Judges 21:23 net — The Benjaminites did as instructed. They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives. They went home to…

NET Bible

"The Benjaminites did as instructed. They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives. They went home to their own territory, rebuilt their cities, and settled down."

— Judges 21:23, NET Bible

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Judges 21:23 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.”

  • ASV

    “And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they carried off: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt in them. ”

  • WEB

    “The children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of those who danced, whom they carried off. They went and returned to their inheritance, built the cities, and lived in them.”

  • DRB

    “And the children of Benjamin did as they had been commanded: and, according to their number, they carried off for themselves every man his wife of them that were dancing: and they went into their possession, and built up their cities, and dwelt in them.”

  • BBE

    “So the men of Benjamin did this, and got wives for themselves for every one of their number, taking them away by force from the dance; then they went back to their heritage, building up their towns and living in them.”

  • KJVA

    “And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.”

Judges 21 — Context

20

So they commanded the Benjaminites,“Go hide in the vineyards,

21

and keep your eyes open. When you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to dance in the celebration, jump out from the vineyards. Each one of you, catch yourself a wife from among the daughters of Shiloh and then go home to the land of Benjamin.

22

When their fathers or brothers come and protest to us, we’ll say to them,“Do us a favor and let them be, for we could not get each one a wife through battle. Don’t worry about breaking your oath! You would only be guilty if you had voluntarily given them wives.’”

23

The Benjaminites did as instructed. They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives. They went home to their own territory, rebuilt their cities, and settled down.

24

Then the Israelites dispersed from there to their respective tribal and clan territories. Each went from there to his own property.

25

In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.

Judges 21:23 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Judges 21:23 say?
Judges 21:23 in the NET Bible reads: “The Benjaminites did as instructed. They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives. They went home to their own territory, rebuilt their cities, and settled down.”
Where is Judges 21:23 in the Bible?
Judges 21:23 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Judges, chapter 21, verse 23.
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 21:23.
What translation should I read Judges 21:23 in?
Judges 21:23 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 21:23?
Judges 21:23 reads (NET): “The Benjaminites did as instructed. They abducted two hundred of the dancing girls to be their wives. They went home to their own territory, rebuilt their cities, and settled down.” 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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