Dual Panel1The Israelites <03478> <0376> had taken an oath <07650> in Mizpah <04709>, saying <0559>, “Not <03808> one <0376> of <04480> us will allow his daughter <01323> to marry <05414> a Benjaminite <01144>.”
2So the people <05971> came <0935> to Bethel <01008> and sat <03427> there <08033> before <06440> God <0430> until <05704> evening <06153>, weeping <01065> <01058> loudly <06963> and uncontrollably <01419>.
3They said <0559>, “Why <04100>, O Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478>, has this <02063> happened <01961> in Israel <03478>?” An entire <0259> tribe <07626> has disappeared <06485> from Israel <03478> today <03117>!”
4The next morning <04283> the people <05971> got up <07925> early and built <01129> an altar <04196> there <08033>. They offered up <05927> burnt sacrifices <05930> and token of peace <08002>.
5The Israelites <03478> <01121> asked <0559>, “Who <04310> from all <03605> the Israelite <03478> tribes <07626> has not <03808> assembled <06951> <05927> before <0413> the Lord <03068>?” They had made <01961> a solemn <01419> oath <07621> that <0834> whoever did not <03808> assemble <05927> before <0413> the Lord <03068> at Mizpah <04709> must certainly be executed <04191> <04191>.
6The Israelites <03478> <01121> regretted <05162> what had happened to <0413> their brother <0251> Benjamin <01144>. They said <0559>, “Today <03117> we cut off <01438> an entire <0259> tribe <07626> from Israel <03478>!
7How <04100> can we find <06213> wives <0802> for those who are left <03498>? After all, we <0587> took an oath <07650> in the Lord’s <03068> name not <01115> to give <05414> them our daughters <01323> as wives <0802>.”
8So they asked <0559>, “Who <04310> from all <0259> the Israelite <03478> tribes <07626> did not <03808> assemble <05927> before <0413> the Lord <03068> at Mizpah <04709>?” Now <02009> it just so happened no <03808> one <0376> from Jabesh <03003> Gilead <01568> had come <0935> to <0413> the gathering <06951> <04264>.
9When they <05971> took roll call <06485>, they noticed <02009> none <0376> <0369> of the inhabitants <03427> of Jabesh <03003> Gilead <01568> were there <08033>.
10So <08033> the assembly <05712> sent <07971> 12,000 <0505> <06240> <08147> capable warriors <02428> <01121> <0376> against Jabesh Gilead. They commanded <06680> them, “Go <01980> and kill <05221> with your swords <02719> <06310> the inhabitants <03427> of Jabesh <03003> Gilead <01568>, including the women <0802> and little children <02945>.
11Do <06213> this <02088>: exterminate <01697> every <03605> male <02145>, as well as every <03605> woman <0802> who has had sexual relations <04904> <03045> with a male <02145>. But spare the lives of any virgins.” So they did <02763> as instructed.
12They found <04672> among the inhabitants <03427> of Jabesh <03003> Gilead <01568> four <0702> hundred <03967> young girls <05291> who <0834> were virgins <01330>– they had never <03808> had sexual relations <04904> <03045> with a male <02145> <0376>. They brought <0935> them back to <0413> the camp <04264> at Shiloh <07887> in the land <0776> of Canaan <03667>.
13The entire <03605> assembly <05712> sent <07971> messengers <01696> to <0413> the Benjaminites <01144> <01121> at the cliff <05553> of Rimmon <07417> and assured <07121> them they would not be harmed <07965>.
14The Benjaminites <01144> returned <07725> at that <01931> time <06256>, and the Israelites gave <05414> to them the women <0802> they had spared <02421> from Jabesh Gilead <01568> <03003>. But there were not <03808> enough <03651> to go around <04672>.
15The people <05971> regretted <05162> what had happened to Benjamin <01144> because <03588> the Lord <03068> had weakened <06556> <06213> the Israelite <03478> tribes <07626>.
16The leaders <02205> of the assembly <05712> said <0559>, “How <04100> can we find <06213> wives <0802> for those who are left <03498>? After <03588> all, the Benjaminite <01144> women <0802> have been wiped out <08045>.
17The remnant <06413> of Benjamin <01144> must be preserved <03425>. An entire Israelite <03478> tribe <07626> should not <03808> be wiped out <04229>.
18But we <0587> can’t <03201> <03808> allow <05414> our daughters <01323> to marry <0802> them, for <03588> the Israelites <03478> <01121> took an oath <07650>, saying <0559>, ‘Whoever gives <05414> a woman <0802> to a Benjaminite <01144> will be destroyed <0779>!’
19However, there is <02009> an annual <03117> <03117> festival <02282> to the Lord <03068> in Shiloh <07887>, which <0834> is north <06828> of Bethel <01008> (east <08121> <04217> of the main road <04546> that goes up <05927> from Bethel <01008> to Shechem <07927>) and south <05045> of Lebonah <03829>.”
20So they commanded <06680> the Benjaminites <01144> <01121>, “Go <01980> hide <0693> in the vineyards <03754>,
21and keep <07200> your eyes open <07200>. When you see <02009> the daughters <01323> of Shiloh <07887> coming out <03318> to dance <02342> in the celebration <04246>, jump out <03318> from <04480> the vineyards <03754>. Each one <0376> of you, catch <02414> yourself a wife <0802> from among the daughters <01323> of Shiloh <07887> and then go <01980> home to the land <0776> of Benjamin <01144>.
22When <03588> their fathers <01> or <0176> brothers <0251> come <0935> and protest <07378> to <0413> us, we’ll say <0559> to <0413> them, “Do <02603> us a favor <02603> and let them be, for <03588> we could not <03808> get <03947> each one <0376> a wife <0802> through battle <04421>. Don’t <03808> <03588> worry about breaking your oath! You <0859> would only be guilty <0816> if you had voluntarily given <05414> them wives.’”
23The Benjaminites <01144> <01121> did <06213> as <03651> instructed. They abducted <01497> two hundred of the dancing girls <02342> to be their wives <0802>. They went <01980> home <07725> to <0413> their own territory <05159>, rebuilt <01129> their cities <05892>, and settled down <03427>.
24Then the Israelites <03478> <01121> dispersed <01980> from there <08033> to their respective <0376> tribal <07626> and clan <04940> territories. Each went <03318> from there <08033> to his own <0376> property <05159>.
25In those <01992> days <03117> Israel <03478> had no <0369> king <04428>. Each man <0376> did <06213> what he considered to be right <03477>.