Judges 21 שׁוֹפְטִים פרק כ״א

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Judges 21 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   וְאִישׁand the men ofיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelנִשְׁבַּעsworeבַּמִּצְפָּהat Mizpahלֵאמֹרsayingאִישׁa manמִמֶּנּוּfrom himלֹא־יִתֵּןshall not permitבִּתּוֹhis daughterלְבִנְיָמִןfor Benjaminלְאִשָּׁה׃for wife

   Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

2. 2

   וַיָּבֹאand cameהָעָםthe peopleבֵּית־אֵלBeth-elוַיֵּשְׁבוּand they had dweltשָׁםthereעַד־הָעֶרֶבuntil the eveningלִפְנֵיbeforeהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godוַיִּשְׂאוּand liftedקוֹלָםtheir voicesוַיִּבְכּוּand they weptבְּכִיweepingגָדוֹל׃great

   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. 3

   וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלָמָהwhyיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֵיthe God ofיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelהָיְתָהwasזֹּאתthisבְּיִשְׂרָאֵלin Israelלְהִפָּקֵדto be missingהַיּוֹםthe dayמִיִּשְׂרָאֵלfrom Israelשֵׁבֶטtribe ofאֶחָד׃one

   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. 4

   וַיְהִיand it came to passמִמׇּחֳרָתon the morrowוַיַּשְׁכִּימוּand rose earlyהָעָםthe peopleוַיִּבְנוּ־שָׁםand they built thereמִזְבֵּחַan altarוַיַּעֲלוּand they ascendedעֹלוֹתburnt offeringsוּשְׁלָמִים׃and peace offerings

   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. 5

   וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidבְּנֵיthe sons ofיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelמִיwhoאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־עָלָהnot ascendedבַקָּהָלin the assemblyמִכׇּל־שִׁבְטֵיfrom all tribes ofיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelאֶל־יְהֹוָהto the LORDכִּיforהַשְּׁבוּעָהthe oathהַגְּדוֹלָהthe greatהָיְתָהwasלַאֲשֶׁרunto him whoלֹא־עָלָהnot ascendedאֶל־יְהֹוָהto the LORDהַמִּצְפָּהMizpahלֵאמֹרsayingמוֹתsurelyיוּמָת׃shall be put to death

   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. 6

   וַיִּנָּחֲמוּand they repentedבְּנֵיthe sons ofיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelאֶל־בִּנְיָמִןto Benjaminאָחִיוhis brotherוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidנִגְדַּעit has been cut offהַיּוֹםthe dayשֵׁבֶטtribe ofאֶחָדoneמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל׃from Israel

   And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

7. 7

   מַה־נַּעֲשֶׂהwhat shall we doלָהֶםto themלַנּוֹתָרִיםfor the ones who remainלְנָשִׁיםfor wivesוַאֲנַחְנוּand we areנִשְׁבַּעְנוּwe sworeבַיהֹוָהby the LORDלְבִלְתִּיto notתֵּת־לָהֶםto give to themמִבְּנוֹתֵינוּof our daughtersלְנָשִׁים׃for wives

   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. 8

   וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidמִיwhoאֶחָדoneמִשִּׁבְטֵיfrom the tribes ofיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־עָלָהnot ascendedאֶל־יְהֹוָהto the LORDהַמִּצְפָּהMizpahוְהִנֵּהand beholdלֹאnotבָא־אִישׁcame man ofאֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶהto the campמִיָּבֵישׁfrom JabeshגִּלְעָדGileadאֶל־הַקָּהָל׃to the assembly

   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 Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.

9. 9

   וַיִּתְפָּקֵדand was musteredהָעָםthe peopleוְהִנֵּהand beholdאֵין־שָׁםthere is no thereאִישׁa manמִיּוֹשְׁבֵיfrom the inhabitants ofיָבֵשׁJabeshגִּלְעָד׃Gilead

   For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.

10. 10

    וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ־שָׁםand sent thereהָעֵדָהthe congregationשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂרtwelveאֶלֶףthousandאִישׁmenמִבְּנֵיof the sons ofהֶחָיִלthe valiantוַיְצַוּוּand commandedאוֹתָםthemלֵאמֹרsayingלְכוּgoוְהִכִּיתֶםand you will strike downאֶת־יוֹשְׁבֵיthe inhabitants ofיָבֵשׁJabeshגִּלְעָדGileadלְפִי־חֶרֶבby the edge of the swordוְהַנָּשִׁיםand the womenוְהַטָּף׃and the little ones

    And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

11. 11

    וְזֶהand thisהַדָּבָרthe thingאֲשֶׁרwhichתַּעֲשׂוּyou doכׇּל־זָכָרall maleוְכׇל־אִשָּׁהand every womanיֹדַעַתwho has knownמִשְׁכַּב־זָכָרlying of maleתַּחֲרִימוּ׃you should totally destroy

    And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.

12. 12

    וַיִּמְצְאוּand they foundמִיּוֹשְׁבֵיfrom the inhabitants ofיָבֵישׁJabeshגִּלְעָדGileadאַרְבַּעfourמֵאוֹתhundredנַעֲרָהa young womanבְתוּלָהa virginאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־יָדְעָהnot she had knownאִישׁa manלְמִשְׁכַּבto the lying ofזָכָרmaleוַיָּבִאוּand they broughtאוֹתָםthemאֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶהto the campשִׁלֹהShilohאֲשֶׁרwhichבְּאֶרֶץin the land ofכְּנָעַן׃Canaan

    And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 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. 13

    וַיִּשְׁלְחוּand sentכׇּל־הָעֵדָהall the congregationוַיְדַבְּרוּand spokeאֶל־בְּנֵיunto the sons ofבִנְיָמִןBenjaminאֲשֶׁרwhichבְּסֶלַעat the rock ofרִמּוֹןRimmonוַיִּקְרְאוּand they calledלָהֶםto themשָׁלוֹם׃peace

    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. 14

    וַיָּשׇׁבand he returnedבִּנְיָמִןBenjaminבָּעֵתat the timeהַהִיאthatוַיִּתְּנוּand they gaveלָהֶםto themהַנָּשִׁיםthe womenאֲשֶׁרwhichחִיּוּthey had preserved aliveמִנְּשֵׁיfrom the womenיָבֵשׁJabeshגִּלְעָדGileadוְלֹא־מָצְאוּand not foundלָהֶםto themכֵּן׃thus

    And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.

15. 15

    וְהָעָםand the peopleנִחָםrepentedלְבִנְיָמִןfor Benjaminכִּי־עָשָׂהbecause didיְהֹוָהthe LORDפֶּרֶץa breachבְּשִׁבְטֵיin the tribes ofיִשְׂרָאֵל׃Israel

    And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

16. 16

    וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidזִקְנֵיthe elders ofהָעֵדָהthe congregationמַה־נַּעֲשֶׂהwhat shall we doלַנּוֹתָרִיםfor the ones who remainלְנָשִׁיםfor wivesכִּי־נִשְׁמְדָהbecause is destroyedמִבִּנְיָמִןfrom Benjaminאִשָּׁה׃a woman

    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. 17

    וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidיְרֻשַּׁתan inheritance forפְּלֵיטָהthe escaped remnantלְבִנְיָמִןfor Benjaminוְלֹא־יִמָּחֶהand not be blotted outשֵׁבֶטtribe ofמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל׃from Israel

    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. 18

    וַאֲנַחְנוּand weלֹאnotנוּכַלcan weלָתֵת־לָהֶםto give to themנָשִׁיםwomenמִבְּנוֹתֵינוּof our daughtersכִּי־נִשְׁבְּעוּbecause had swornבְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵלsons of Israelלֵאמֹרsayingאָרוּרcursed isנֹתֵןgivingאִשָּׁהa womanלְבִנְיָמִן׃for Benjamin

    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. 19

    וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidהִנֵּהbeholdחַג־יְהֹוָהfestival of the LORDבְּשִׁלוֹis in Shilohמִיָּמִיםfrom daysיָמִימָהto daysאֲשֶׁרwhichמִצְּפוֹנָהis from northwardלְבֵית־אֵלto Beth-elמִזְרְחָהto the rising ofהַשֶּׁמֶשׁthe sunלִמְסִלָּהof the highwayהָעֹלָהthat goes upמִבֵּית־אֵלfrom Beth-elשְׁכֶמָהto Shechemוּמִנֶּגֶבand from southלִלְבוֹנָה׃to Lebonah

    Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

20. 20

    (ויצו)[וַיְצַוּוּ]and they commandedאֶת־בְּנֵיthe sons ofבִנְיָמִןBenjaminלֵאמֹרsayingלְכוּgoוַאֲרַבְתֶּםand you will lie in waitבַּכְּרָמִים׃in the vineyards

    Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

21. 21

    וּרְאִיתֶםand you sawוְהִנֵּהand beholdאִם־יֵצְאוּif go forthבְנוֹת־שִׁילוֹdaughters of Shilohלָחוּלto danceבַּמְּחֹלוֹתin the dancesוִיצָאתֶםand you shall come outמִן־הַכְּרָמִיםfrom the vineyardsוַחֲטַפְתֶּםand you will seizeלָכֶםto youאִישׁa manאִשְׁתּוֹhis wifeמִבְּנוֹתof the daughters ofשִׁילוֹShilohוַהֲלַכְתֶּםand you will goאֶרֶץthe land ofבִּנְיָמִן׃Benjamin

    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. 22

    וְהָיָהand beכִּי־יָבֹאוּbecause comeאֲבוֹתָםtheir fathersאוֹorאֲחֵיהֶםtheir brethren(לרוב)[לָרִיב]to complainאֵלֵינוּunto usוְאָמַרְנוּand we will sayאֲלֵיהֶםto themחׇנּוּנוּbe favorable to usאוֹתָםthemכִּיbecauseלֹאnotלָקַחְנוּwe tookאִישׁa manאִשְׁתּוֹhis wifeבַּמִּלְחָמָהin the battleכִּיbecauseלֹאnotאַתֶּםyou areנְתַתֶּםyou gaveלָהֶםto themכָּעֵתat this timeתֶּאְשָׁמוּ׃you will be guilty

    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. 23

    וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵןand they did thusבְּנֵיthe sons ofבִנְיָמִןBenjaminוַיִּשְׂאוּand liftedנָשִׁיםwomenלְמִסְפָּרָםto their numberמִן־הַמְּחֹלְלוֹתfrom the dancersאֲשֶׁרwhichגָּזָלוּthey seizedוַיֵּלְכוּand they wentוַיָּשׁוּבוּand they returnedאֶל־נַחֲלָתָםto their inheritanceוַיִּבְנוּand they builtאֶת־הֶעָרִיםthe citiesוַיֵּשְׁבוּand they had dweltבָּהֶם׃in them

    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. 24

    וַיִּתְהַלְּכוּand they did walkמִשָּׁםfrom thereבְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵלsons of Israelבָּעֵתat the timeהַהִיאthatאִישׁa manלְשִׁבְטוֹto his tribeוּלְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹand to his familyוַיֵּצְאוּand they went outמִשָּׁםfrom thereאִישׁa manלְנַחֲלָתוֹ׃to his own inheritance

    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. 25

    בַּיָּמִיםin the daysהָהֵםthoseאֵיןthere is noמֶלֶךְa kingבְּיִשְׂרָאֵלin Israelאִישׁa manהַיָּשָׁרthe rightבְּעֵינָיוin his eyesיַעֲשֶׂה׃he shall do

    In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.