Judges 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Judges 21 ▼
swipe to see more →
ESV
English Standard Version
NABRE
New American Bible Revised
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, “No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.” The men of Israel took an oath at Mizpah: “None of us will give his daughter in marriage to anyone from Benjamin.” The men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah: “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2 And the people came to Bethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. So the people went to Bethel and remained there before God until evening, raising their voices in bitter weeping. The people went to Bethel, where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly.
3 And they said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?” They said, “LORD, God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel that today one tribe of Israel should be lacking?” “LORD, God of Israel,” they cried, “why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?”
4 And the next day the people rose early and built there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Early the next day the people built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and communion offerings. Early the next day the people built an altar and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
5 And the people of Israel said, “Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the LORD?” For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” Then the Israelites asked, “Are there any among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the LORD for the assembly?” For there was a solemn oath that anyone who did not go up to the LORD at Mizpah should be put to death. Then the Israelites asked, “Who from all the tribes of Israel has failed to assemble before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to assemble before the LORD at Mizpah was to be put to death.
6 And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day. The Israelites were disconsolate over their brother Benjamin and said, “Today one tribe has been cut off from Israel. Now the Israelites grieved for the tribe of Benjamin, their fellow Israelites. “Today one tribe is cut off from Israel,” they said.
7 What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them any of our daughters for wives?” What can we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?” “How can we provide wives for those who are left, since we have taken an oath by the LORD not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?”
8 And they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah?” And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead, to the assembly. And when they asked, “Is there one among the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the LORD in Mizpah?” they found that none of the men of Jabesh-gilead had come to the encampment for the assembly. Then they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to assemble before the LORD at Mizpah?” They discovered that no one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.
9 For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. A roll call of the people was taken, and none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was present. For when they counted the people, they found that none of the people of Jabesh Gilead were there.
10 So the congregation sent 12,000 of their bravest men there and commanded them, “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword; also the women and the little ones. So the assembly sent twelve thousand warriors there with orders, “Go put the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead to the sword. So the assembly sent twelve thousand fighting men with instructions to go to Jabesh Gilead and put to the sword those living there, including the women and children.
11 This is what you shall do: every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall devote to destruction.” This is what you are to do: Every male and every woman who has had relations with a male you shall put under the ban.” “This is what you are to do,” they said. “Kill every male and every woman who is not a virgin.”
12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. Finding among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgin women, who had not had relations with a man, they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan. They found among the people living in Jabesh Gilead four hundred young women who had never slept with a man, and they took them to the camp at Shiloh in Canaan.
13 Then the whole congregation sent word to the people of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and proclaimed peace to them. Then the whole assembly sent word to the Benjaminites at the crag of Rimmon, offering them peace. Then the whole assembly sent an offer of peace to the Benjamites at the rock of Rimmon.
14 And Benjamin returned at that time. And they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, but they were not enough for them. So Benjamin returned at that time, and they were given as wives the women of Jabesh-gilead who had been spared; but these proved to be not enough for them. So the Benjamites returned at that time and were given the women of Jabesh Gilead who had been spared. But there were not enough for all of them.
15 And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. The people had regrets about Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach among the tribes of Israel. The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a gap in the tribes of Israel.
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?” The elders of the assembly said, “What shall we do for wives for the survivors? For the women of Benjamin have been annihilated.” And the elders of the assembly said, “With the women of Benjamin destroyed, how shall we provide wives for the men who are left?
17 And they said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel. They said, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be wiped out from Israel. The Benjamite survivors must have heirs,” they said, “so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18 Yet we cannot give them wives from our daughters.” For the people of Israel had sworn, “Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin.” Yet we cannot give them any of our daughters in marriage.” For the Israelites had taken an oath, “Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin!” We can’t give them our daughters as wives, since we Israelites have taken this oath: ‘Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to a Benjamite.’
19 So they said, “Behold, there is the yearly feast of the LORD at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.” Then they thought of the yearly feast of the LORD at Shiloh, north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah. But look, there is the annual festival of the LORD in Shiloh, which lies north of Bethel, east of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
20 And they commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards And they instructed the Benjaminites, “Go and set an ambush in the vineyards. So they instructed the Benjamites, saying, “Go and hide in the vineyards
21 and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and snatch each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. When you see the women of Shiloh come out to join in the dances, come out of the vineyards and catch a wife for each of you from the women of Shiloh; then go on to the land of Benjamin. and watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, rush from the vineyards and each of you seize one of them to be your wife. Then return to the land of Benjamin.
22 And when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we did not take for each man of them his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.’” When their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we shall say to them, ‘Release them to us as a kindness, since we did not take a woman for every man in battle. Nor did you yourselves give your daughters to them, thus incurring guilt.’” When their fathers or brothers complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Do us the favor of helping them, because we did not get wives for them during the war. You will not be guilty of breaking your oath because you did not give your daughters to them.’”
23 And the people of Benjamin did so and took their wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they carried off. Then they went and returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the towns and lived in them. The Benjaminites did this; they carried off wives for each of them from the dancers they had seized, and they went back each to his own heritage, where they rebuilt the cities and settled them. So that is what the Benjamites did. While the young women were dancing, each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife. Then they returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the towns and settled in them.
24 And the people of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance. At that time the Israelites dispersed from there for their own tribes and clans; they set out from there each to his own heritage. At that time the Israelites left that place and went home to their tribes and clans, each to his own inheritance.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own sight. In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page