The Judges & Ruth

Also they saide, Is there any of the tribes of Israel that came not vp to Mizpeh to the Lord? and beholde, there came none of Iabesh Gilead vnto the hoste and to the Congregation.

For when the people were vewed; beholde, none of the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead were there.

Therefore the Congregation sent thither twelue thousande men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, Goe, and smite the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, both women, and children.

And this is it that ye shall do: ye shall vtterly destroye all the males and all the women that haue lien by men.

And they found among the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead foure hundreth maides, virgins that had knowne no man by lying with any male: and they brought them vnto the hoste to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

Then the whole Congregation sent and spake with the children of Beniamin that were in the rocke of Rimmon, and called peaceably vnto them:

And Beniamin came againe at that time, and they gaue them wiues which they had saued aliue of the women of Iabesh Gilead: but they had not so ynough for them.

And the people were sorie for Beniamin, because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

Therefore the Elders of the Congregation said, How shall we doe for wiues to the remnant? for the women of Beniamin are destroyed.

And they saide, there must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Beniamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

Howbeit we may not giue them wiues of our daughters: for the childre of Israel had sworne, saying, Cursed be he that giueth a wise to Beniamin.

Therefore they said, Beholde, there is a feast of the Lord euery yere in Shiloh in a place, which is on the Northside of Beth-el, and on the Eastside of the way that goeth vp from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the South of Lebonah.

Therefore they commanded the children of Beniamin, saying, Goe, and lye in waite in the vineyardes.

And when ye see that the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catche you euery man a wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and goe into the land of Beniamin.

And when their fathers or their brethren come vnto vs to complaine, we wil say vnto them, Haue pitie on them for our sakes, because we reserued not to eche man his wife in the warre, and because ye haue not giuen vnto them hitherto, ye haue sinned.

And the children of Beniamin did so, and tooke wiues of them that danced according to their nomber: which they tooke, and went away, and returned to their inheritance, and repaired the cities and dwelt in them.

So the children of Israel departed thence at that time, euery man to his tribe, and to his familie, and went out from thence euery man to his inheritance.

In those dayes there was no King in Israel, but euery man did that which was good in his eyes.

In the time that the Iudges ruled, there was a dearth in the lande, and a man of Beth-lehem Iudah went for to soiourne in the countrey of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sonnes.

And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi: and the names of his two sonnes, Mahlon, and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem Iudah: and when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there.

Then Elimelech the husband of Naomi died, and she remayned with her two sonnes,

Which tooke them wiues of the Moabites: the ones name was Orpah, and the name of ye other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten yeeres.

And Mahlon and Chilion dyed also both twaine: so the woman was left destitute of her two sonnes, and of her husband.

Then she arose with her daughters in law, and returned from the countrey of Moab: for she had heard say in the countrey of Moab, that the Lord had visited his people, and giuen them bread.

Wherefore shee departed out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her, and they went on their way to returne vnto the land of Iudah.