^{5 Ref} And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel, who did not come up to the Lord at the meeting of all Israel? For they had taken a great oath that whoever did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord was to be put to death.

^{6 Ref} And the children of Israel were moved with pity for Benjamin their brother, saying, Today one tribe has been cut off from Israel.

^{7 Ref} What are we to do about wives for those who are still living? For we have taken an oath by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters for wives.

^{8 Ref} And they said, Which one of the tribes of Israel did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord? And it was seen that no one had come from Jabesh-gilead to the meeting.

⁹ For when the people were numbered, not one man of the people of Jabesh-gilead was present.

^{10 Ref} So they (the meeting) sent twelve thousand of the best fighting-men, and gave them orders, saying, Go and put the people of Jabesh-gilead to the sword without mercy, with their women and their little ones.

^{11 Ref} And this is what you are to do: every male, and every woman who has had sex relations with a man, you are to put to the curse, but you are to keep safe the virgins. And they did so.