Judges 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Judges 21 ▼
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1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.” 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 had taken an oath at Mizpah: “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2 So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening and lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. And the people came to Bethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. The people went to Bethel, where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly.
3 And they said, “Why, O Yahweh, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today from Israel?” 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?” “LORD, God of Israel,” they cried, “why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?”
4 Now it happened the next day that the people arose early and built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 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 and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
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 Yahweh?” For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to Yahweh at Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” 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, “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 sons of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel today. And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day. 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? But we have sworn by Yahweh not to give them any of our daughters in marriage.” 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?” “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 So they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who did not come up to Yahweh at Mizpah?” And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly. 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. 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 Indeed the people were numbered, but behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. For when they counted the people, they found that none of the people of Jabesh Gilead were there.
10 And the congregation sent 12,000 of the men of valor there and commanded them, saying, “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones. 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 fighting men with instructions to go to Jabesh Gilead and put to the sword those living there, including the women and children.
11 Now this is the thing that you shall do: you shall devote to destruction every man and every woman who has known, that is lain with, a man.” 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,” 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. 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. 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 and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and called out peace to them. 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 an offer of peace to the Benjamites at the rock of Rimmon.
14 Then Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had kept alive from the women of Jabesh-gilead; yet they did not find enough for them. 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 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 were sorry for Benjamin because Yahweh had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in 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?” 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?” 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 a possession for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel. And they said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel. The Benjamite survivors must have heirs,” they said, “so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18 But we cannot give them wives of our daughters.” For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.” 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.” 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 a feast of Yahweh from year to year in 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.” 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.” 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 sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, And they commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards So they instructed the Benjamites, saying, “Go and hide in the vineyards
21 and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to 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. 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. 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 it will be when their fathers or their brothers come to contend with us, that we shall say to them, ‘Be gracious to us concerning them because we did not take for each man of Benjamin a wife in the battle, and you did not give your daughters to them; otherwise you would now be guilty.’” 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 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 sons of Benjamin did so and carried away wives according to their number from those who danced, whom they stole away. And they went and returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the cities and lived in them. 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. 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 Then the sons of Israel went away from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and each one of them went out from there to his inheritance. 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 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 his own eyes. In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.
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