21

Wives for the Benjamites

1The men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah: “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2The people went to Bethel, where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly. 3“Lord, God of Israel,” they cried, “why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?”
4Early the next day the people built an altar and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
5Then 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.
6Now the Israelites grieved for the tribe of Benjamin, their fellow Israelites. “Today one tribe is cut off from Israel,” they said. 7“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?” 8Then 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. 9For when they counted the people, they found that none of the people of Jabesh Gilead were there.
10So 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“This is what you are to do,” they said. “Kill every male and every woman who is not a virgin.” 12They 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.
13Then the whole assembly sent an offer of peace to the Benjamites at the rock of Rimmon. 14So 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.
15The people grieved for Benjamin, because the Lord had made a gap in the tribes of Israel. 16And the elders of the assembly said, “With the women of Benjamin destroyed, how shall we provide wives for the men who are left? 17The Benjamite survivors must have heirs,” they said, “so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out. 18We 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.’ 19But 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.”
20So they instructed the Benjamites, saying, “Go and hide in the vineyards 21and 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. 22When 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.’ ”
23So 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.
24At that time the Israelites left that place and went home to their tribes and clans, each to his own inheritance.
25In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

21

Ƀing Israel Pha Brơi Ƀing Bơnai Kơ Ƀing Benyamin Dŏ So̱t

1Tơdang ƀing Israel pơƀut glaĭ ƀơi anih Mizpah, ƀing gơñu hơmâo ƀuăn rơ̆ng laih tui anai, “Ƀu hơmâo ôh hlơi pô amăng ƀing ta či brơi ană đah kơmơi ñu pơdŏ hăng sa čô amăng ƀing kơnung djuai Benyamin.”
2Tui anŭn, ƀing Israel đĭ nao pơ plei Bêthêl dơ̆ng, dŏ be̱r ƀơi anăp Ơi Adai laih anŭn čŏk hia hăng asăp kraih biă mă hlŏng truh kơ hrơi klăm. 3Ƀing gơñu iâu kwưh đĭ tui anai, “Ơ Yahweh, Ơi Adai ƀing Israel hơi, yua hơget tơlơi sat anai truh ƀơi ƀing Israel lĕ? Yua hơget sa kơnung djuai amăng ƀing ta či rơngiă hĭ mơ̆ng ƀing kơnung djuai Israel hrơi anai lĕ?”
4Ƀơi mơguah ưm amăng hrơi tŏ tui, ƀing Israel pơdơ̆ng đĭ sa boh kơnưl ngă yang laih anŭn pơyơr đĭ khul gơnam pơyơr čuh wơ̆t hăng gơnam pơyơr pơgop pơlir kơ Yahweh.
5Giŏng anŭn, ƀing Israel pơtơña tui anai, “Kơnung djuai pă amăng abih bang ƀing kơnung djuai Israel, jing ƀing ƀu rai pơjơnum glaĭ ôh ƀơi anăp Yahweh lĕ?” Ƀing gơñu pơtơña tui anŭn yuakơ tơdang ƀing gơñu rai pơjơnum glaĭ ƀơi anăp Yahweh ƀơi anih Mizpah, ƀing gơñu hơmâo ƀuăn rơ̆ng laih kơ tơlơi tơdah hlơi pô ƀu rai pơjơnum glaĭ ôh, sĭt ñu anŭn khŏm či djai hĭ yơh.
6Hlak anŭn, ƀing Israel hơmâo rơngot hơning laih kơ ƀing ayŏng adơi gơñu, jing ƀing Benyamin. Ƀing gơñu hơmâo pơlaĭ laih tui anai, “Hrơi anai sa kơnung djuai laih rơngiă hĭ mơ̆ng ƀing Israel. 7Ƀing ta hơmâo ƀuăn rơ̆ng laih hăng anăn Yahweh kơ tơlơi ƀu pha brơi ôh kơ ƀing Benyamin ƀing ană đah kơmơi ta kiăng kơ pơdŏ. Tui anŭn, hiư̆m pă ƀing ta dưi pha brơi bơnai kơ ƀing Benyamin dŏ so̱t anŭn lĕ?” 8Giŏng anŭn, ƀing gơñu tơña dơ̆ng tui anai, “Kơnung djuai pă amăng ƀing kơnung djuai Israel ƀu rai pơjơnum ôh ƀơi anăp Yahweh ƀơi anih Mizpah lĕ?” Ƀing gơñu hơduah ƀuh ƀu hơmâo hlơi pô ôh mơ̆ng plei pơnăng Yabês-Gilead rai pơjơnum glaĭ pơ anih jưh anŭn. 9Ƀing gơñu hơduah ƀuh tơlơi anŭn yuakơ tơdang ƀing gơñu yap glaĭ ƀing mơnuih pơ anih pơjơnum anŭn, ƀu hơmâo hlơi pô ôh mơ̆ng plei pơnăng Yabês-Gilead pơ anŭn.
10Tui anŭn, ƀing pơjơnum glaĭ ƀơi plei Bêthêl anŭn pơkiaŏ nao sa-rơbăn dua-rơbâo čô ƀing ling tơhan kiăng nao pơ plei Yabês-Gilead kiăng kơ pơdjai hĭ ƀing hơdip pơ anih anŭn hăng đao gưm wơ̆t hăng ƀing đah kơmơi laih anŭn ƀing čơđai mơ̆n. 11Ƀing gơñu pơtă kơ ƀing ling tơhan anŭn tui anai, “Anai yơh jing bruă ƀing gih či ngă: Pơdjai hĭ bĕ abih bang ƀing đah rơkơi laih anŭn đah kơmơi pă jing ƀing ƀu hơči̱h dơ̆ng tah.” 12Tơdang ƀing gơñu truh pơ plei Yabês-Gilead, ƀing gơñu hơduah ƀuh amăng plei anŭn hơmâo pă̱-rơtuh čô ƀing đah kơmơi jing ƀing aka dŏ hrŏm hăng ƀing đah rơkơi ôh. Tui anŭn, ƀing gơñu ba nao ƀing gơ̆ pơ anih jưh Silôh amăng anih lŏn Kanaan yơh.
13Giŏng anŭn, abih bang ƀing pơjơnum glaĭ ƀơi anih jưh Silôh anŭn pơkiaŏ mơnuih nao pơhaih tơlơi rơnŭk rơno̱m hăng ƀing Benyamin ƀơi boh pơtâo Rimmôn. 14Ƀơi mông anŭn, ƀing Benyamin wơ̆t glaĭ laih anŭn ƀing Israel jao brơi kơ ƀing gơñu ƀing đah kơmơi dra mơ̆ng plei Yabês-Gilead anŭn, jing ƀing arăng ƀu pơdjai hĭ ôh. Samơ̆ ƀu hơmâo djŏp bơnai kơ abih bang ƀing gơñu ôh.
15Ƀing ană plei kơŭ kơuăn brơi kơ ƀing Benyamin yuakơ Yahweh hơmâo pơjing kơƀah hĭ laih sa kơnung djuai amăng kơnung djuai ƀing Israel. 16Tui anŭn, ƀing kŏng tha amăng ƀing pơjơnum glaĭ anŭn laĭ tui anai, “Ƀing đah kơmơi ƀing Benyamin djai abih laih, hơnŭn yơh, hiư̆m pă ƀing ta či djru brơi kơ ƀing Benyamin dŏ so̱t anŭn hơmâo bơnai lĕ? 17Ƀing Benyamin dŏ so̱t anŭn khŏm hơmâo ƀing ană tơčô yơh, tui anŭn kăh sa amăng kơnung djuai ƀing Israel ƀu či răm rơngiă hĭ ôh. 18Ƀing ta ƀu dưi brơi ôh kơ ƀing gơñu ƀing ană đah kơmơi ta jing hĭ bơnai gơñu, yuakơ ƀing ta jing ƀing Israel hơmâo ƀuăn rơ̆ng laih tui anai, ‘Hơtŏm păh yơh kơ hlơi pô pha brơi bơnai kơ sa čô Benyamin.’ 19Samơ̆ lăng anai, rĭm thŭn ƀing ta hơmâo sa tơlơi phet pơpŭ pơyom kơ Yahweh ƀơi anih Silôh.” Anih Silôh anŭn jing anih gah dư̱r kơ plei Bêthêl, gah ngŏ̱ kơ jơlan nao mơ̆ng plei Bêthêl truh pơ plei Sekhem, laih anŭn jing anih gah thu̱ng kơ plei Lebônah yơh.
20Tui anŭn, ƀing gơñu pơtă brơi kơ ƀing Benyamin aka ƀu hơmâo bơnai tui anai, “Nao dŏ kơdŏp bĕ amăng khul đang boh kơƀâo 21laih anŭn dŏ lăng bĕ. Tơdang ƀing đah kơmơi dra anih Silôh tơbiă rai kiăng kơ suang yŭn amăng tơlơi phet anŭn, brơi kơ ƀing gih đuaĭ tơbiă tañ bĕ mơ̆ng anih đang boh kơƀâo anŭn, laih anŭn brơi kơ rĭm čô amăng ƀing gih mă tŭ bĕ sa čô dra mơ̆ng ƀing đah kơmơi Silôh anŭn kiăng kơ jing hĭ bơnai kơ ñu pô laih anŭn ba glaĭ bĕ pơ anih gih amăng anih lŏn Benyamin. 22Tơdang ƀing ama laih anŭn ƀing ayŏng gơñu rai brŏk ƀuăh hăng ƀing gơmơi, ƀing gơmơi či laĭ glaĭ kơ ƀing gơñu tui anai, ‘Ngă bĕ sa tơlơi hiam klă hăng ƀing gơmơi kiăng kơ djru ƀing gơ̆ hơmâo bơnai, yuakơ ƀing gơmơi ƀu brơi kơ ƀing gơñu bơnai ôh tơdang ƀing gơmơi pơblah pơkơdơ̆ng glaĭ hăng ƀing Yabês-Gilead. Bơ kơ ƀing gih, ƀing gih ƀu pha brơi ôh ană đah kơmơi gih kơ ƀing gơñu, tui anŭn ƀing gih ƀu pơjŏh hĭ tơlơi ƀuăn ta ôh.’ ”
23Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi bruă ƀing Benyamin ngă. Tơdang ƀing đah kơmơi dra hlak suang yŭn, rĭm čô rai mă tŭ sa čô amăng ƀing gơñu laih anŭn ba pơđuaĭ hĭ kiăng kơ jing bơnai kơ ñu pô. Giŏng anŭn, ƀing gơñu wơ̆t glaĭ pơ anih lŏn kŏng ngăn gơñu, pơdơ̆ng glaĭ plei pla laih anŭn dŏ pơ anŭn yơh.
24Tơdang ƀing Benyamin anŭn wơ̆t glaĭ, ƀing Israel ăt đuaĭ hĭ mơ̆ng anih jưh anŭn mơ̆n laih anŭn wơ̆t glaĭ pơ sang anŏ, kơnung djuai gơñu pô. Rĭm čô glaĭ pơ anih lŏn kŏng ngăn ñu pô yơh.
25Amăng rơnŭk anŭn, ƀing Israel aka hơmâo pơtao ôh, tui anŭn rĭm čô ngă tui hăng ñu pô ƀuh jing djơ̆ yơh.