士师记 21
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
為便雅憫人娶妻
21 以色列人在米斯巴曾經起誓說:“我們中間不可有人把自己的女兒嫁給便雅憫人作妻子。” 2 眾人來到伯特利,在那裡坐在 神面前直到晚上,放聲大哭, 3 說:“耶和華以色列的 神啊,今日以色列中缺少了一個支派,為甚麼在以色列中發生這事呢?” 4 次日,眾人清早起來,在那裡築了一座祭壇,獻上燔祭和平安祭。
5 以色列人彼此說:“以色列各支派中,誰沒有與會眾上到耶和華面前來呢?”因為他們曾經起過很嚴厲的誓,說:“不上米斯巴到耶和華面前的,必把他處死。” 6 以色列人為他們的兄弟便雅憫難過,說:“今天以色列中有一個支派被剪除了。 7 我們曾經指著耶和華起過誓,必不把我們的女兒給便雅憫人作妻子,那麼現在我們當怎樣辦理,使他們剩下的人有妻子呢?”
8 他們又彼此問:“以色列各支派中,有誰沒有上米斯巴到耶和華面前來的呢?”他們就發現基列.雅比中沒有一人去到營中會眾那裡。 9 眾人被數點的時候,就發現基列.雅比的居民中沒有一人在那裡。 10 因此會眾從勇士中差派一萬二千人到那裡去,吩咐他們說:“你們去用刀擊殺基列.雅比的居民,連婦女與孩子都要殺。 11 你們要這樣行,你們要把所有的男子,和所有與男子同過房的女子,完全毀滅。” 12 他們在基列.雅比的居民中,找到了四百個未曾與人同房,也未曾與男子同寢的年輕少女,就把她們帶到迦南地的示羅營那裡。
13 全體會眾又派人到臨門的磐石那裡,對便雅憫人說話,向他們宣告和平。 14 那時便雅憫人回來了,以色列人就把他們保留的基列.雅比的女子給他們作妻子,但還是不夠。 15 眾人為便雅憫人難過,因為耶和華使以色列眾支派中有了缺口。
16 會眾中的長老說:“便雅憫的女子既然都被除滅了,我們應怎樣行,使那些餘下的人有妻子呢?” 17 又說:“便雅憫逃脫的人應有地業,免得有個支派從以色列中被消滅。 18 但是我們不能把我們自己的女兒給他們作妻子。”因為以色列人曾經起誓說:“把女兒給便雅憫人作妻子的,是可咒詛的。”
19 他們又說:“看哪,每年在示羅都舉行耶和華的節期;示羅就是在伯特利的北面,從伯特利上示劍的大路的東面,在利波拿的南面。” 20 於是他們吩咐便雅憫人說:“你們去在葡萄園中設下埋伏; 21 在那裡觀看,示羅的女子出來跳舞的時候,你們就從葡萄園出來,從示羅的女子中,各搶一個作妻子,然後回便雅憫地去。 22 如果她們的父親或是兄弟來與我們爭論,我們就對他們說:‘求你們恩待他們吧,因為我們在戰場上沒有給他們留下女子作妻子,而且這次又不是你們把女兒給他們;若是你們給的,你們就有罪了。’” 23 於是便雅憫人照樣行了:按著他們的數目,從跳舞的女子中強搶她們作妻子,然後離開那裡,回到自己的地業去,重建城市,住在其中。 24 那時,以色列人離開那裡,各人回到自己的支派和自己的家族去;他們離開那裡,各人回到自己的地業去。
25 在那些日子,以色列中沒有王,各人都行自己看為對的事。
Judges 21
King James Version
21 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
3 And said, O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?
4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the Lord? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.
14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.
15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16 Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?
17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 Howbeit 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.
19 Then 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.
20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
21 And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.
23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.
24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Judges 21
New International Version
Wives for the Benjamites
21 The men of Israel had taken an oath(A) at Mizpah:(B) “Not one of us will give(C) his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2 The people went to Bethel,[a] 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(D) from Israel today?”
4 Early the next day the people built an altar and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.(E)
5 Then the Israelites asked, “Who from all the tribes of Israel(F) 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.
6 Now 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(G) by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?” 8 Then 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(H) had come to the camp for the assembly. 9 For when they counted the people, they found that none of the people of Jabesh Gilead were there.
10 So 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(I) and every woman who is not a virgin.(J)” 12 They 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(K) in Canaan.
13 Then the whole assembly sent an offer of peace(L) to the Benjamites at the rock of Rimmon.(M) 14 So 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.
15 The people grieved for Benjamin,(N) because the Lord had made a gap in the tribes of Israel. 16 And the elders of the assembly said, “With the women of Benjamin destroyed, how shall we provide wives for the men who are left? 17 The Benjamite survivors must have heirs,” they said, “so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.(O) 18 We can’t give them our daughters as wives, since we Israelites have taken this oath:(P) ‘Cursed be anyone who gives(Q) a wife to a Benjamite.’ 19 But look, there is the annual festival of the Lord in Shiloh,(R) which lies north of Bethel(S), east of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem,(T) and south of Lebonah.”
20 So they instructed the Benjamites, saying, “Go and hide in the vineyards 21 and watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing,(U) rush from the vineyards and each of you seize one of them to be your wife. Then return to the land of Benjamin. 22 When 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(V) your daughters to them.’”
23 So that is what the Benjamites did. While the young women were dancing,(W) each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife. Then they returned to their inheritance(X) and rebuilt the towns and settled in them.(Y)
24 At that time the Israelites left that place and went home to their tribes and clans, each to his own inheritance.
25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.(Z)
Footnotes
- Judges 21:2 Or to the house of God
Judges 21
New King James Version
Wives Provided for the Benjamites
21 Now (A)the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.” 2 Then the people came (B)to [a]the house of God, and remained there before God till evening. They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly, 3 and said, “O Lord God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that today there should be one tribe missing in Israel?”
4 So it was, on the next morning, that the people rose early and (C)built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5 The children of Israel said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up with the assembly to the Lord?” (D)For they had made a great oath concerning anyone who had not come up to the Lord at Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” 6 And the children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel today. 7 What shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters as wives?”
8 And they said, “What one is there from the tribes of Israel who did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord?” And, in fact, no one had come to the camp from (E)Jabesh Gilead to the assembly. 9 For when the people were counted, indeed, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead was there. 10 So the congregation sent out there twelve thousand of their most valiant men, and commanded them, saying, (F)“Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, including the women and children. 11 And this is the thing that you shall do: (G)You shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has known a man intimately.” 12 So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins who had not known a man intimately; and they brought them to the camp at (H)Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Then the whole congregation sent word to the children of Benjamin (I)who were at the rock of Rimmon, and announced peace to them. 14 So Benjamin came back at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead; and yet they had not found enough for them.
15 And the people (J)grieved for Benjamin, because the Lord had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
16 Then the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?” 17 And they said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe may not be destroyed from Israel. 18 However, we cannot give them wives from our daughters, (K)for the children of Israel have sworn an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the one who gives a wife to Benjamin.’ ” 19 Then they said, “In fact, there is a yearly (L)feast of the Lord in (M)Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east side of the (N)highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
20 Therefore they instructed the children of Benjamin, saying, “Go, lie in wait in the vineyards, 21 and watch; and just when the daughters of Shiloh come out (O)to perform their dances, then come out from the vineyards, and every man catch a wife for himself from the daughters of Shiloh; then go to the land of Benjamin. 22 Then it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to us to complain, that we will say to them, ‘Be kind to them for our sakes, because we did not take a wife for any of them in the war; for it is not as though you have given the women to them at this time, making yourselves guilty of your oath.’ ”
23 And the children of Benjamin did so; they took enough wives for their number from those who danced, whom they caught. Then they went and returned to their inheritance, and they (P)rebuilt the cities and dwelt in them. 24 So the children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family; they went out from there, every man to his inheritance.
25 (Q)In those days there was no king in Israel; (R)everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Footnotes
- Judges 21:2 Or Bethel
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.