Judges 21:1–7

BRIDES FOR BENJAMIN

21 The men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah: “None of us will give his daughter to a Benjaminite in marriage.”e 2 So the people went to Bethel and sat there before Godf until evening. They wept loudly and bitterly, 3 and cried out, “Why, Lord God of Israel, has it occurredD that one tribe is missing in Israel today?” 4 The next day the people got up early, built an altar there,g and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. 5 The Israelites asked, “Who of all the tribes of Israel didn’t come to the Lord with the assembly?” For a great oath had been taken that anyone who had not come to the Lord at Mizpah would certainly be put to death.

6 But the Israelites had compassion on their brothers, the Benjaminites, and said, “Today a tribe has been cut off from Israel. 7 What should we do about wives for the survivors? We’ve sworn to the Lord not to give them any of our daughters as wives.”