Study Desk

Then the men of Israel marched out for the battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel took up positions against them for battle at Gibeah.

Now the appointed time for the men of Israel with the ambush was that they sent up for them a great amount of smoke from the city.

But six hundred turned and fled toward the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon for four months.

And the Israelites said, "Who in the assembly has not come up from all the tribes of Israel to Yahweh?" For a solemn oath was taken concerning whoever did not come up to Yahweh at Mizpah, saying, "He will certainly be put to death."

But the Israelites had compassion for Benjamin, their relatives, and they said, "Today one tribe is cut off from Israel.

What will we do for them—for the ones being left over—for wives? For we have sworn by Yahweh not to give to them our daughters as wives."

And Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave to them the women whom they kept alive from Jabesh-gilead; but they were not enough for them.

And the people felt sorry for Benjamin because Yahweh weakened the tribes of Israel.

So the elders of the congregation said, "What should we do for the remaining ones for wives, since the women from Benjamin have been destroyed?"

And they said, "There must be a remnant for Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel.

But we cannot give them wives from our daughters." (For the Israelites swore, saying, "Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to Benjamin.")

and watch and look; when the daughters of Shiloh dance in the dances, come out from the vineyards and seize for yourselves a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

And if their fathers or their brothers complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Allow us to have them, because we did not capture a wife for each man in the battle, and because you did not give them to them, or else you would have been guilty.'"

The descendants of Benjamin did likewise, and they took wives for each of them from the dancers whom they seized, and they went and returned to their territory, and they rebuilt the cities and they lived in them.

And they took for themselves Moabite wives. The name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other was Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.

And Naomi said, "Return, my daughters. Why do you still want to go with me? Are there sons in my womb that may be husbands for you?

Turn back, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should think there is hope for me, even if I should have a husband this night, and even if I should bear sons,

would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is far more bitter to me than to you. For the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me."

But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you! For where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God.

And she said to them, "You should not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for Shaddai has caused me to be very bitter.