Judges 21:20

The NET Bible®

So they commanded the Benjaminites, "Go 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.

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,

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 leaders of the assembly said, "How can we find wives for those who are left? After all, the Benjaminite women have been wiped out. ¹⁷ The remnant of Benjamin must be preserved. An entire Israelite tribe should not be wiped out. ¹⁸ But we can't allow our daughters to marry them, for the Israelites took an oath, saying, ‘Whoever gives a woman to a Benjaminite will be destroyed!' ¹⁹ However, there is an annual festival to the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel (east of the main road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem) and south of Lebonah." ²⁰ So they commanded the Benjaminites, "Go hide in the vineyards, ²¹ and keep your eyes open. When you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to dance in the celebration, jump out from the vineyards. Each one of you, catch yourself a wife from among the daughters of Shiloh and then go home to the land of Benjamin. ²² When their fathers or brothers come and protest to us, we'll say to them, "Do us a favor and let them be, for we could not get each one a wife through battle. Don't worry about breaking your oath! You would only be guilty if you had voluntarily given them wives.'" ²³ The Benjaminites did as instructed. They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives. They went home to their own territory, rebuilt their cities, and settled down. ²⁴ Then the Israelites dispersed from there to their respective tribal and clan territories. Each went from there to his own property. ²⁵ In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 10:9
He was a mighty hunter before the Lord . (That is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord .")

Genesis 16:12
He will be a wild donkey of a man. He will be hostile to everyone, and everyone will be hostile to him. He will live away from his brothers."

Genesis 17:20
As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes; I will make him into a great nation.

Genesis 21:2
So Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him.

Genesis 21:3
Abraham named his son—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac.

Genesis 21:23
Now swear to me right here in God's name that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. Show me, and the land where you are staying, the same loyalty that I have shown you."

Genesis 21:24
Abraham said, "I swear to do this."

Genesis 21:25
But Abraham lodged a complaint against Abimelech concerning a well that Abimelech's servants had seized.

Genesis 25:27
When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents.

Genesis 27:3
Therefore, take your weapons—your quiver and your bow—and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game for me.

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.