9. For when the people were counted, no one was there from the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead.
10. The congregation sent 12,000 brave warriors there and commanded them: “Go and kill the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword, including women and children.
11. This is what you should do: Completely destroy every male, as well as every female who has slept with a man.”
12. They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young women, who had not had sexual relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
13. The whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon.
14. Benjamin returned at that time, and Israel gave them the women they had kept alive from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough for them.
15. The people had compassion on Benjamin, because the Lord had made this gap in the tribes of Israel.
16. The elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who are left, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed? ”
17. They said, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18. But we can’t give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Anyone who gives a wife to a Benjaminite is cursed.”
19. They also said, “Look, there’s an annual festival to the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”