2. And the Israelites came to the house of God [Bethel] and sat there until evening before God and lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. [Judg. 20:27.]
3. And they said, O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?
4. And next morning the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5. And the Israelites said, Which among all the tribes of Israel did not come up with the assembly to the Lord? For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely die.
6. And the Israelites changed their purpose [and had compassion] for the Benjamites their kinsmen and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel today.
7. What shall we do for wives for those who are left, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters as wives?
8. And they said, Which one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord? And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead, to the assembly.
9. For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the citizens of Jabesh-gilead was there.
10. And the congregation sent there 12,000 of the bravest men, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword, also the women and the little ones.
11. And this is what you shall do; utterly destroy every male and every woman who is not a virgin.
12. And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins, who had known no man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13. And the whole congregation sent word to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon and invited them to be friendly with them.
14. And Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead; and yet there were not enough for them.