³⁵ And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, ^(A)and I cannot take back my vow.”

⁷ so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” ⁹ And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.

^2 [a] Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore ^(A)let your words be few. ³ For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with ^(B)many words.

⁴ When ^(C)you vow a vow to God, ^(D)do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. ^(E)Pay what you vow. ^5 (F)It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. ⁶ Let not your mouth lead you^[b] into sin, and do not say before ^(G)the messenger^[c] that it was ^(H)a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

²⁰ Then Job arose and ^(A)tore his ^(B)robe and ^(C)shaved his head ^(D)and fell on the ground and worshiped.

^33 [a] And the king was deeply moved and went up ^(A)to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, ^(B)“O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

³⁰ While they were on the way, news came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king's sons, and not one of them is left.” ³¹ Then the king arose and ^(A)tore his garments and ^(B)lay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments.

⁴⁴ And Saul said, ^(A)“God do so to me and more also; ^(B)you shall surely die, Jonathan.” ⁴⁵ Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! ^(C)As the Lord lives, ^(D)there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die.

Wives Provided for the Tribe of Benjamin

21 Now the men of Israel had sworn ^(A)at Mizpah, “No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.” ² And the people came to ^(B)Bethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. ³ And they said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?” ⁴ And the next day the people rose early and ^(C)built there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. ⁵ And the people of Israel said, “Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the Lord?” ^(D)For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” ⁶ And the people of Israel ^(E)had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day. ^7 (F)What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them any of our daughters for wives?”