1 At|strong="H3478" Mizpah|strong="H4709", the|strong="H0559" men|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" Israel|strong="H3478" made|strong="H5414" a|strong="H5414" promise|strong="H7650". This|strong="H0376" was|strong="H3478" their|strong="H5414" promise|strong="H7650": “Not|strong="H3808" one|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" us|strong="H5414" will|strong="H3478" let|strong="H5414" his|strong="H5414" daughter|strong="H1323" marry|strong="H0802" a|strong="H5414" man|strong="H0376" from|strong="H4480" the|strong="H0559" tribe of|strong="H0376" Benjamin|strong="H1144".”
2 The|strong="H6440" Israelites went|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" the|strong="H6440" city of|strong="H0430" Bethel|strong="H1008". There|strong="H8033" they|strong="H8033" sat|strong="H3427" before|strong="H6440" God|strong="H0430" until|strong="H5704" evening|strong="H6153". They|strong="H8033" cried|strong="H1058" loudly|strong="H6963" as|strong="H5704" they|strong="H8033" sat|strong="H3427" there|strong="H8033".
3 They|strong="H3117" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" God|strong="H0430", “LORD|strong="H3068", you|strong="H3117" are|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0559" God|strong="H0430" of|strong="H0430" the|strong="H0559" Israelites|strong="H3478". Why|strong="H4100" has|strong="H3068" this|strong="H2063" terrible thing|strong="H0259" happened|strong="H1961" to|strong="H0559" us|strong="H3117"? Why|strong="H4100" has|strong="H3068" one|strong="H0259" tribe|strong="H7626" of|strong="H0430" the|strong="H0559" Israelites|strong="H3478" been|strong="H1961" taken|strong="H1961" away?”
4 Early|strong="H7925" the|strong="H1129" next|strong="H4283" day|strong="H4283", the|strong="H1129" Israelites built|strong="H1129" an|strong="H1129" altar|strong="H4196". They|strong="H8033" put|strong="H5927" burnt|strong="H5930" offerings|strong="H8002" and|strong="H4196" fellowship offerings|strong="H8002" to|strong="H1961" God on|strong="H1961" that|strong="H1961" altar|strong="H4196".
5 Then|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3605" Israelites|strong="H3478" said|strong="H0559", “Are|strong="H0834" there|strong="H1961" any|strong="H3605" tribes|strong="H7626" of|strong="H1121" Israel|strong="H3478" who|strong="H0834" did|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" come|strong="H1961" here|strong="H4191" to|strong="H0413" meet with|strong="H0413" us|strong="H0413" before|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" LORD|strong="H3068"?” They|strong="H0834" asked|strong="H0559" this|strong="H3588" question because|strong="H3588" they|strong="H0834" had|strong="H3068" made|strong="H1961" a|strong="H1961" serious promise|strong="H3068". They|strong="H0834" had|strong="H3068" promised|strong="H0559" that|strong="H0834" anyone|strong="H3605" who|strong="H0834" did|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" come|strong="H1961" together with|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" other|strong="H3605" tribes|strong="H7626" at|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" city of|strong="H1121" Mizpah|strong="H4709" would|strong="H3478" be|strong="H1961" killed|strong="H4191".
6 Then|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0559" Israelites|strong="H3478" felt sorry|strong="H5162" for|strong="H0413" their|strong="H3117" relatives|strong="H0251", the|strong="H0559" people|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Benjamin|strong="H1144". They|strong="H3117" said|strong="H0559", “Today|strong="H3117", one|strong="H0259" tribe|strong="H7626" has|strong="H3478" been separated from|strong="H3478" Israel|strong="H3478".
7 We|strong="H0587" made|strong="H6213" a|strong="H5414" promise|strong="H7650" with|strong="H3068" an|strong="H5414" oath|strong="H7650" before the|strong="H5414" LORD|strong="H3068". We|strong="H0587" promised|strong="H7650" not|strong="H1115" to|strong="H3068" allow|strong="H5414" our|strong="H3068" daughters|strong="H1323" to|strong="H3068" marry|strong="H0802" a|strong="H5414" man from|strong="H3068" Benjamin. How|strong="H4100" can|strong="H4100" we|strong="H0587" make|strong="H5414" sure that|strong="H3068" the|strong="H5414" men|strong="H6213" of|strong="H3068" Benjamin will|strong="H3068" have|strong="H3068" wives|strong="H0802"?”
8 Then|strong="H2009" the|strong="H0559" Israelites|strong="H3478" asked|strong="H0559", “Which|strong="H0834" one|strong="H0259" of|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0559" tribes|strong="H7626" of|strong="H0376" Israel|strong="H3478" did|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" come|strong="H0935" here|strong="H2009" to|strong="H0413" Mizpah|strong="H4709"? We|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" come|strong="H0935" together|strong="H0259" before|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" LORD|strong="H3068". Surely|strong="H2009" one|strong="H0259" family was|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" here|strong="H2009"!” Then|strong="H2009" they|strong="H0834" found that|strong="H0834" no|strong="H3808" one|strong="H0259" from|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0559" city of|strong="H0376" Jabesh|strong="H3003" Gilead|strong="H1568" had|strong="H3068" met together|strong="H0259" with|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" other|strong="H0259" Israelites|strong="H3478".
9 The|strong="H6485" Israelites counted|strong="H6485" everyone|strong="H0376" to|strong="H0369" see|strong="H2009" who|strong="H0376" was|strong="H0369" there|strong="H8033" and|strong="H0376" who|strong="H0376" was|strong="H0369" not|strong="H0369". They|strong="H8033" found|strong="H0369" that|strong="H6485" no|strong="H0369" one|strong="H0376" from|strong="H0376" Jabesh|strong="H3003" Gilead|strong="H1568" was|strong="H0369" there|strong="H8033".
10 So|strong="H7971" the|strong="H0853" Israelites sent|strong="H7971" 12,000 soldiers|strong="H0376" to|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0853" city of|strong="H1121" Jabesh|strong="H3003" Gilead|strong="H1568". They|strong="H8033" told|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0853" soldiers|strong="H0376", “Go|strong="H7971" to|strong="H0559" Jabesh|strong="H3003" Gilead|strong="H1568", and|strong="H1121" use|strong="H7971" your|strong="H7971" swords|strong="H2719" to|strong="H0559" kill|strong="H5221" everyone|strong="H0376" who|strong="H0376" lives|strong="H3427" there|strong="H8033", even|strong="H0853" the|strong="H0853" women|strong="H0802" and|strong="H1121" children|strong="H1121".
11 You|strong="H0834" must do|strong="H6213" this|strong="H2088"! You|strong="H0834" must kill every|strong="H3605" man|strong="H2145" in|strong="H0802" Jabesh Gilead and|strong="H0802" every|strong="H3605" woman|strong="H0802" who|strong="H0834" has|strong="H0834" had|strong="H0834" sexual relations|strong="H3045" with|strong="H3045" a|strong="H0834" man|strong="H2145". But|strong="H0834" do|strong="H6213" not|strong="H2088" kill any|strong="H3605" woman|strong="H0802" who|strong="H0834" has|strong="H0834" never had|strong="H0834" sex with|strong="H3045" a|strong="H0834" man|strong="H2145".” So|strong="H6213" the|strong="H3605" soldiers did|strong="H6213" these|strong="H2088" things|strong="H1697".
12 The|strong="H0853" 12,000 soldiers|strong="H0376" found|strong="H4672" 400 young|strong="H5291" women|strong="H1330" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H0853" city of|strong="H0776" Jabesh|strong="H3003" Gilead|strong="H1568" who|strong="H0834" had|strong="H0834" never|strong="H3808" had|strong="H0834" sex with|strong="H0413" a|strong="H4672" man|strong="H0376". They|strong="H0834" brought|strong="H0935" these|strong="H0834" women|strong="H1330" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0853" camp|strong="H4264" at|strong="H0413" Shiloh|strong="H7887" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H0853" land|strong="H0776" of|strong="H0776" Canaan|strong="H3667".
13 Then|strong="H1696" the|strong="H3605" Israelites sent|strong="H7971" a|strong="H7121" message to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" men|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Benjamin|strong="H1144". They|strong="H0834" offered to|strong="H0413" make|strong="H7121" peace|strong="H7965" with|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" men|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Benjamin|strong="H1144". The|strong="H3605" men|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Benjamin|strong="H1144" were|strong="H0834" at|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" place|strong="H3605" named|strong="H7121" the|strong="H3605" Rock|strong="H5553" of|strong="H1121" Rimmon|strong="H7417".
14 So|strong="H3651" the|strong="H0834" men of|strong="H0802" Benjamin|strong="H1144" came|strong="H4672" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H7725" Israel. The|strong="H0834" Israelites gave|strong="H5414" them|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0834" women|strong="H0802" from|strong="H7725" Jabesh|strong="H3003" Gilead|strong="H1568" who|strong="H0834" they|strong="H0834" had|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" killed. But|strong="H3808" there|strong="H4672" were|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" enough|strong="H4672" women|strong="H0802" for|strong="H6256" all the|strong="H0834" men of|strong="H0802" Benjamin|strong="H1144".
15 The|strong="H3588" Israelites|strong="H3478" felt sorry|strong="H5162" for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3588" men|strong="H5971" of|strong="H3068" Benjamin|strong="H1144". They|strong="H3588" felt sorry|strong="H5162" for|strong="H3588" them|strong="H6213" because|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3588" LORD|strong="H3068" had|strong="H3068" separated them|strong="H6213" from|strong="H3478" the|strong="H3588" other tribes|strong="H7626" of|strong="H3068" Israel|strong="H3478".
16 The|strong="H0559" elders|strong="H2205" of|strong="H2205" the|strong="H0559" Israelites said|strong="H0559", “The|strong="H0559" women|strong="H0802" of|strong="H2205" the|strong="H0559" tribe of|strong="H2205" Benjamin|strong="H1144" have|strong="H3588" been killed. Where|strong="H4100" can|strong="H4100" we|strong="H3588" get wives|strong="H0802" for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H0559" men|strong="H2205" of|strong="H2205" Benjamin|strong="H1144" who|strong="H0802" are|strong="H4100" still|strong="H0559" alive?
17 The|strong="H0559" men|strong="H3478" of|strong="H7626" Benjamin|strong="H1144" who|strong="H3478" are|strong="H3478" still|strong="H0559" alive must|strong="H3808" have|strong="H3478" children to|strong="H0559" continue their|strong="H3808" families. This must|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" done so|strong="H3808" that|strong="H0559" a|strong="H3808" tribe|strong="H7626" in|strong="H3478" Israel|strong="H3478" will|strong="H3478" not|strong="H3808" die out|strong="H4229"!
18 But|strong="H3588" we|strong="H0587" cannot|strong="H3808" allow|strong="H5414" our|strong="H5414" daughters|strong="H1323" to|strong="H0559" marry|strong="H0802" the|strong="H0559" men|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Benjamin|strong="H1144". We|strong="H0587" have|strong="H1121" made|strong="H5414" this|strong="H3588" promise|strong="H7650": ‘Bad things|strong="H3808" will|strong="H3478" happen to|strong="H0559" anyone|strong="H3588" who|strong="H1121" gives|strong="H5414" a|strong="H3588" wife|strong="H0802" to|strong="H0559" a|strong="H3588" man|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Benjamin|strong="H1144".’
19 We|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" an|strong="H0559" idea! This|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0559" time|strong="H3117" for|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0559" festival|strong="H2282" of|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0559" LORD|strong="H3068" at|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0559" city of|strong="H3068" Shiloh|strong="H7887". This|strong="H0834" festival|strong="H2282" is|strong="H0834" celebrated every|strong="H3117" year|strong="H3117" there|strong="H2009".” (The|strong="H0559" city of|strong="H3068" Shiloh|strong="H7887" is|strong="H0834" north|strong="H6828" of|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0559" city of|strong="H3068" Bethel|strong="H1008" and|strong="H3068" east|strong="H4217" of|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0559" road that|strong="H0834" goes|strong="H5927" from|strong="H5927" Bethel|strong="H1008" to|strong="H0559" Shechem|strong="H7927". And|strong="H3068" it|strong="H3068" is|strong="H0834" also|strong="H3068" to|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0559" south|strong="H5045" of|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0559" city of|strong="H3068" Lebonah|strong="H3829".)
20 So|strong="H6680" the|strong="H0853" elders told|strong="H0559" the|strong="H0853" men|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Benjamin|strong="H1144" about their|strong="H6680" idea. They|strong="H0559" said|strong="H0559", “Go and|strong="H1121" hide|strong="H0693" in|strong="H0693" the|strong="H0853" vineyards|strong="H3754".
21 Watch|strong="H7200" for|strong="H0776" the|strong="H7200" time|strong="H3318" during the|strong="H7200" festival when|strong="H7200" the|strong="H7200" young women|strong="H0802" from|strong="H4480" Shiloh|strong="H7887" come|strong="H1980" out|strong="H3318" to|strong="H1980" join|strong="H1980" the|strong="H7200" dancing|strong="H4246". Then|strong="H1980" run|strong="H1980" out|strong="H3318" from|strong="H4480" where|strong="H2009" you|strong="H0518" are|strong="H0376" hiding in|strong="H1980" the|strong="H7200" vineyards|strong="H3754". Each|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0776" you|strong="H0518" should|strong="H0376" take|strong="H1980" one|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0776" the|strong="H7200" young women|strong="H0802" from|strong="H4480" the|strong="H7200" city of|strong="H0776" Shiloh|strong="H7887". Take|strong="H1980" them|strong="H3318" to|strong="H1980" the|strong="H7200" land|strong="H0776" of|strong="H0776" Benjamin|strong="H1144" and|strong="H1980" marry|strong="H0802" them|strong="H3318".
22 The|strong="H0853" fathers|strong="H0001" or|strong="H0176" brothers|strong="H0251" of|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0853" young women|strong="H0802" will|strong="H1961" come|strong="H0935" and|strong="H0935" complain|strong="H7378" to|strong="H0413" us|strong="H5414". But|strong="H3588" we|strong="H3588" will|strong="H1961" say|strong="H0559", ‘Be|strong="H1961" kind to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0853" men|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" Benjamin. Let|strong="H5414" them|strong="H0413" marry|strong="H3947" the|strong="H0853" women|strong="H0802". We|strong="H3588" could|strong="H0376" not|strong="H3808" get|strong="H3947" wives|strong="H0802" for|strong="H3588" each|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" them|strong="H0413" during|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" war|strong="H4421". And|strong="H0935" you|strong="H0859" did|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" willingly give|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0853" women|strong="H0802" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0853" men|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" Benjamin, so|strong="H3947" you|strong="H0859" did|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" break your|strong="H5414" promise|strong="H0559".’”
23 So|strong="H3651" that|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" what|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0853" men|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" the|strong="H0853" tribe of|strong="H1121" Benjamin|strong="H1144" did|strong="H6213". While|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0853" young|strong="H1121" women|strong="H0802" were|strong="H0834" dancing, each|strong="H0802" man|strong="H1121" caught one|strong="H0802" of|strong="H1121" them|strong="H0413". They|strong="H0834" took|strong="H5375" them|strong="H0413" away|strong="H7725" and|strong="H1121" married|strong="H0802" them|strong="H0413". Then|strong="H0853" they|strong="H0834" went|strong="H7725" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0413" their|strong="H5375" land|strong="H5159". The|strong="H0853" men|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Benjamin|strong="H1144" built|strong="H1129" cities|strong="H5892" again|strong="H7725" in|strong="H3427" that|strong="H0834" land|strong="H5159", and|strong="H1121" they|strong="H0834" lived|strong="H3427" in|strong="H3427" them|strong="H0413".
24 Then|strong="H1980" the|strong="H8033" Israelites|strong="H3478" went|strong="H1980" home. They|strong="H8033" went|strong="H1980" to|strong="H1980" their|strong="H8033" own|strong="H0376" land|strong="H5159" and|strong="H1980" tribe|strong="H7626".
25 In|strong="H3478" those|strong="H0376" days|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3117" Israelites|strong="H3478" did|strong="H6213" not|strong="H0369" have|strong="H0369" a|strong="H0369" king|strong="H4428", so|strong="H6213" everyone|strong="H0376" did|strong="H6213" whatever they|strong="H1992" thought|strong="H5869" was|strong="H0369" right|strong="H3477".