Bible Strands
Judges 21:11
This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Israelite congregation issues a military command to twelve thousand valiant men dispatched to Jabesh-gilead. This order is given after the assembly's oath to withhold wives for Benjamin and immediately before the execution of the slaughter.
The words — The directive opens with זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּ (zeh ha-davar asher ta'asu), literally "this is the thing which you will do." It then specifies כָּל־זָכָר וְ/כָל־אִשָּׁה (kol-zakar ve-khol-ishah), meaning "every male and every woman."
The thread — The command mirrors the conquest mandates of Numbers 31:17 and Deuteronomy 2:34, where total destruction of opposing populations is explicitly ordered. This pattern establishes a consistent biblical precedent for devoting conquered cities to complete ruin.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate compliance with a decree that leaves no exceptions for gender or age. It forces the reader to confront the unvarnished reality of ancient Israel's covenant warfare without softening its severity.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
Cross-references
- Numbers 31:17 So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man,
- Deuteronomy 2:34 At that time we captured all his cities and devoted to destruction the people of every city, including women and children. We left no survivors.