Now the menof Israelhad swornin Mizpeh, saying, There shall notanyofus givehis daughterunto Benjaminto wife. And the peoplecameto the house of God, and abodetheretillevenbeforeGod, and lifted uptheir voices, and weptsore; And said, O LORDGodof Israel, whyis thiscome to passin Israel, that there should be todayonetribelackingin Israel? And it came to passon the morrow, that the peoplerose early, and builttherean altar, and offeredburnt offeringsand peace offerings. And the childrenof Israelsaid, Who is there among allthe tribesof Israelthatcame not upwith the congregationuntothe LORD? Forthey had madea greatoathconcerninghim that came not uptothe LORDto Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death. And the childrenof Israelrepentedthem forBenjamintheir brother, and said, There is onetribecut offfrom Israelthis day. Howshall we dofor wivesfor them that remain, seeing wehave swornby the LORDthat we will notgivethem of our daughtersto wives? And they said, Whatone is there of the tribesof Israelthatcame not upto Mizpehtothe LORD? And, behold, there camenonetothe campfrom Jabesh-gilead tothe assembly. For the peoplewere numbered, and, behold, there were noneof the inhabitantsof Jabesh-gilead there. And the congregationsenthithertwelvethousandmenof the most valiant, and commandedthem, saying, Goand smitethe inhabitantsof Jabesh-gilead with the edgeof the sword, with the womenand the children. And this is the thingthatye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroyeverymale, and everywomanthat hath lainby man. And they foundamong the inhabitantsof Jabesh-gilead fourhundredyoungvirgins, thathad knownnomanby lyingwith any male: and they broughtthem untothe campto Shiloh, which is in the landof Canaan. And the wholecongregationsent some to speaktothe childrenof Benjaminthat were in the rockRimmon, and to callpeaceablyunto them. And Benjamincame againat thattime; and they gavethem wiveswhichthey had saved aliveof the womenof Jabesh-gilead: and yet sothey sufficedthem not. And the peoplerepented themfor Benjamin, becausethat the LORDhad madea breachin the tribesof Israel. Then the eldersof the congregationsaid, Howshall we dofor wivesfor them that remain, seeingthe womenare destroyedout of Benjamin? And they said, There must be an inheritancefor them that be escapedof Benjamin, that a tribebe notdestroyedout of Israel. Howbeit wemaynotgivethem wivesof our daughters: forthe childrenof Israelhave sworn, saying, Cursed be he that givetha wifeto Benjamin. Then they said, Behold, there is a feastof the LORDin Shilohyearly in a place which is on the north sideof Bethel, on the east sideof the highwaythat goeth upfrom Bethelto Shechem, and on the southof Lebonah. Therefore they commandedthe childrenof Benjamin, saying, Goand lie in waitin the vineyards; And see, and, behold, ifthe daughtersof Shilohcome outto dancein dances, then come ye outofthe vineyards, and catchyou every manhis wifeof the daughtersof Shiloh, and goto the landof Benjamin. And it shall be, whentheir fathersortheir brethrencomeuntous to complain, that we will sayuntothem, Be favorableunto them for our sakes: becausewe reservednotto each manhis wifein the war: foryedid notgiveunto them at this time, that ye should be guilty. And the childrenof Benjamindidso, and took them wives, according to their number, ofthem that danced, whomthey caught: and they wentand returneduntotheir inheritance, and repairedthe cities, and dweltin them. And the childrenof Israeldepartedthenceat thattime, every manto his tribeand to his family, and they went outfrom thenceevery manto his inheritance. In thosedays there was nokingin Israel: every mandid that which was rightin his own eyes.