The tribe of Benjamin is saved from being utterly extinct, by providing wives for the six hundred that remained.

 1 Now the children of Israel had also sworn in Maspha, saying: None of us shall give of his daughters to the children of Benjamin to wife.
Juraverunt quoque filii Israel in Maspha, et dixerunt : Nullus nostrum dabit filiis Benjamin de filiabus suis uxorem.

 2 And they all came to the house of God in Silo, and abiding before him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and weep, saying:
Veneruntque omnes ad domum Dei in Silo, et in conspectu ejus sedentes usque ad vesperam, levaverunt vocem, et magno ululatu coeperunt flere, dicentes :

 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?
Quare, Domine Deus Israel, factum est hoc malum in populo tuo, ut hodie una tribus auferretur ex nobis?

 4 And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
Altera autem die diluculo consurgentes, exstruxerunt altare : obtuleruntque ibi holocausta, et pacificas victimas, et dixerunt :

 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.
Quis non ascendit in exercitu Domini de universis tribubus Israel? grandi enim juramento se constrinxerant, cum essent in Maspha, interfici eos qui defuissent.

 6 And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
Ductique poenitentia filii Israel super fratre suo Benjamin, coeperunt dicere : Ablata est tribus una de Israel :

 7 Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
unde uxores accipient? omnes enim in commune juravimus, non daturus nos his filias nostras.

 8 Therefore they said: Who is thereof 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.
Idcirco dixerunt : Quis est de universis tribubus Israel, qui non ascendit ad Dominum in Maspha? Et ecce inventi sunt habitatores Jabes Galaad in illo exercitu non fuisse.

 9 (At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
( Eo quoque tempore cum essent in Silo, nullus ex eis ibi repertus est.)

 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.
Miserunt itaque decem millia viros robustissimos, et praeceperunt eis : Ite, et percutite habitatores Jabes Galaad in ore gladii, tam uxores quam parvulos eorum.

 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.
Et hoc erit quod observare debebitis : omne generis masculini, et mulieres, quae cognoverunt viros, interficite; virgines autem reservate.

 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 Silo, into the land of Chanaan.
Inventaeque sunt de Jabes Galaad quadringentae virgines, quae nescierunt viri thorum : et adduxerunt eas ad castra in Silo, in terram Chanaan.

 13 And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
Miseruntque nuntios ad filios Benjamin, qui erant in petra Remmon, et praeceperunt eis, ut eos susciperent in pace.

 14 And the children of Benjamin came at that time, and wives were given them of the daughters of Jabes Galaad: but they found no others, whom they might give in like manner.
Veneruntque filii Benjamin in illo tempore, et datae sunt eis uxores de filiabus Jabes Galaad : alias autem non repererunt, quas simili modo traderent.

 15 And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
Universusque Israel valde doluit, et egit poenitentiam super interfectione unius tribus ex Israel.

 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.
Dixeruntque majores natu : Quid faciemus reliquis, qui non acceperunt uxores? omnes in Benjamin feminae conciderunt,

 17 And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
et magna nobis cura, ingentique studio providendum est, ne una tribus deleatur ex Israel.

 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.
Filias enim nostras eis dare non possumus, constricti juramento et maledictione, qua diximus : Maledictus qui dederit de filiabus suis uxorem Benjamin.

 19 So they took counsel, and said: Behold there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord in Silo, which is situate on the north of the city of Bethel, and on the east side of the way, that goeth from Bethel to Sichem, and on the south of the town of Lebona.
Ceperuntque consilium, atque dixerunt : Ecce solemnitas Domini est in Silo anniversaria, quae sita est ad septentrionem urbis Bethel, et ad orientalem plagam viae, quae de Bethel tendit ad Sichimam, et ad meridiem oppidi Lebona.

 20 And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,
Praeceperuntque filiis Benjamin, atque dixerunt : Ite, ad latitate in vineis.

 21 And when you shall see the daughters of Silo come out, as the custom is, to dance, come ye on a sudden out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife among them, and go into the land of Benjamin.
Cumque videritis filias Silo ad ducendos choros ex more procedere, exite repente de vineis, et rapite ex eis singuli uxores singulas, et pergite in terram Benjamin.

 22 And when their fathers and their brethren shall come, and shall begin to complain against you, and to chide, we will say to them: Have pity on them for they took them not away as by the right of war or conquest, but when they asked to have them, you gave them not, and the fault was committed on your part.
Cumque venerint patres earum, ac fratres, et adversum vos queri coeperint, atque jurgari, dicemus eis : Miseremini eorum : non enim rapuerunt eas jure bellantium atque victorum : sed rogantibus ut acciperent, non dedistis, et a vestra parte peccatum est.

 23 And the children of Benjamin did, as they had been commanded: and according to their number, they carried off for themselves every man his wife of them that were dancing: and they went into their possession and built up their cities, and dwelt in them.
Feceruntque filii Benjamin ut sibi fuerat imperatum : et juxta numerum suum, rapuerunt sibi de his quae ducebant choros, uxores singulas : abieruntque in possessionem suam aedificantes urbes, et habitantes in eis.

 24 The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings. In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
Filii quoque Israel reversi sunt per tribus et familias in tabernacula sua. In diebus illis non erat rex in Israel : sed unusquisque quod sibi rectum videbatur, hoc faciebat.