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Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Judges 21:10

So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: "Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Discipline;   Jabesh-Gilead;   Rashness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;   Benjamin, Tribe of;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jabesh;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gibeah;   Gilead;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Benjamin;   Jabesh-Gilead;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jabesh (1);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jabesh-Gilead;   Judges, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Benjamin;   Jabesh, Jabesh-Gilead;   Marriage;   Priests and Levites;   Samson;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Gibeah;   Jabesh;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ja'besh;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Valiant;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Jabesh;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The congregation sent twelve thousand brave warriors there and commanded them: “Go and kill the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword, including women and dependents.
Hebrew Names Version
The congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, Go and strike the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gil`ad with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
And the congregation sent there twelve thousand men from the troops, and they commanded them, saying, "Go, strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, and the women and children.
English Standard Version
So the congregation sent 12,000 of their bravest men there and commanded them, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword; also the women and the little ones.
New Century Version
So the whole group of Israelites sent twelve thousand soldiers to Jabesh Gilead to kill the people with their swords, even the women and children.
New English Translation
So the assembly sent 12,000 capable warriors against Jabesh Gilead. They commanded them, "Go and kill with your swords the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, including the women and little children.
Amplified Bible
And the congregation sent twelve thousand of the most courageous men there, and commanded them saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword, including the women and the children.
New American Standard Bible
And the congregation sent twelve thousand of the valiant warriors there, and commanded them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, along with the women and the children.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore the Congregation sent thither twelue thousande men of the most valiant, and commaunded them, saying, Goe, and smite the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, both women, and children.
Legacy Standard Bible
Toe stuur die vergadering daarheen twaalf duisend man uit die dapper manne en gee hulle bevel en sê: Gaan heen en slaan die inwoners van Jabes in Gílead met die skerpte van die swaard, ook die vroue en die kinders.
Contemporary English Version
So they sent twelve thousand warriors with these orders: "Attack Jabesh in Gilead and kill everyone, except the women who have never been married."
Complete Jewish Bible
So the gathering sent 12,000 warriors there and ordered them, "Go, and put the people who live in Yavesh-Gil‘ad to death with the sword, including women and children.
Darby Translation
And the assembly sent thither twelve thousand men of the most valiant and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead with the edge of the sword, and the women and the children.
Easy-to-Read Version
So the Israelites sent 12,000 soldiers to the city of Jabesh Gilead. They told the soldiers, "Go to Jabesh Gilead, and use your swords to kill everyone who lives there, even the women and children.
George Lamsa Translation
And the people sent thither twelve thousand of the bravest men, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, including the women and the children.
Good News Translation
So the assembly sent twelve thousand of their bravest men with the orders, "Go and kill everyone in Jabesh, including women and children.
Literal Translation
And the assembly sent twelve thousand men there of the mighty sons, and commanded them, saying, Go, and you shall strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the mouth of the sword, even the women and the little ones.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sent the congregacion twolue thousande men of armes thither, and commaunded them, and sayde: Go youre waye, and smite the citesyns of Iabes in Gilead with the swerde, the wemen also and the children,
American Standard Version
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
Bible in Basic English
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the congregation sent thyther twelue thousand men of the strongest, and commaunded them, saying: Go, and smyte the inhabitauntes of Iabes Gilead with the edge of the sworde, both women and children.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying: 'Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
King James Version (1611)
And the congregation sent thither twelue thousand men of the valiantest, and commaunded them, saying, Goe, and smite the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the strongest, and they charged them, saying, Go ye and smite the inhabitants of Jabis Galaad with the edge of the sword.
English Revised Version
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor thei senten ten thousynde strongeste men, and comaundiden to hem, Go ye, and smyte the dwelleris of Jabes of Galaad bi the scharpnesse of swerd, as wel the wyues as `the litle children of hem.
Young's Literal Translation
And the company send there twelve thousand men of the sons of valour, and command them, saying, `Go -- and ye have smitten the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead by the mouth of the sword, even the women and the infants.
Update Bible Version
And the congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the valiant, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
World English Bible
The congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
New King James Version
So the congregation sent out there twelve thousand of their most valiant men, and commanded them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, including the women and children.
New Living Translation
So the assembly sent 12,000 of their best warriors to Jabesh-gilead with orders to kill everyone there, including women and children.
New Life Bible
The people sent 12,000 powerful soldiers to go there. They told them, "Go and kill the people of Jabesh-gilead with the sword. Kill the women and the children also.
New Revised Standard
So the congregation sent twelve thousand soldiers there and commanded them, "Go, put the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead to the sword, including the women and the little ones.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So the assembly sent thither twelve thousand men, of the sons of valour, - and commanded them, saying: - Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, with the edge of the sword, with the women, and the little ones.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So they sent ten thousand of the most valiant men, and commanded them, saying: Go and put the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad to the sword, with their wives and their children.
Revised Standard Version
So the congregation sent thither twelve thousand of their bravest men, and commanded them, "Go and smite the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'ead with the edge of the sword; also the women and the little ones.
THE MESSAGE
So the congregation sent twelve divisions of their top men there with the command, "Kill everyone of Jabesh Gilead, including women and children. These are your instructions: Every man and woman who has had sexual intercourse you must kill. But keep the virgins alive." And that's what they did.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And the congregation sent 12,000 of the valiant warriors there, and commanded them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.

Contextual Overview

1Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, "Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite." 2So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly. 3"Why, O LORD God of Israel," they cried out, "has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!" 4The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5The Israelites asked, "Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?" For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death. 6And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, "Today a tribe is cut off from Israel. 7What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?" 8So they asked, "Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?" And in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly. 9For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there. 10So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: "Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Go and smite: As they had sworn to destroy those who would not assist in the war - Judges 21:5, they determined to destroy the men of Jabesh, and to leave none except the virgins; and to give these to the 600; Benjamites who had escaped to the rock of Rimmon. The whole account is dreadful. The crime of the men of Gibeah was of the deepest dye; the punishment involving both the guilty and innocent, was extended to the most criminal excess, and their mode of remedying the evil they had occasioned was equally abominable. Judges 21:5, Judges 5:23, Deuteronomy 13:15, Joshua 7:24, 1 Samuel 11:7, 1 Samuel 15:3

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
But God replied, "Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
Genesis 17:21
But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year."
Genesis 20:11
Abraham replied, "I thought to myself, 'Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.'
Genesis 21:6
Then Sarah said, "God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me."
Genesis 21:7
She added, "Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
Genesis 21:11
Now this matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son Ishmael.
Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.
Genesis 21:22
At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do.
Genesis 21:31
So that place was called Beersheba, because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.
Genesis 22:10
Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest,.... That were in their army; in the Vulgate Latin version it is only 10,000; but the Targum, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, and Josephus c, agree with the Hebrew text. This place, according to Bunting, to which this army was sent, was fifty two miles from Shiloh d:

and commanded them, saying; these were the orders they gave them, when they marched out:

go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children; which it seems was according to the oath they had made, Judges 21:5.

c Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 10.) d Travels, &c. p. 121.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the congregation sent 12,000 men - A thousand from each tribe; they followed the precedent of Numbers 31:4.


 
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