4. Early the next morning the people built an altar there, offered fellowship sacrifices and burnt some sacrifices whole.
5. They asked, “Is there any group out of all the tribes of Israel that did not go to the gathering in the Lord's presence at Mizpah?” (They had taken a solemn oath that anyone who had not gone to Mizpah would be put to death.)
6. The people of Israel felt sorry for their brothers the Benjaminites and said, “Today Israel has lost one of its tribes.
7. What shall we do to provide wives for the men of Benjamin who are left? We have made a solemn promise to the Lord that we will not give them any of our daughters.”
8. When they asked if there was some group out of the tribes of Israel that had not gone to the gathering at Mizpah, they found out that no one from Jabesh in Gilead had been there;
9. at the roll call of the army no one from Jabesh had responded.
10. So the assembly sent 12,000 of their bravest men with the orders, “Go and kill everyone in Jabesh, including the women and children.