How shall I deal with thee, O Ephraim, shall I protect thee, O Israel? how shall I make thee as Adama, shall I set thee as Seboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentance is stirred up.
And Abner cried out to Joab, and said: Shall thy sword rage unto utter destruction? Knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive people to despair? How long dost thou defer to bid the people cease from pursuing after their brethren?
Yet so that they first went up and wept before the Lord until night, and consulted him, and said: Shall I go out any more to fight against the children of Benjamin my brethren, or not? And he answered them: Go up against them, and join battle.
And when he saw her, he rent his garments, and said: Alas! my daughter, thou hast deceived me, and thou thyself art deceived: for I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I can do no other thing.
Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the army of the Lord? For they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were in Maspha, that whosoever were wanting should be slain.