Judges 21 – Studienbibel

1 Now the men376 of Israel3478 had sworn7650 in Mizpeh4709, saying559, There shall not any376 of us give5414 his daughter1323 unto Benjamin1144 to wife802. 2 And the people5971 came935 to the house1004 of God430 1008, and abode3427 there till even6153 before6440 God430, and lifted up5375 their voices6963, and wept1058 1065 sore1419; 3 And said559, O LORD3068 God430 of Israel3478, why is this come to pass in Israel3478, that there should be to day3117 one259 tribe7626 lacking6485 in Israel3478? 4 And it came to pass on the morrow4283, that the people5971 rose early7925, and built1129 there an altar4196, and offered5927 burnt offerings5930 and peace offerings8002. 5 And the children1121 of Israel3478 said559, Who is there among all the tribes7626 of Israel3478 that834 came5927 not up with the congregation6951 unto the LORD3068? For they had made a great1419 oath7621 concerning him that came not up5927 to the LORD3068 to Mizpeh4709, saying559, He shall surely4191 be put to death4191. 6 And the children1121 of Israel3478 repented5162 them for Benjamin1144 their brother251, and said559, There is one259 tribe7626 cut off1438 from Israel3478 this day3117. 7 How shall we do6213 for wives802 for them that remain3498, seeing we have sworn7650 by the LORD3068 that we will not give5414 them of our daughters1323 to wives802? 8 And they said559, What one259 is there of the tribes7626 of Israel3478 that came not up5927 to Mizpeh4709 to the LORD3068? And, behold, there came935 none376 to the camp4264 from Jabeshgilead3003 1568 to the assembly6951. 9 For the people5971 were numbered6485, and, behold, there were none376 of the inhabitants3427 of Jabeshgilead3003 1568 there. 10 And the congregation5712 sent7971 thither twelve8147 6240 thousand505 men376 of the valiantest1121 2428, and commanded6680 them, saying559, Go3212 and smite5221 the inhabitants3427 of Jabeshgilead3003 1568 with the edge6310 of the sword2719, with the women802 and the children2945. 11 And this is the thing1697 that ye shall do6213, Ye shall utterly destroy2763 every male2145, and every woman802 that hath lain4904 by man3045.¹ 12 And they found4672 among the inhabitants3427 of Jabeshgilead3003 1568 four702 hundred3967 young5291 virgins1330, that had known3045 no man376 by lying4904 with any male2145: and they brought935 them unto the camp4264 to Shiloh7887, which is in the land776 of Canaan3667.² 13 And the whole congregation5712 sent7971 some to speak1696 to the children1121 of Benjamin1144 that were in the rock5553 Rimmon7417, and to call7121 peaceably7965 unto them.³⁴ 14 And Benjamin1144 came again7725 at that time6256; and they gave5414 them wives802 which they had saved alive2421 of the women802 of Jabeshgilead3003 1568: and yet so they sufficed4672 them not. 15 And the people5971 repented5162 them for Benjamin1144, because that the LORD3068 had made6213 a breach6556 in the tribes7626 of Israel3478.

16 Then the elders2205 of the congregation5712 said559, How shall we do6213 for wives802 for them that remain3498, seeing the women802 are destroyed8045 out of Benjamin1144? 17 And they said559, There must be an inheritance3425 for them that be escaped6413 of Benjamin1144, that a tribe7626 be not destroyed4229 out of Israel3478. 18 Howbeit we may3201 not give5414 them wives802 of our daughters1323: for the children1121 of Israel3478 have sworn7650, saying559, Cursed779 be he that giveth5414 a wife802 to Benjamin1144. 19 Then they said559, Behold, there is a feast2282 of the LORD3068 in Shiloh7887 yearly3117 3117 in a place which is on the north side6828 of Bethel1008, on the east side4217 8121 of the highway4546 that goeth up5927 from Bethel1008 to Shechem7927, and on the south5045 of Lebonah3829.⁵⁶⁷ 20 Therefore they commanded6680 the children1121 of Benjamin1144, saying559, Go3212 and lie in wait693 in the vineyards3754; 21 And see7200, and, behold, if the daughters1323 of Shiloh7887 come out3318 to dance2342 in dances4246, then come ye out3318 of the vineyards3754, and catch2414 you every man376 his wife802 of the daughters1323 of Shiloh7887, and go1980 to the land776 of Benjamin1144. 22 And it shall be, when their fathers1 or their brethren251 come935 unto us to complain7378, that we will say559 unto them, Be favourable2603 unto them for our sakes: because we reserved3947 not to each man376 his wife802 in the war4421: for ye did not give5414 unto them at this time6256, that ye should be guilty816.⁸ 23 And the children1121 of Benjamin1144 did so6213, and took5375 them wives802, according to their number4557, of them that danced2342, whom they caught1497: and they went3212 and returned7725 unto their inheritance5159, and repaired1129 the cities5892, and dwelt3427 in them. 24 And the children1121 of Israel3478 departed1980 thence at that time6256, every man376 to his tribe7626 and to his family4940, and they went out3318 from thence every man376 to his inheritance5159. 25 In those days3117 there was no king4428 in Israel3478: every man376 did6213 that which was right3477 in his own eyes5869.