So the watchers saw a man, coming forth from the city, - and they said unto him - Shew us, we pray thee, the way to get into the city, and we will deal with thee, in lovingkindness.

And he shewed them the way to get into the city, and they smote the city, with the edge of the sword, - but, the man and all his family, they let go.

And the messenger of Yahweh came up from Gilgal, unto Bochim. And he said - I led you up out of Egypt, and brought you into the land, which I had sworn unto your fathers, And I said, I will not break my covenant with you, to times age-abiding;

that I may, by them, put Israel to the proof, - whether they are going to be observant of the way of Yahweh, to walk therein as their fathers observed it, or not.

Curse ye Meroz, saith the messenger of Yahweh, Curse ye with a curse, the inhabitants thereof, - because they came not in to the help of Yahweh, to the help of Yahweh, against the mighty.

The trees, went their way, to anoint over them, a king, - and they said unto the olive tree - Reign thou over us.

And his father and his mother said to him - Is there not, among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, a woman, that thou art going away to take a woman from among the uncircumcised Philistines? But Samson said unto his father - Take, her, for me, for, she, is pleasant in mine eyes.

And, when the man rose up to go - he and his concubine and his young man, - his father-in-law, the father of the damsel, said to him, Come now, see! the day hath sunk down towards evening, come now! tarry the night; lo! the day goeth down, tarry the night here, and let thy heart be glad, so shall ye rise early to-morrow for your journey, and thou shalt go thy way to thine own home.

And he said unto her - Up! and let us be going. But there was no answer. So he took her up on the ass, and the man rose up, and went his way to his own place.

What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, - seeing that, we ourselves, have sworn by Yahweh, not to give them of our daughters, for wives?

So then, the elders of the assembly said, What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, - for womankind, hath been destroyed out of Benjamin?

and look, and lo! if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then shall ye come forth out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife, of the daughters of Shiloh, - and go your way to the land of Benjamin.