Domarna
The Rescue of the Tribe of Benjamin
After the Israelites had sworn at Mizpah not to give their daughters to the Benjamites, the tribe faced extinction. The assembly sent twelve thousand warriors against Jabesh in Gilead and brought four hundred virgins as wives. When this was not enough, they advised the remaining Benjamites to abduct dancing women during the annual festival at Shiloh so that the tribe could survive Judges 21:1-25.
Domarboken 21,1-25
1The men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah: "None of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjaminite."
וְאִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נִשְׁבַּ֥ע בַּמִּצְפָּ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לֹא־יִתֵּ֥ן בִּתּ֛וֹ לְבִנְיָמִ֖ן לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
2So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly.
וַיָּבֹ֤א הָעָם֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֤שְׁבוּ שָׁם֙ עַד־הָעֶ֔רֶב לִפְנֵ֖י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ קוֹלָ֔ם וַיִּבְכּ֖וּ בְּכִ֥י גָדֽוֹל׃
3They said, "Why, LORD, God of Israel, has this happened in Israel, that today one tribe should be missing from Israel?"
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לָמָ֗ה יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הָ֥יְתָה זֹּ֖את בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְהִפָּקֵ֥ד הַיּ֛וֹם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שֵׁ֥בֶט אֶחָֽד׃
4Early the next morning the people built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
וַֽיְהִי֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ הָעָ֔ם וַיִּבְנוּ־שָׁ֖ם מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיַּעֲל֥וּ עֹל֖וֹת וּשְׁלָמִֽים׃ פ
5Then the Israelites asked, "Which of all the tribes of Israel failed to come up to the LORD with the assembly?" For they had bound themselves with a solemn oath that anyone who did not come up to the LORD at Mizpah should be put to death.
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִ֠י אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־עָלָ֧ה בַקָּהָ֛ל מִכָּל־שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה כִּי֩ הַשְּׁבוּעָ֨ה הַגְּדוֹלָ֜ה הָיְתָ֗ה לַ֠אֲשֶׁר לֹא־עָלָ֨ה אֶל־יְהוָ֧ה הַמִּצְפָּ֛ה לֵאמֹ֖ר מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃
6The Israelites grieved for their brother Benjamin and said, "Today one tribe has been cut off from Israel.
וַיִּנָּֽחֲמוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־בִּנְיָמִ֖ן אָחִ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ נִגְדַּ֥ע הַיּ֛וֹם שֵׁ֥בֶט אֶחָ֖ד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
7What shall we do about wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?"
מַה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לָהֶ֛ם לַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים לְנָשִׁ֑ים וַאֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ בַֽיהוָ֔ה לְבִלְתִּ֛י תֵּת־לָהֶ֥ם מִבְּנוֹתֵ֖ינוּ לְנָשִֽׁים׃
8Then they asked, "Which one of the tribes of Israel did not come up to the LORD at Mizpah?" And it turned out that no one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the camp, to the assembly.
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מִ֗י אֶחָד֙ מִשִּׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־עָלָ֥ה אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה הַמִּצְפָּ֑ה וְ֠הִנֵּה לֹ֣א בָא־אִ֧ישׁ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה מִיָּבֵ֥ישׁ גִּלְעָ֖ד אֶל־הַקָּהָֽל׃
9For when the people were counted, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead was there.
וַיִּתְפָּקֵ֖ד הָעָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵֽין־שָׁם֙ אִ֔ישׁ מִיּוֹשְׁבֵ֖י יָבֵ֥שׁ גִּלְעָֽד׃
10So the assembly sent twelve thousand fighting men there with these orders: "Go and put the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead to the sword, including the women and children.
וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ־שָׁ֣ם הָעֵדָ֗ה שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֣י הֶחָ֑יִל וַיְצַוּ֨וּ אוֹתָ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר לְ֠כוּ וְהִכִּיתֶ֞ם אֶת־יוֹשְׁבֵ֨י יָבֵ֤שׁ גִּלְעָד֙ לְפִי־חֶ֔רֶב וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַטָּֽף׃
11This is what you are to do: devote to destruction every male, and every woman who has slept with a man."
וְזֶ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ כָּל־זָכָ֗ר וְכָל־אִשָּׁ֛ה יֹדַ֥עַת מִשְׁכַּב־זָכָ֖ר תַּחֲרִֽימוּ׃
12Among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead they found four hundred young virgins who had never slept with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
וַֽיִּמְצְא֞וּ מִיּוֹשְׁבֵ֣י ׀ יָבֵ֣ישׁ גִּלְעָ֗ד אַרְבַּ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ נַעֲרָ֣ה בְתוּלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יָדְעָ֛ה אִ֖ישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּ֣ב זָכָ֑ר וַיָּבִ֨יאוּ אוֹתָ֤ם אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֙ שִׁלֹ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן׃ ס
13Then the whole assembly sent word to the Benjaminites at the rock of Rimmon, offering them peace.
וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַֽיְדַבְּרוּ֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּסֶ֣לַע רִמּ֑וֹן וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם שָׁלֽוֹם׃
14So the Benjaminites returned at that time, and they were given the women of Jabesh Gilead who had been spared. But there were not enough for them all.
וַיָּ֤שָׁב בִּנְיָמִן֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ לָהֶם֙ הַנָּשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר חִיּ֔וּ מִנְּשֵׁ֖י יָבֵ֣שׁ גִּלְעָ֑ד וְלֹֽא־מָצְא֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם כֵּֽן׃
15The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a gap in the tribes of Israel.
וְהָעָ֥ם נִחָ֖ם לְבִנְיָמִ֑ן כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה פֶּ֖רֶץ בְּשִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
16And the elders of the assembly said, "What shall we do about wives for those who are left, since the women of Benjamin have been wiped out?"
וַיֹּֽאמְר֨וּ זִקְנֵ֣י הָעֵדָ֔ה מַה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים לְנָשִׁ֑ים כִּֽי־נִשְׁמְדָ֥ה מִבִּנְיָמִ֖ן אִשָּֽׁה׃
17They said, "The survivors of Benjamin must have heirs, so that a tribe of Israel will not be blotted out.
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ יְרֻשַּׁ֥ת פְּלֵיטָ֖ה לְבִנְיָמִ֑ן וְלֹֽא־יִמָּחֶ֥ה שֵׁ֖בֶט מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
18Yet we cannot give them our own daughters as wives, for the Israelites have sworn: 'Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to Benjamin.'"
וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ לֹ֥א נוּכַ֛ל לָתֵת־לָהֶ֥ם נָשִׁ֖ים מִבְּנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־נִשְׁבְּע֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אָר֕וּר נֹתֵ֥ן אִשָּׁ֖ה לְבִנְיָמִֽן׃ ס
19Then they said, "Look, there is the yearly festival of the LORD at Shiloh, which lies north of Bethel, east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah."
וַיֹּאמְר֡וּ הִנֵּה֩ חַג־יְהוָ֨ה בְּשִׁל֜וֹ מִיָּמִ֣ים ׀ יָמִ֗ימָה אֲשֶׁ֞ר מִצְּפ֤וֹנָה לְבֵֽית־אֵל֙ מִזְרְחָ֣ה הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ לִ֨מְסִלָּ֔ה הָעֹלָ֥ה מִבֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל שְׁכֶ֑מָה וּמִנֶּ֖גֶב לִלְבוֹנָֽה׃
20So they instructed the Benjaminites: "Go and hide in the vineyards
*ויצו **וַיְצַוּ֕וּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בִנְיָמִ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר לְכ֖וּ וַאֲרַבְתֶּ֥ם בַּכְּרָמִֽים׃
21and watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, rush from the vineyards, and each of you seize a wife from the young women of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
וּרְאִיתֶ֗ם וְ֠הִנֵּה אִם־יֵ֨צְא֥וּ בְנוֹת־שִׁילוֹ֮ לָח֣וּל בַּמְּחֹלוֹת֒ וִֽיצָאתֶם֙ מִן־הַכְּרָמִ֔ים וַחֲטַפְתֶּ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם אִ֥ישׁ אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מִבְּנ֣וֹת שִׁיל֑וֹ וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֖ם אֶ֥רֶץ בִּנְיָמִֽן׃
22When their fathers or brothers come to us with a complaint, we will say to them, 'Be kind to us and let them keep these young women, since we did not capture a wife for each man in the war. And you are not guilty, for you yourselves did not give your daughters to them.'"
וְהָיָ֡ה כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣אוּ אֲבוֹתָם֩ א֨וֹ אֲחֵיהֶ֜ם *לרוב **לָרִ֣יב ׀ אֵלֵ֗ינוּ וְאָמַ֤רְנוּ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ חָנּ֣וּנוּ אוֹתָ֔ם כִּ֣י לֹ֥א לָקַ֛חְנוּ אִ֥ישׁ אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה כִּ֣י לֹ֥א אַתֶּ֛ם נְתַתֶּ֥ם לָהֶ֖ם כָּעֵ֥ת תֶּאְשָֽׁמוּ׃ ס
23So that is what the Benjaminites did. They carried off as many wives as they needed from the dancers, and they went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt the towns, and settled in them.
וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֙ בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ נָשִׁים֙ לְמִסְפָּרָ֔ם מִן־הַמְּחֹלְל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר גָּזָ֑לוּ וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ אֶל־נַ֣חֲלָתָ֔ם וַיִּבְנוּ֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ בָּהֶֽם׃
24At that time the Israelites left that place, each going to his own tribe and clan; each one set out for his own inheritance.
וַיִּתְהַלְּכ֨וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא אִ֥ישׁ לְשִׁבְט֖וֹ וּלְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֣וּ מִשָּׁ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ לְנַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃
25In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did as he saw fit.
בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֛ישׁ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃