12,000 of their valiant soldiers, issuing these orders to them: "Go and attack the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with swords, including the women and little ones.
11 Do this: exterminate every male, as well as every woman who has had sexual relations with a male. But spare the lives of any virgins." So they did as instructed.
11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
11 This is the thing that you shall do: you (G)shall utterly destroy every man and every woman who has (e)lain with a man.”
11 This is what you should do: Completely destroy every male, as well as every female who has slept with a man.”
11 You're to completely destroy every man and every married woman."
12 They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young girls who were virgins -- they had never had sexual relations with a male. They brought them back to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with (f)him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
12 They 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.
12 They discovered among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who hadn't had sex with a man, and they brought them to the encampment at Shiloh in the territory of Canaan.
13 The entire assembly sent messengers to the Benjaminites at the cliff of Rimmon and assured them they would not be harmed.
13 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.
13 Then the whole congregation sent word and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were (H)at the rock of Rimmon, and (I)proclaimed peace to them.
13 The whole congregation sent a message of peace(E) to the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon.
13 Then the entire congregation sent for the surviving descendants of Benjamin who were living at the rock of Rimmon and assured them that their intentions toward them were peaceful.
14 The Benjaminites returned at that time, and the Israelites gave to them the women they had spared from Jabesh Gilead. But there were not enough to go around.
14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.
14 Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had kept alive from the women of Jabesh-gilead; yet they (g)were not enough for them.
14 Benjamin returned at that time, and Israel gave them the women they had kept alive from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough for them.
14 So the survivors of the tribe of Benjamin returned at that time, and the Israelis gave them the women whom they had kept alive from the raid on Jabesh-gilead. Even so, there weren't enough for them.
15 The people regretted what had happened to Benjamin because the Lord had weakened the Israelite tribes.
15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
15 And the people were sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
15 The people had compassion on Benjamin, because the Lord had made this gap in the tribes of Israel.
15 The people felt sorry for the tribe of Benjamin because the LORD had broken one of the tribes of Israel.
16 The leaders of the assembly said, "How can we find wives for those who are left? After all, the Benjaminite women have been wiped out.
16 Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?
16 Then 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?”
16 The elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who are left, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”
16 So the elders of the congregation asked, "What will we do to obtain wives for the survivors, since the women of Benjamin have been devastated?"
17 The remnant of Benjamin must be preserved. An entire Israelite tribe should not be wiped out.
17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
17 They said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel.
17 They said, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
17 They continued, "Let's make sure that there's an inheritance for the survivors of the tribe of Benjamin, so that a tribe won't be blotted out from Israel.
18 But we can't allow our daughters to marry them, for the Israelites took an oath, saying, 'Whoever gives a woman to a Benjaminite will be destroyed!'
18 Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
18 But we cannot give them wives of our daughters.” For the sons of Israel (J)had sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.”
18 But we can’t give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Anyone who gives a wife to a Benjaminite is cursed.”
18 But we can't give them wives from our own daughters, since we've taken this vow: "May the LORD curse anyone who gives his daughter as a wife to the tribe of Benjamin!'"
19 However, there is an annual festival to the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel (east of the main road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem) and south of Lebonah."
19 Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
19 So they said, “Behold, there is a feast of the Lord from year to year in (K)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.”
19 They also said, “Look, there’s an annual festival to the Lord in Shiloh,(F) which is north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
19 So they concluded, "Look, there's a festival to the LORD every year in Shiloh on the north side of Bethel, south of Lebonah and on the east side of the highway that runs from Bethel to Shechem""
20 So they commanded the Benjaminites, "Go hide in the vineyards,
20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
20 And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,
20 Then they commanded the Benjaminites: “Go and hide in the vineyards.
20 So they told the descendants of Benjamin, "Go and hide in the vineyards.
21 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.
21 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.
21 and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to (h)(L)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.
21 Watch, and when you see the young women of Shiloh come out to perform the dances,(G) 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.
21 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.
22 When their fathers or brothers come and protest to us, we'll say to them, "Do us a favor and let them be, for we could not get each one a wife through battle. Don't worry about breaking your oath! You would only be guilty if you had voluntarily given them wives.'"
22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.
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 (i)a wife in battle, (j)(M)nor did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.’”
22 When 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(c) you are not guilty of breaking your oath.’”
22 If their fathers or brothers come complaining to us, we'll tell them "Be generous! Give them to us voluntarily, because we didn't take anyone to be a wife for the men of the tribe of Benjamin as a result of the battle. And you haven't incurred guilt by giving your daughters to them.'"
23 The Benjaminites did as instructed. They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives. They went home to their own territory, rebuilt their cities, and settled down.
23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.
23 The 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 (N)rebuilt the cities and lived in them.
23 The 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,(H) and lived in them.
23 So the descendants of Benjamin did all of this: they chose and carried away just enough wives from those who danced to meet the number needed, then they left to return to their inheritance, to rebuild their cities, and to live there.
24 Then the Israelites dispersed from there to their respective tribal and clan territories. Each went from there to his own property.
24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.
24 The 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.
24 At that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and family. Each returned from there to his own inheritance.
24 The Israelis left there at that time, each man to his tribe and family, and each of them went down from there to his territorial allotment.