And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
So the assembly sent twelve thousand of their bravest warriors there, commanding them: 'Go and kill all the people living in Jabesh-gilead with the sword—including the women and children.'
The Israelite leaders sent their strongest fighters to completely destroy the city of Jabesh-gilead, killing everyone there including women and children.
📚 Historical Context
This comes from one of the darkest periods in Israel's history, during the civil war against the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites had made a rash vow that anyone who didn't join their fight would be destroyed, and Jabesh-gilead had failed to participate. This represents the brutal warfare practices of the ancient Near East and shows how far Israel had fallen from God's intended ways during the period when 'everyone did what was right in their own eyes.'
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