Judges 21:1-12 ▼

1 And the men of Israel sware in Mispah, saying: Ther shal none of vs geue his daughter vnto any of Beniamin to wife.

2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till euen, before God, & lift vp their voyces, and wept sore,

3 And sayde: O Lorde God of Israel, why is this come to passe in Israel, that there shoulde be this day one tribe lacking in Israel?

4 And on the morowe the people rose vp betyme, and made there an aulter, and offered burnt offeringes and peace offeringes.

5 And the children of Israel sayd: Who is he among al the tribes of Israel, that came not vp with the congregation vnto the Lorde? for they had made a great othe concerning him that came not vp to the Lord to Mispah, saying: He shall surely dye.

6 And the children of Israel had pitie on Beniamin their brethren, and sayde: There is one tribe cut of from Israel this day:

7 What shall we do vnto the remnaunt of them, that they may haue wiues? we haue sworne by the Lorde, that we wyl not geue the of our daughters to wiues.

8 And they sayde: Is there any of the tribes of Israel, that came not vp to Mispah to the Lord? And behold, there came none of Iabes Gilead vnto the hoaste and congregation.

9 For the people were viewed, and beholde there were none of the inhabitauntes of Iabes Gilead there.

10 And the congregation sent thyther twelue thousand men of the strongest, and commaunded them, saying: Go, and smyte the inhabitauntes of Iabes Gilead with the edge of the sworde, both women and children.

11 And this is it that ye shall do: ye shall vtterly destroy all the males, and al the women that haue lyen by men.

12 And they found among the inhabitautes of Iabes Gilead foure hundred damoselles, virgins, yt had knowne no man, by lyeng with any male: And they brought them vnto the hoast to Silo, whiche is in the lande of Chanaan.