Study Desk

and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing before it in those days, saying: Shall I yet again go forth to battle, against the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I forbear? And Yahweh said - Go up, for, to-morrow, will I deliver him into thy hand.

So, when the men of Israel turned in the battle, - and, the Benjamites, began to smite and slay of the sons of Israel, about thirty men, for they said, Yea! they are, smitten, before us, as in the first battle,

And, when, the men of Israel, turned, then were the men of Benjamin dismayed, - for they saw that disaster had overtaken them.

And, when they turned before the men of Israel unto the way of the desert, the battle, over took them, - while, as for them that came out of the cities, they began to destroy them in their midst: -

And the sons of Israel said, Who was there that came not up, in the convocation, out of all the tribes of Israel, unto Yahweh? For, the great oath, had been taken, as to any who came not up unto Yahweh at Mizpah, saying - He shall be, put to death.

And the sons of Israel grieved for Benjamin, their brother, - and they said, There is cut off, to-day, one tribe out of Israel.

What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, - seeing that, we ourselves, have sworn by Yahweh, not to give them of our daughters, for wives?

So Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, - but they found not for them to suffice , even so.

Now, the assembly, had grieved for Benjamin, - because Yahweh had made a breach, in the tribes of Israel.

So then, the elders of the assembly said, What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, - for womankind, hath been destroyed out of Benjamin?

And they said, There is an inheritance for the escaped of Benjamin, - and there must not be wiped out, a tribe, out of Israel.

Yet, we, may not give them wives, of our own daughters, For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed, be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

And it shall be, when their fathers, or their brethren, come in to complain to us, that we will say unto them - As a favour to us, grant them, because we took not for each man his wife in the battle, - for, ye yourselves, gave them not unto them, so as, now, to be guilty.

Then she arose, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned out of the country of Moab, - for she had heard, in the country of Moab, how that Yahweh had visited his people, in giving unto them, bread.

Go back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband, - If I should say, I have, hope, if I should, even to-night have a husband, and should, even bear sons,

would ye, therefore, tarry until they were grown? would ye, therefore, shut yourselves up from having husbands? Nay! my daughters, for it is far more bitter for me than for you, that forth hath gone against me, the hand of Yahweh.

And Ruth said - Do not urge me to leave thee, to go back from following thee, - for, whither thou goest, I will go, and, where thou lodgest, I will lodge, thy people, shall be my people, and, thy God, my God;

And she said unto them, Do not call me Naomi, - call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me:

and she said - Let me glean, I pray thee, and gather among the sheaves, after the reapers; so she came in, and hath continued from that time, all the morning until just now, and hath not rested in the house, for a little.

And she said - Let me find favour in thine eyes, my lord, for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken unto the heart of thy handmaid, - though, I, be not as, one of thine own handmaidens.