Judges 21:20

Easy-to-Read Version

So the elders told the men of Benjamin about their idea. They said, "Go and hide in the vineyards.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then they commanded the Benjaminites: “Go and hide in the vineyards.

Hebrew Names Version
They commanded the children of Binyamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

King James Version
Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

Lexham English Bible
They instructed the descendants of Benjamin, saying, "Go, lie in ambush in the vineyards,

English Standard Version
And they commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards

New Century Version
So the elders told the men of Benjamin, "Go and hide in the vineyards.

New English Translation
So they commanded the Benjaminites, "Go hide in the vineyards,

Amplified Bible
So they instructed the sons of Benjamin, saying, "Go, set an ambush in the vineyards,

New American Standard Bible
And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore they commaunded the children of Beniamin, saying, Goe, and lye in waite in the vineyardes.

Legacy Standard Bible
En hulle het die kinders van Benjamin bevel gegee en gesê: Gaan en lê en loer in die wingerde.

Contemporary English Version
The leaders told the men of Benjamin who still did not have wives: Go to Shiloh and hide in the vineyards near the festival.

Complete Jewish Bible
They ordered the men of Binyamin, "Go, hide in the vineyards,

Darby Translation
And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

George Lamsa Translation
So they commanded the Benjamites, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

Good News Translation
They told the Benjaminites, "Go and hide in the vineyards

Literal Translation
They commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, Go, and you shall lie in wait in the vineyards.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And they commaunded the children of BenIamin, & sayde: Go youre waye, and wayte in the vynyardes.

American Standard Version
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

Bible in Basic English
And they said to the men of Benjamin, Go into the vine-gardens, waiting there secretly,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therfore they commaunded the children of Beniamin, saying: Go, and lye in wayte in the vineyardes.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying: 'Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

King James Version (1611)
Therefore they commanded the children of Beniamin, saying, Goe and lie in wait in the vineyards.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they charged the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

English Revised Version
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

Berean Standard Bible
So they commanded the Benjamites: "Go, hide in the vineyards

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei comaundiden to the sones of Beniamyn, and seiden, Go ye, be ye hid in the vyneris;

Young's Literal Translation
And they command the sons of Benjamin, saying, `Go -- and ye have laid wait in the vineyards,

Update Bible Version
And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go, and lie in wait in the vineyards;

World English Bible
They commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

New King James Version
Therefore they instructed the children of Benjamin, saying, "Go, lie in wait in the vineyards,

New Living Translation
They told the men of Benjamin who still needed wives, "Go and hide in the vineyards.

New Life Bible
They told the men of Benjamin, "Go and hide in the grape-fields. Wait there

New Revised Standard
And they instructed the Benjaminites, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, - Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they commanded the children of Benjamin and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,

Revised Standard Version
And they commanded the Benjaminites, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

THE MESSAGE
So they told the Benjaminites, "Go and hide in the vineyards. Stay alert—when you see the Shiloh girls come out to dance the dances, run out of the vineyards, grab one of the Shiloh girls for your wife, and then hightail it back to the country of Benjamin. When their fathers or brothers come to lay charges against us, we'll tell them, ‘We did them a favor. After all we didn't go to war and kill to get wives for men. And it wasn't as if you were in on it by giving consent. But if you keep this up, you will incur blame.'"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ The elders of the Israelites said, "The women of the tribe of Benjamin have been killed. Where can we get wives for the men of Benjamin who are still alive? ¹⁷ The men of Benjamin who are still alive must have children to continue their families. This must be done so that a tribe in Israel will not die out! ¹⁸ But we cannot allow our daughters to marry the men of Benjamin. We have made this promise: ‘Bad things will happen to anyone who gives a wife to a man of Benjamin.' ¹⁹ We have an idea! This is the time for the festival of the Lord at the city of Shiloh. This festival is celebrated every year there." (The city of Shiloh is north of the city of Bethel and east of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem. And it is also to the south of the city of Lebonah.) ²⁰ So the elders told the men of Benjamin about their idea. They said, "Go and hide in the vineyards. ²¹ Watch for the time during the festival when the young women from Shiloh come out to join the dancing. Then run out from where you are hiding in the vineyards. Each of you should take one of the young women from the city of Shiloh. Take them to the land of Benjamin and marry them. ²² The fathers or brothers of the young women will come and complain to us. But we will say, ‘Be kind to the men of Benjamin. Let them marry the women. We could not get wives for each of them during the war. And you did not willingly give the women to the men of Benjamin, so you did not break your promise.'" ²³ So that is what the men of the tribe of Benjamin did. While the young women were dancing, each man caught one of them. They took them away and married them. Then they went back to their land. The men of Benjamin built cities again in that land, and they lived in them. ²⁴ Then the Israelites went home. They went to their own land and tribe. ²⁵ In those days the Israelites did not have a king, so everyone did whatever they thought was right.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 10:9
He was a great hunter before the Lord . That is why people compare other men to him and say, "That man is like Nimrod, a great hunter before the Lord ."

Genesis 16:12
Ishmael will be wild and free like a wild donkey. He will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will move from place to place and camp near his brothers."

Genesis 17:20
"You mentioned Ishmael, and I heard you. I will bless him, and he will have many children. He will be the father of twelve great leaders. His family will become a great nation.

Genesis 21:2
At exactly the time God said it would happen, Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age.

Genesis 21:3
Abraham named his son Isaac.

Genesis 21:23
So make a promise to me here before God. Promise that you will be fair with me and with my children. Promise that you will be kind to me and this country where you have lived. Promise that you will be as kind to me as I have been to you."

Genesis 21:24
And Abraham said, "I promise to treat you the same way you have treated me."

Genesis 21:25
Then Abraham complained to Abimelech because Abimelech's servants had captured a well of water.

Genesis 25:27
The boys grew up. Esau became a skilled hunter, who loved to be out in the fields. But Jacob was a quiet man, who stayed at home.

Genesis 27:3
So take your bow and arrows and go hunting. Kill an animal for me to eat.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin,.... The two hundred men of the tribe that wanted wives; they ordered them as follows, and which they spake with authority, being the elders of the congregation, Judges 21:16

saying, go and lie in wait in the vineyards; which might belong to Shiloh, or it may be to Lebonah, which perhaps is the same with Bethlaban, famous for its wine with the Misnic writers; who say g the second places for wine are Bethrimah and Bethlaban; and I suspect that Bethrimah is the same with Bethrimmon, near which was the rock Rimmon these men were in; now this being the time of year when the vintage was just over, the vines were full of branches and leaves, under which the men might the better hide themselves; and the grapes being gathered, there were no men in the vineyards, and so might lie in wait safely, and under cover.

g Misn. Menachot, c. 8. sect. 6.