1. The men of Israel had taken this oath in Mizpah: “None of us will ever let our daughters marry anyone from Benjamin.”
2. The people went to Bethel and sat there in the presence of God until evening. They cried very loudly,
3. “Lord God of Israel, why has this happened among us? Why should one tribe be missing today in Israel?”
4. The next day the people got up early. They built an altar there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.
5. The people asked, “Is there any family from Israel that did not take part in the assembly in the presence of the Lord?” They had taken a solemn oath that whoever had not come into the presence of the Lord at Mizpah must be put to death.
6. The people of Israel felt sorry for their close relatives, the men of Benjamin. They said, “Today one tribe has been excluded from Israel.
7. What will we do to provide wives for the men who are left? We swore to the Lord that we would not let any of our daughters marry them.”
8. Then they asked, “Is there any family from Israel that did not come into the presence of the Lord at Mizpah?” No one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the assembly in the camp.
9. So they questioned the people, and there was no one there from Jabesh Gilead.
10. The congregation sent 12,000 soldiers. They ordered them, “Go and kill the people of Jabesh Gilead, including the women and children.