Judges 21 10

Judges 21:10 kjv

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.

Judges 21:10 nkjv

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.

Judges 21:10 niv

So the assembly sent twelve thousand fighting men with instructions to go to Jabesh Gilead and put to the sword those living there, including the women and children.

Judges 21:10 esv

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.

Judges 21:10 nlt

So the assembly sent 12,000 of their best warriors to Jabesh-gilead with orders to kill everyone there, including women and children.

Judges 21 verses

Judges 21 10 Meaning

Judges 21:10 records the command given by the assembled Israelites to a select force of twelve thousand valiant men. Their mission was to launch a full-scale assault on the city of Jabesh-gilead, mercilessly striking down all its inhabitants with the sword, explicitly including women and young children. This horrific decree stemmed from Jabesh-gilead's failure to participate in the recent tribal war against Benjamin, an omission viewed by the other tribes as a grave offense meriting extreme punitive action, all to procure virgins as wives for the surviving Benjamites.

Judges 21 10 Context

Judges chapter 21 concludes one of the darkest narratives in the Bible, depicting the chaos and moral decline of Israel during the period when "there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Jdg 21:25). The preceding chapters (19-20) detail the abhorrent sexual assault and murder of the Levite's concubine in Gibeah of Benjamin, leading to a tribal war where the other eleven tribes sought vengeance, nearly annihilating the tribe of Benjamin. Only 600 Benjamite men survived.

Chapter 21 begins with the other tribes regretting their harsh actions, especially since they had sworn a solemn oath not to give their daughters as wives to Benjamin (Jdg 21:1). This left Benjamin without wives and facing extinction. To resolve this self-imposed crisis, the elders devised a plan: first, to punish any tribe that failed to join the punitive assembly at Mizpah, then to offer their virgin women as wives for the surviving Benjamites. Jabesh-gilead was identified as the sole city that did not answer the call to Mizpah (Jdg 21:8-9), making them the immediate target for this extreme, ethnically brutal "solution" to their covenantal dilemma. The act, therefore, is rooted in a perverse combination of tribal vengeance, a rash oath, and a pragmatic yet horrific quest to save one of Israel's tribes from extinction.

Judges 21 10 Word analysis

• So the congregation (וַתִּשְׁלַח הָעֵדָה - wat-tišlaḥ hā-ʿēdâ):
  • Congregation (הָעֵדָה - hā-ʿēdâ): This Hebrew term denotes a formal assembly, particularly the Israelite community gathered for deliberation or action, often with a sense of authority or divine presence. Its use here indicates that this decision was a collective, sanctioned tribal resolution, not an individual act. However, despite its formal nature, the assembly's moral judgment was severely compromised by the lack of divine guidance during this era.
• sent (וַתִּשְׁלַח - wat-tišlaḥ): The verb means "to send forth," indicating a deliberate commission and deployment of forces. It conveys authority and intentionality in their chosen course of action.
• twelve thousand (שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֶלֶף - šᵊnêm ʿāśār ʾelep̄): This specific number is symbolic of Israel's tribal structure (12 tribes) and represents a significant, organized military force. It suggests a thorough and overwhelming execution of their command, indicating the gravity and extent of their intended destruction.
• of their most valiant men (מִבְּנֵי הֶחָיִל - mi-b'nê he-ḥayil):
  • Valiant men (בְּנֵי הֶחָיִל - b'nê he-ḥayil, literally "sons of might" or "sons of valor"): These were elite warriors, chosen for their strength, courage, and military prowess. Their selection for this task underscores the demanding and brutal nature of the mission.
• and commanded them, saying (וַיְצַוּוּ אֹתָם לֵאמֹר - way-ṣawwû ʾōṯām lēʾmōr): This indicates a formal, explicit, and binding order. It emphasizes that the soldiers were acting under direct instruction from the collective leadership, highlighting the responsibility of the entire congregation for the impending atrocity.
• Go and strike (לְכוּ וְהִכִּיתֶם - lᵊḵū wᵊhikkîtem): The command is direct and unequivocal, to initiate lethal action. "Strike" often means to smite or kill decisively in military contexts.
• the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead (אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵי יָבֵישׁ גִּלְעָד - ʾeṯ yōšᵊḇê Yāḇêš Gilʿāḏ): Jabesh-gilead was an Israelite city east of the Jordan River. Their crime was not participating in the tribal war against Benjamin, a perceived slight against the tribal covenant. This selective targeting based on internal Israelite conflict shows a dark progression from God-ordained warfare against pagan enemies to self-devised retribution within Israel.
• with the edge of the sword (לְפִי־חָרֶב - lᵊpî-ḥereḇ, literally "to the mouth of the sword"): This is a common Hebrew idiom denoting complete annihilation by slaughter, often associated with herem warfare, where everything living is devoted to destruction. Its use here suggests total mercilessness.
• including the women and children (וְאֶת־הַנָּשִׁים וְאֶת־הַטַּף - wəʾeṯ han-nāšîm wəʾeṯ haṭ-ṭaᵓp̄):
  • Women (הַנָּשִׁים - han-nāšîm) and children (הַטַּף - haṭ-ṭaᵓp̄): The inclusion of women and particularly "children" (which often means young, nursing infants and toddlers) is chilling. In divinely commanded herem warfare, the instruction was to eliminate those who might lead Israel into idolatry (Deut 20:16-18). However, this specific act against an Israelite town, driven by a self-made oath and pragmatic human desire, perverts the very nature of God's commands. It highlights the extent of Israel's moral depravity and the absence of a righteous king or divine direction.

• Word Group Analysis:
  • "The congregation sent twelve thousand of their most valiant men": This phrase conveys a unified, powerful, and deliberate military action. The assembly's authority and determination are clearly emphasized, showcasing a tribal consensus, albeit a misguided one.
  • "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword—including the women and children": This is the core command, emphasizing total, ruthless annihilation without mercy, extending even to the most vulnerable. It exposes the brutal and inhumane methods adopted by Israel in their fallen state, illustrating how far they deviated from divine justice and compassion. The contrast with God's law regarding non-combatants in some contexts (e.g., Deut 20:14) is stark.

Judges 21 10 Bonus section

This incident in Judges 21:10, along with the subsequent kidnapping of women from Shiloh (Jdg 21:19-23), serves as a severe example of the theological point of the book of Judges: the urgent need for a righteous king in Israel who would lead the people according to God's law, contrasting sharply with the chaotic leadership and moral decay that characterized the period. The horrific events highlight how perverted human interpretation of covenant obligations and desperate attempts at problem-solving can lead to widespread sin and violence, deviating completely from God's character and commands regarding life, justice, and compassion. The very actions intended to "save" Benjamin stained the entire congregation with bloodshed and cruelty against their own brethren, showcasing how human self-will invariably leads to destruction rather than true preservation.

Judges 21 10 Commentary

Judges 21:10 stands as a grim testament to Israel's moral abyss in the absence of a righteous, divinely appointed leader. This verse records a humanly devised solution to a humanly created problem—a rash vow leading to the near-extinction of Benjamin. To remedy this, the other tribes committed an atrocity by applying the principles of herem warfare, typically reserved for Canaanite idolaters by divine command, to a fellow Israelite city. The command to slaughter Jabesh-gilead's inhabitants, explicitly including women and young children, reveals a complete breakdown of covenantal love and an alarming descent into pragmatic ruthlessness. The lives of innocents were expendable for the sake of political expediency and the preservation of a tribal lineage. This action reflects an "end justifies the means" mentality, directly contradicting God's justice and compassion, where human judgment supplanted divine wisdom. It underscores the recurring theme of the book of Judges: "everyone did what was right in his own eyes," leading to cycles of sin, suffering, and societal breakdown. This narrative is descriptive, not prescriptive, showing the dire consequences when a people abandon divine guidance for their own corrupt counsel.