Judges 21:20
18 But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”
19 “But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards
21 and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards
- KJV
- Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
- WEB
- They commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,
- ASV
- And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,
- DARBY
- And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
- BLB
- And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards.
- ÅB
- Og de sa til Benjamins barn: Gå og legg dere på lur i vingårdene
- OTB
- De instruerte benjaminittene og sa: «Gå og gjem dere i vingårdene
- B1930
- Og de sa til Benjamins barn: Gå og legg eder på lur i vingårdene