Judges 21:20

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.'"

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;

Easy-to-Read Version
So the elders told the men of Benjamin about their idea. They said, "Go and hide 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,

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

Contextual Overview

¹⁶The elders of the congregation said, "How can we get wives for the rest of the men, since all the Benjaminite women have been killed? How can we keep the inheritance alive for the Benjaminite survivors? How can we prevent an entire tribe from extinction? We certainly can't give our own daughters to them as wives." (Remember, the Israelites had taken the oath: "Cursed is anyone who provides a wife to Benjamin.") ¹⁹ Then they said, "There is that festival of God held every year in Shiloh. It's north of Bethel, just east of the main road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem and a little south of Lebonah." ²⁰So 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.'" ²³ And that's what the Benjaminites did: They carried off girls from the dance, wives enough for their number, got away, and went home to their inheritance. They rebuilt their towns and settled down. ²⁴ From there the People of Israel dispersed, each man heading back to his own tribe and clan, each to his own plot of land. ²⁵ At that time there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 17:20
"And Ishmael? Yes, I heard your prayer for him. I'll also bless him; I'll make sure he has plenty of children—a huge family. He'll father twelve princes; I'll make him a great nation. But I'll establish my covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will give you about this time next year."

Genesis 21:24
Abraham said, "I swear it."

Genesis 21:25
At the same time, Abraham confronted Abimelech over the matter of a well of water that Abimelech's servants had taken. Abimelech said, "I have no idea who did this; you never told me about it; this is the first I've heard of it."

Genesis 25:27
The boys grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob was a quiet man preferring life indoors among the tents. Isaac loved Esau because he loved his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Luke 1:80
The child grew up, healthy and spirited. He lived out in the desert until the day he made his prophetic debut in Israel.

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.