1   In Mizpah the Israelites had bound themselves by oath that none of them would marry his daughter to a Benjamite. 2   The people now came to Bethel and remained there in God's presence till sunset, raising their voices in loud lamentation. 3   They said, ‘O Lord God of Israel, why has it happened in Israel that one tribe should this day be lost to Israel?’ 4   Next day the people rose early, built an altar there and offered whole-offerings and shared-offerings. 5   At that the Israelites asked themselves whether among all the tribes of Israel there was anyone who did not go up to the assembly before the Lord; for under the terms of the great oath anyone who had not gone up to the Lord at Mizpah was to be put to death. 6   And the Israelites felt remorse over their brother Benjamin, because, as they said, ‘This day Israel has lost one whole tribe.’ 7   So they asked, ‘What shall we do for wives for those who are left? We have sworn to the Lord not to give any of our daughters to them in marriage. 8   Is there anyone in all the tribes of Israel who did not go up to the Lord at Mizpah?’ Now it happened that no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly; 9   so when they held a roll-call of the people, they found that no inhabitant of Jabesh-gilead was present. 10   Thereupon the community sent off twelve thousand fighting men with orders to go and put the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead to the sword, men, women, and dependants. 11   ‘This is what you shall do,’ they said: ‘put to death every male person, and every woman who has had intercourse with a man, but spare any who are virgins.’ This they did. ^note 12   Among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead they found four hundred young women who were virgins and had not had intercourse with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in Canaan. 13   Then the whole community sent messengers to the Benjamites at the Rock of Rimmon to parley with them, and peace was proclaimed. 14   At this the Benjamites came back, and were given those of the women of Jabesh-gilead who had been spared; but these were not enough.

15   The people were still full of remorse over Benjamin because the Lord had made this gap in the tribes of Israel, 16   and the elders of the community said, ‘What shall we do for wives for the rest? All the women in Benjamin have been massacred.’ 17   They said, ‘Heirs there must be for the remnant of Benjamin who have escaped! Then Israel will not see one of its tribes blotted out. 18   We cannot give them our own daughters in marriage because we have sworn that there shall be a curse on the man who gives a wife to a Benjamite.’ 19   Then they bethought themselves of the pilgrimage in honour of the Lord, made every year to Shiloh, the place which lies to the north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway from Bethel to Shechem and to the south of Lebonah. 20   They said to the Benjamites, 21   ‘Go and hide in the vineyards and keep watch.

Years of lawlessness When the girls of Shiloh come out to dance, sally out of the vineyards, and each of you seize one of them for his wife; then make your way home to the land of Benjamin. 22   Then, if their fathers or brothers come and complain to you, say ^note to them, “Let us keep them with your approval, for none of us has captured a wife in battle. Had you offered them to us, the guilt would be yours.”’

23   All this the Benjamites did. They carried off as many wives as they needed, snatching them as they danced; then they went their way and returned to their patrimony, rebuilt their cities and settled in them. 24   The Israelites also dispersed by tribes and families, and every man went back to his own patrimony.

25   In those days there was no king in Israel and every man did what was right in his own eyes.

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