⁵ Then the Israelites asked, “Who from all the tribes of Israel^(A) has failed to assemble before the Lord?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah was to be put to death.

⁸ Then they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?” They discovered that no one from Jabesh Gilead^(A) had come to the camp for the assembly. ⁹ For when they counted the people, they found that none of the people of Jabesh Gilead were there.

¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ “This is what you are to do,” they said. “Kill every male^(B) and every woman who is not a virgin.^(C)”

⁷ He took a pair of oxen,^(A) cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel,^(B) proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone^(C) who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one.^(D)