Old Testament

New Testament

Judges 21:11-24 Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

11. And this shall be what you ought to do: "Everyone of the male gender, as well as all the women who have known men, shall be put to death. But the virgins you shall reserve."

12. And four hundred virgins, who had not known the bed of a man, were found from Jabesh-Gilead. And they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan.

13. And they sent messengers to the sons of Benjamin, who were at the rock of Rimmon, and they instructed them, so that they would receive them in peace.

14. And the sons of Benjamin went, at that time, and wives were given to them from the daughters of Jabesh-Gilead. But others were not found, whom they might give in a similar manner.

15. And all of Israel was very saddened, and they did penance for destroying one tribe out of Israel.

16. And those greater by birth said: "What shall we do with the remainder, those who have not received wives? For all the females of Benjamin have been cut down,

17. and we must take great care, and make provision with a very great diligence, so that one tribe may not be wiped away from Israel.

18. As for our own daughters, we are not able to give them, being bound by an oath and a curse, when we said, 'Accursed is he who will give any of his daughters to Benjamin as a wife.' "

19. And they took counsel, and they said, "Behold, there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord at Shiloh, which is situated to the north of the city of Bethel, and on the eastern side of the way that one takes from Bethel to Shechem, and to the south of the town of Lebonah."

20. And they instructed the sons of Benjamin, and they said: "Go, and hide in the vineyards.

21. And when you will have seen daughters of Shiloh being led out to dance, according to custom, go forth suddenly from the vineyards, and let each one seize one wife from among them, and travel into the land of Benjamin.

22. And when their fathers and brothers arrive, and they begin to complain against you and to argue, we will say to them: 'Take pity on them. For they have not seized them by right of war or conquest. Instead, begging to receive them, you did not give them, and so the sin was on your part.' "

23. And so the sons of Benjamin did just as they had been ordered. And according to their number, they seized for themselves one wife each, out of those who were led out dancing. And they went into their own possession, and they built up their cities, and they lived in them.

24. The sons of Israel also returned, according to their tribes and families, to their tents. In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.

Read complete chapter Judges 21