Page 429 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

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APRIL 27
men in ambush was that they would make a who remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD
great cloud of smoke rise up from the city, that we will not give them our daughters as
39 whereupon the men of Israel would turn in wives?”
battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and 8 And they said, “What one is there from the
kill about thirty of the men of Israel. For they tribes of Israel who did not come up to Mizpah
said, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in to the LORD?” And, in fact, no one had come to
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the first battle.” But when the cloud began to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly.
rise from the city in a column of smoke, the 9 For when the people were counted, indeed,
Benjamites looked behind them, and there not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead
10
was the whole city going up in smoke to heav- was there. So the congregation sent out there
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en. And when the men of Israel turned back, twelve thousand of their most valiant men, and
the men of Benjamin panicked, for they saw commanded them, saying, “Go and strike the
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that disaster had come upon them. Therefore inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of
they turned their backs before the men of Is- the sword, including the women and children.
rael in the direction of the wilderness; but the 11 And this is the thing that you shall do: You
battle overtook them, and whoever came out shall utterly destroy every male, and every
of the cities they destroyed in their midst. woman who has known a man intimately.” So
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43 They surrounded the Benjamites, chased they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh
them, and easily trampled them down as far as Gilead four hundred young virgins who had
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the front of Gibeah toward the east. And not known a man intimately; and they brought
eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell; all them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the
these were men of valor. Then they turned land of Canaan.
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and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of 13 Then the whole congregation sent word to
Rimmon; and they cut down five thousand of the children of Benjamin who were at the rock
them on the highways. Then they pursued of Rimmon, and announced peace to them.
them relentlessly up to Gidom, and killed two 14 So Benjamin came back at that time, and
thousand of them. So all who fell of Benjamin they gave them the women whom they had
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that day were twenty-five thousand men who saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead;
drew the sword; all these were men of valor. and yet they had not found enough for them.
47 But six hundred men turned and fled 15 And the people grieved for Benjamin,
toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, because the LORD had made a void in the
and they stayed at the rock of Rimmon for four tribes of Israel.
months. And the men of Israel turned back 16 Then the elders of the congregation said,
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against the children of Benjamin, and struck “What shall we do for wives for those who
them down with the edge of the sword—from remain, since the women of Benjamin have
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every city, men and beasts, all who were found. been destroyed?” And they said, “There must
They also set fire to all the cities they came to. be an inheritance for the survivors of Benja-
Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath min, that a tribe may not be destroyed from Is-
21at Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give rael. However, we cannot give them wives
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his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.” Then the from our daughters, for the children of Israel
people came to the house of God, and have sworn an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the one
remained there before God till evening. They who gives a wife to Benjamin.’ ” Then they
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lifted up their voices and wept bitterly, and said, “In fact, there is a yearly feast of the LORD
said, “O LORD God of Israel, why has this in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east
come to pass in Israel, that today there should side of the highway that goes up from Bethel
be one tribe missing in Israel?” to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
4 So it was, on the next morning, that the peo- 20 Therefore they instructed the children of
ple rose early and built an altar there, and Benjamin, saying, “Go, lie in wait in the vine-
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offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. yards, and watch; and just when the daugh-
5 The children of Israel said, “Who is there ters of Shiloh come out to perform their
among all the tribes of Israel who did not come dances, then come out from the vineyards,
up with the assembly to the LORD?” For they and every man catch a wife for himself from
had made a great oath concerning anyone who the daughters of Shiloh; then go to the land of
had not come up to the LORD at Mizpah, saying, Benjamin. Then it shall be, when their
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“He shall surely be put to death.” And the chil- fathers or their brothers come to us to com-
dren of Israel grieved for Benjamin their broth- plain, that we will say to them, ‘Be kind to
er, and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel them for our sakes, because we did not take a
today. What shall we do for wives for those wife for any of them in the war; for it is not as
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