Judges 21:11

11 These are your instructions: Every man and woman who has had sexual intercourse you must kill. But keep the virgins alive." And that's what they did.

Judges 21:11 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 21:11

And this is the thing that ye shall do
Which they gave them in charge to execute:

ye shall utterly destroy every male;
without any reserve, young or old, married or unmarried:

and every woman that hath lain by man;
whether lawfully or unlawfully, in a married or unmarried state.

Judges 21:11 In-Context

9 When they took a roll call of the people, not a single person from Jabesh Gilead was there.
10 So the congregation sent twelve divisions of their top men there with the command, "Kill everyone of Jabesh Gilead, including women and children.
11 These are your instructions: Every man and woman who has had sexual intercourse you must kill. But keep the virgins alive." And that's what they did.
12 And they found 400 virgins among those who lived in Jabesh Gilead; they had never had sexual intercourse with a man. And they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Then the congregation sent word to the Benjaminites who were at the Rimmon Rock and offered them peace.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.