Judges 21:12 — Meaning and Application

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.

And this {is} the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man. {hath lain...: Heb. knoweth the lying with man}

And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which {is} in the land of Canaan. {young...: Heb. young women virgins}

And the whole congregation sent {some} to speak to the children of Benjamin that {were} in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them. {to speak...: Heb. and spake and called} {call...: or, proclaim peace}

And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.