and sitting before
him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and
weep, saying:

21:3. O Lord God of Israel, why is so great an evil come to pass in thy
people, that this day one tribe should be taken away from among us?

21:4. And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered
there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:

21:5. Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with
the army of the Lord? for they had bound themselves with a great oath,
when they were in Maspha, that whosoever were wanting should be slain.

21:6. And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their
brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.

21:7. Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn,
not to give our daughters to them.

21:8. Therefore they said: Who is there of all the tribes of Israel,
that came not up to the Lord to Maspha? And, behold, the inhabitants of
Jabes Galaad were found not to have been in that army.

21:9. (At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was
found there,)

21:10. So they sent ten thousand of the most valiant men, and commanded
them, saying: Go and put the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad to the sword,
with their wives and their children.

21:11. And this is what you shall observe: Every male, and all women
that have known men, you shall kill, but the virgins you shall save.

21:12. And there were found of Jabes Galaad four hundred virgins, that
had not known the bed of a man, and they brought them to the camp in
Silo, into the land of Chanaan.

21:13. And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were
in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.

21:14. And the children of Benjamin came at that time, and wives were
given them of Jabes Galaad: but they found no others, whom they might
give in like manner.

21:15. And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of
one tribe out of Israel.

21:16. And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have
not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.

21:17. And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that
one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

21:18. For as to our own daughters we cannot give them, being bound with
an oath and a curse, whereby we said: Cursed be he that shall give
Benjamin any of his daughters to wife.

21:19. S