Judges 21

1 Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”

1 以色列人曾在米斯巴起誓不把女儿嫁给便雅悯人。

2 So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.

2 他们来到伯特利，坐在上帝面前放声痛哭，直到黄昏。

3 “Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”

3 他们说：“以色列的上帝耶和华啊，以色列现今为何少了一个支派呢？为何发生了这样的事呢？”

4 The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.

4 第二天，众人清早起来在那里筑了一座祭坛，献上燔祭和平安祭。

5 The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.

5 他们彼此议论说：“我们到米斯巴聚集在耶和华面前的时候，各支派中谁没有来呢？”原来，他们曾经起誓说：凡不到米斯巴聚集在耶和华面前的人都要被处死。

6 And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.

6 以色列人为他们的同胞便雅悯人难过，说：“如今以色列绝了一个支派。

7 What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”

7 我们曾经在耶和华面前起誓，决不把女儿嫁给便雅悯人，现在我们应该怎么办，才能使他们剩下来的人得到妻子呢？”

8 So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.

8 他们又查问各支派中谁没有到米斯巴聚集在耶和华面前，结果发现基列·雅比人缺席，

9 For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.

9 因为点兵的时候，没有一个基列·雅比人在场。

10 So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.

10 于是，会众派出一万二千精兵，命令他们用刀杀掉基列·雅比人及其妇女和孩子。

11 This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”

11 他们对精兵说：“你们所要做的就是消灭所有的男子和已婚妇女。”

12 So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.

12 他们在基列·雅比的居民中找到四百名处女，把她们带回迦南的示罗营地。

13 Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.

13 全体会众又派人到临门岩去跟便雅悯人讲和。

14 And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.

14 于是，便雅悯人返回了家乡，以色列人把从基列·雅比居民中留下来的四百个处女给他们做妻子，但还是不够。

15 The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.

15 众人为便雅悯支派难过，因为耶和华使以色列少了一个支派。

16 Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”

16 会众的长老说：“便雅悯支派的女子都死了，我们应该怎么办才能使余下的人有妻子呢？

17 They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.

17 便雅悯的余民必须成家立后，以免以色列失去一个支派。

18 But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”

18 可是我们又不能把女儿嫁给他们，因为我们曾经起誓，‘把女儿嫁给便雅悯人的必受咒诅。’”

19 “But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”

19 有人想起在示罗每年都有耶和华的节期。示罗在利波拿以南、伯特利以北至示剑的大路东面。

20 So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards

20 于是，他们对便雅悯人说：“你们去埋伏在葡萄园里，

21 and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

21 见到示罗的女子出来跳舞时，就冲出去各自抢一个，带回便雅悯做妻子。

22 When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”

22 倘若她们的父亲或弟兄前来抱怨，我们会说，‘求你们看在我们的情面上恩待他们，因为我们从战场上带回的女子不够分给他们做妻子。何况又不是你们把女儿嫁给他们的，所以罪不在你们。’”

23 The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.

23 便雅悯人就依计行事，从跳舞的女子中各自抢了一个，带回自己的家乡做妻子。他们重建城邑，住在其中。

24 And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance.

24 于是，以色列人离开那里，各回自己的支派、宗族和家园。

25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

25 那时，以色列没有王，人人各行其是。