1 Now the men376 of Israel3478 had sworn7650 in Mizpeh,4709 saying,559 There shall not3808 any376 of4480 us give5414 his daughter1323 unto Benjamin1144 to wife.802

2 And the people5971 came935 to the house of God,1008 and abode3427 there8033 till5704 even6153 before6440 God,430 and lifted up5375 their voices,6963 and wept1058 sore;1065 1419

3 And said,559 O LORD3068 God430 of Israel,3478 why4100 is this2063 come to pass1961 in Israel,3478 that there should be today3117 one259 tribe7626 lacking6485 in Israel?4480 3478

4 And it came to pass1961 on the morrow,4480 4283 that the people5971 rose early,7925 and built1129 there8033 an altar,4196 and offered5927 burnt offerings5930 and peace offerings.8002

5 And the children1121 of Israel3478 said,559 Who4310 is there among all4480 3605 the tribes7626 of Israel3478 that834 came not up5927 3808 with the congregation6951 unto413 the LORD?3068 For3588 they had made1961 a great1419 oath7621 concerning834 him that came not up5927 3808 to413 the LORD3068 to Mizpeh,4709 saying,559 He shall surely be put to death.4191 4191

6 And the children1121 of Israel3478 repented5162 them for413 Benjamin1144 their brother,251 and said,559 There is one259 tribe7626 cut off1438 from Israel4480 3478 this day.3117

7 How4100 shall we do6213 for wives802 for them that remain,3498 seeing we587 have sworn7650 by the LORD3068 that we will not1115 give5414 them of our daughters4480 1323 to wives?802

8 And they said,559 What4310 one259 is there of the tribes4480 7626 of Israel3478 that834 came not up5927 3808 to Mizpeh4709 to413 the LORD?3068 And, behold,2009 there came935 none3808 376 to413 the camp4264 from Jabesh-gilead4480 3003 1568 to413 the assembly.6951

9 For the people5971 were numbered,6485 and, behold,2009 there were none369 376 of the inhabitants4480 3427 of Jabesh-gilead3003 1568 there.8033

10 And the congregation5712 sent7971 hither8033 twelve8147 6240 thousand505 men376 of the most valiant,4480 1121 2428 and commanded6680 them, saying,559 Go1980 and smite5221 853 the inhabitants3427 of Jabesh-gilead3003 1568 with the edge6310 of the sword,2719 with the women802 and the children.2945

11 And this2088 is the thing1697 that834 ye shall do,6213 Ye shall utterly destroy2763 every3605 male,2145 and every3605 woman802 that hath lain3045 4904 by man.2145

12 And they found4672 among the inhabitants4480 3427 of Jabesh-gilead3003 1568 four702 hundred3967 young5291 virgins,1330 that834 had known3045 no3808 man376 by lying4904 with any male:2145 and they brought935 them unto413 the camp4264 to Shiloh,7887 which834 is in the land776 of Canaan.3667

13 And the whole3605 congregation5712 sent7971 some to speak1696 to413 the children1121 of Benjamin1144 that834 were in the rock5553 Rimmon,7417 and to call7121 peaceably7965 unto them.

14 And Benjamin1144 came again7725 at that1931 time;6256 and they gave5414 them wives802 which834 they had saved alive2421 of the women4480 802 of Jabesh-gilead:3003 1568 and yet so3651 they sufficed4672 them not.3808

15 And the people5971 repented them5162 for Benjamin,1144 because3588 that the LORD3068 had made6213 a breach6556 in the tribes7626 of Israel.3478

16 Then the elders2205 of the congregation5712 said,559 How4100 shall we do6213 for wives802 for them that remain,3498 seeing3588 the women802 are destroyed8045 out of Benjamin?4480 1144

17 And they said,559 There must be an inheritance3425 for them that be escaped6413 of Benjamin,1144 that a tribe7626 be not3808 destroyed4229 out of Israel.4480 3478

18 Howbeit we587 may3201 not3808 give5414 them wives802 of our daughters:4480 1323 for3588 the children1121 of Israel3478 have sworn,7650 saying,559 Cursed779 be he that giveth5414 a wife802 to Benjamin.1144

19 Then they said,559 Behold,2009 there is a feast2282 of the LORD3068 in Shiloh7887 yearly4480 3117 3117 in a place which834 is on the north side4480 6828 of Bethel,4480 1008 on the east side4217 8121 of the highway4546 that goeth up5927 from Bethel4480 1008 to Shechem,7927 and on the south4480 5045 of Lebonah.3829

20 Therefore they commanded6680 853 the children1121 of Benjamin,1144 saying,559 Go1980 and lie in wait693 in the vineyards;3754

21 And see,7200 and, behold,2009 if518 the daughters1323 of Shiloh7887 come out3318 to dance2342 in dances,4246 then come ye out3318 of4480 the vineyards,3754 and catch2414 you every man376 his wife802 of the daughters4480 1323 of Shiloh,7887 and go1980 to the land776 of Benjamin.1144

22 And it shall be,1961 when3588 their fathers1 or176 their brethren251 come935 unto413 us to complain,7378 that we will say559 unto413 them, Be favorable2603 unto them for our sakes: because3588 we reserved3947 not3808 to each man376 his wife802 in the war:4421 for3588 ye859 did not3808 give5414 unto them at this time,6256 that ye should be guilty.816

23 And the children1121 of Benjamin1144 did6213 so,3651 and took5375 them wives,802 according to their number,4557 of4480 them that danced,2342 whom834 they caught:1497 and they went1980 and returned7725 unto413 their inheritance,5159 and repaired1129 853 the cities,5892 and dwelt3427 in them.

24 And the children1121 of Israel3478 departed1980 thence4480 8033 at that1931 time,6256 every man376 to his tribe7626 and to his family,4940 and they went out3318 from thence4480 8033 every man376 to his inheritance.5159

25 In those1992 days3117 there was no369 king4428 in Israel:3478 every man376 did6213 that which was right3477 in his own eyes.5869