For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
When they counted the people, they discovered that none of the people from Jabesh-gilead were there.
The writer is explaining that when the Israelites took attendance, they noticed that no one from the town of Jabesh-gilead had shown up.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Judges, during a time of moral and social chaos in ancient Israel before the establishment of the monarchy, the tribes had just concluded a brutal civil war against the tribe of Benjamin over a grave sin in Gibeah. As the Israelites assembled to assess the damage and make decisions for the future, they conducted a census and discovered that the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead had not participated in the gathering or the conflict. This absence highlighted the risks of tribal isolation in a covenant community, leading to further actions by the Israelites to address the consequences.
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