Judges 21:20 nasb — And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

NASB

"And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,"

— Judges 21:20, NASB

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Judges 21:20 in Other Translations

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Judges 21 — Context

17

They said, "There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel.

18

"But we cannot give them wives of our daughters." For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, "Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin."

19

So they said, "Behold, there is a feast of the LORD from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south side of Lebonah."

20

And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

21

and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

22

"It shall come about, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we shall say to them, 'Give them to us voluntarily, because we did not take for each man of Benjamin a wife in battle, nor did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.'"

23

The sons of Benjamin did so, and took wives according to their number from those who danced, whom they carried away. And they went and returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the cities and lived in them.

Judges 21:20 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Judges 21:20 say?
Judges 21:20 in the NASB reads: “And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,”
Where is Judges 21:20 in the Bible?
Judges 21:20 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Judges, chapter 21, verse 20.
Who wrote Judges?
Judges is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel). It was written c. 1050–1000 BC.
What is the book of Judges about?
Judges chronicles the cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance that defined Israel between Joshua and Samuel. Through twelve raised-up deliverers — including Deborah, Gideon, and Samson — God repeatedly rescues a people who keep doing what is right in their own eyes.
What are the major themes of Judges?
Judges explores themes including Apostasy, Deliverance, Cycles of Sin, Need for a King, Mercy. These themes shape the meaning and context of Judges 21:20.
What translation should I read Judges 21:20 in?
Judges 21:20 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Judges 21:20?
Judges 21:20 reads (NASB): “And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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