Iudicum 21
1 iuraverunt quoque filii Israhel in Maspha et dixerunt nullus nostrum dabit filiis Beniamin de filiabus suis uxorem
Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2 veneruntque omnes ad domum Dei in Silo et in conspectu eius sedentes usque ad vesperam levaverunt vocem et magno ululatu coeperunt flere dicentes
So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.
3 quare Domine Deus Israhel factum est hoc malum in populo tuo ut hodie una tribus auferretur ex nobis
“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”
4 altera autem die diluculo consurgentes extruxerunt altare obtuleruntque ibi holocausta et pacificas victimas et dixerunt
The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 quis non ascendit in exercitu Domini de universis tribubus Israhel grandi enim se iuramento constrinxerant cum essent in Maspha interfici eos qui defuissent
The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.
6 ductique paenitentia filii Israhel super fratre suo Beniamin coeperunt dicere ablata est una tribus de Israhel
And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.
7 unde uxores accipient omnes enim in commune iuravimus non daturos nos his filias nostras
What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”
8 idcirco dixerunt quis est de universis tribubus Israhel qui non ascendit ad Dominum in Maspha et ecce inventi sunt habitatores Iabisgalaad in illo exercitu non fuisse
So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.
9 eo quoque tempore cum essent in Silo nullus ex eis ibi reppertus est
For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.
10 miserunt itaque decem milia viros robustissimos et praeceperunt eis ite et percutite habitatores Iabisgalaad in ore gladii tam uxores quam parvulos eorum
So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.
11 et hoc erit quod observare debetis omne generis masculini et mulieres quae cognoverunt viros interficite
This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”
12 inventaeque sunt de Iabisgalaad quadringentae virgines quae nescierunt viri torum et adduxerunt eas in castra in Silo in terra Chanaan
So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
13 miseruntque nuntios ad filios Beniamin qui erant in petra Remmon et praeceperunt eis ut eos in pace susciperent
Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.
14 veneruntque filii Beniamin in illo tempore et datae sunt eis uxores de filiabus Iabisgalaad alias autem non reppererunt quas simili modo traderent
And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.
15 universusque Israhel valde doluit et egit paenitudinem super interfectione unius tribus ex Israhel
The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
16 dixeruntque maiores natu quid faciemus reliquis qui non acceperunt uxores omnes in Beniamin feminae conciderunt
Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”
17 et magna nobis cura ingentique studio providendum est ne una tribus deleatur ex Israhel
They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18 filias nostras eis dare non possumus constricti iuramento et maledictione qua diximus maledictus qui dederit de filiabus suis uxorem Beniamin
But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”
19 ceperuntque consilium atque dixerunt ecce sollemnitas Domini est in Silo anniversaria quae sita est ad septentrionem urbis Bethel et ad orientalem plagam viae quae de Bethel tendit ad Sycimam et ad meridiem oppidi Lebona
“But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
20 praeceperuntque filiis Beniamin atque dixerunt ite et latete in vineis
So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards
21 cumque videritis filias Silo ad ducendos choros ex more procedere exite repente de vineis et rapite eas singuli uxores singulas et pergite in terram Beniamin
and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 cumque venerint patres earum ac fratres et adversum vos queri coeperint atque iurgari dicemus eis miseremini eorum non enim rapuerunt eas iure bellantium atque victorum sed rogantibus ut acciperent non dedistis et a vestra parte peccatum est
When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”
23 feceruntque filii Beniamin ut sibi fuerat imperatum et iuxta numerum suum rapuerunt sibi de his quae ducebant choros uxores singulas abieruntque in possessionem suam aedificantes urbes et habitantes in eis
The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.
24 filii quoque Israhel reversi sunt per tribus et familias in tabernacula sua in diebus illis non erat rex in Israhel
And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance.
25 sed unusquisque quod sibi rectum videbatur hoc faciebat
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
