14
So the men of Benjamin came back at that time. These men were given the women from Jabesh Gilead who had been kept alive. However, the congregation had not found enough women for all of them.
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The congregation felt sorry for the people of Benjamin because the LORD had broken the unity of the tribes of Israel.
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The leaders of the congregation asked, "What should we do to provide wives for the men who are left, since the women in Benjamin have been killed?"
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Some said, "Benjamin's men who survived must be allowed to have families. No tribe of Israel should be wiped out.
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However, we can't give them any of our daughters as wives. The people of Israel have taken an oath that whoever gives wives to the men of Benjamin is under a curse."
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Others said, "Every year the LORD's festival is held at Shiloh. Shiloh is north of Bethel, east of the highway going from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah."
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So they told the men of Benjamin, "Hide in the vineyards and
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watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, come out of the vineyards. Each of you catch a woman from Shiloh to be your wife. Then go back to the territory of Benjamin.
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When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we'll tell them, 'Have pity on them, since we didn't provide a wife for each man in the battle. You won't be guilty because you didn't give them the wives yourselves.'"
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The men of Benjamin did just that. They captured the number of wives they needed from the women who were dancing and went home. So they rebuilt their cities and lived in them.
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At that time the people of Israel left. Each man went to his tribe and family. They all went home.