16
And the greater men in birth said, What shall we do to the other men, that have not taken wives? All the women in the lineage of Benjamin have fallen down, (And the men of great age, that is, the elders, said, What shall we do for the other men who have not received wives? For all the women in the tribe of Benjamin have been killed,)
17
and it is to us to purvey with great care and great study, that one lineage be not done away from Israel. (and it is for us to find a way, so that one tribe be not done away from Israel.)
18
We may not give our daughters to them, for we be bound with an oath and cursing, by which we said, Be he cursed that giveth of his daughters (for) a wife to Benjamin.
19
And they took counsel, and said, Lo! the solemnity of the Lord is in Shiloh, (after) the year's turning about, that is set at the north coast of the city of Bethel, and at the east coast of the way that goeth from Bethel to Shechem, and at the south of the city of Lebonah. (And they took counsel, and said, Lo! the Feast of the Lord shall soon be in Shiloh, after the year's turning about, yea, that city which is north of the city of Bethel, and to the east on the way that goeth from Bethel to Shechem, and to the south of the city of Lebonah.)
20
And they commanded to the sons of Benjamin, and said, Go ye, and be ye hid in [the] vineries; (And they commanded to the Benjaminites, and said, Go ye, and be ye hid there in the vineyards;)
21
and when ye see [the] daughters of Shiloh go forth by custom to lead dances, go ye out of the vineries suddenly, and ravish ye them, each man one wife, and go ye into the land of Benjamin. (and when ye see the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance, quickly go ye out of the vineyards, and seize ye them, each man one wife, and then go ye back to the land of Benjamin.)
22
And when the fathers and brethren of them shall come, and begin to complain and plead against you, we shall say to them, Have ye mercy of them; for we took not from a man his wife in battle, neither ye gave (them) to them, (so) why ye shall be blamed in time. (And when their fathers and their brothers shall come to you, and begin to complain and plead against you, ye shall say to them, Have ye mercy on us; for we did not take a wife from any man in battle, nor did ye give them to us, and so ye shall not be blamed for breaking the oath.)
23
And the sons of Benjamin did as it was commanded to them, and by their number they ravished wives to them, each man one wife, of them that led (the) dances. And they went into their possession, and builded cities, and dwelled in those. (And the Benjaminites did as it was commanded to them, and by their number they seized wives for themselves, each man one wife, out of those who led the dances. And then they went back to their possessions, and builded cities, and lived in them.)
24
And the sons of Israel turned again, by their lineages and families, into their tabernacles. (And the Israelites returned, by their tribes and families, to their inheritances, or their possessions.)
25
In those days was no king in Israel, but each man did that thing, that seemed rightful to himself. (In those days there was no king in Israel, but each person did what seemed right to himself.)