Judges 21:14-19
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 21
14And the tribe of Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had allowed to live from the women of Jabesh-gilead; but they were not enough for them. 15And the people were sorry for Benjamin, because the Lord had created a gap in the tribes of Israel.
16Then the elders of the congregation said, 'What are we to do for wives for those who are left, since the women have been eliminated from Benjamin?'
17And they said, 'There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be wiped out from Israel.
18But we cannot give them wives from our daughters.' For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, 'Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin!'
King James Version
15And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?
17And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
19Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
Christian Standard Bible
15The people had compassion on Benjamin, because the Lord had made this gap in the tribes of Israel.
16The elders of the congregation said, "What should we do about wives for those who are left, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?"
17They said, "There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18But we can’t give them our daughters as wives." For the Israelites had sworn, "Anyone who gives a wife to a Benjaminite is cursed."
19They also said, "Look, there’s an annual festival to the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah."
New Living Translation
15The people felt sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had made this gap among the tribes of Israel.
16So the elders of the assembly asked, 'How can we find wives for the few who remain, since the women of the tribe of Benjamin are dead?
17There must be heirs for the survivors so that an entire tribe of Israel is not wiped out.
18But we cannot give them our own daughters in marriage because we have sworn with a solemn oath that anyone who does this will fall under God’s curse.'
English Standard Version
Chapter 21
14And Benjamin returned at that time. And they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, but they were not enough for them. 15And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16Then the elders of the congregation said, "What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?"
17And they said, "There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel.
18Yet we cannot give them wives from our daughters." For the people of Israel had sworn, "Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin."
19So they said, "Behold, there is the yearly feast of the Lord at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah."
New International Version
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."
New King James Version
16Then the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”
17And they said, “ There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe may not be destroyed from Israel.
18However, we cannot give them wives from our daughters, for the children of Israel have sworn an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the one who gives a wife to Benjamin.’ ”
19Then they said, “In fact, there is a yearly feast of the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
