1 The men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, saying, “None of us will give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.”
2 And the people of Bethel came and sat there until evening before God, and they lifted their voices and wept bitterly.
3 And they said, “Why, Yahweh, God of Israel, has it happened today in Israel that one tribe is lacking from Israel?”
4 On the next day the people rose early, and they built there an altar and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
5 And the Israelites said, “Who in the assembly has not come up from all the tribes of Israel to Yahweh?” For a solemn oath was taken concerning whoever did not come up to Yahweh at Mizpah, saying, “He will certainly be put to death.”
6 But the Israelites had compassion for Benjamin, their relatives, and they said, “Today one tribe is cut off from Israel.
7 What will we do for them—for the ones being left over—for wives? For we have sworn by Yahweh not to give to them our daughters as wives.”