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
In the Book of Judges, which describes a tumultuous period in Israel's history after the conquest of Canaan, the tribes were often led by judges rather than a centralized king, leading to cycles of sin, oppression, and deliverance. This specific verse occurs in the aftermath of a civil war against the tribe of Benjamin, where the other tribes had vowed not to give their daughters in marriage to Benjaminites, but then sought to preserve the tribe from extinction. As a result, they attacked Jabesh-gilead for not participating in the war, ordering the destruction of its inhabitants to secure wives for the surviving Benjaminites.
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