This is what you shall do is literally “And this [is] the thing that you should do.” This verse explains in more detail what the warriors are to do. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version omit this clause. However, keeping it underlines the fact that these are precise orders from the Israelite community to the warriors. We might also say “These are your orders.”

Every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall utterly destroy: Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew word order by beginning with every male and every woman. The first phrase every male brings to mind the Egyptian king’s order to kill all the male babies born of Hebrew women (Exo 1.16). The fact that it comes from Israelites, giving orders to kill other Israelites, means Israel has reached one of the lowest, if not the lowest point, in its history. The Hebrew word for male (zakar) is not found often in this book (only in verse 21.11-12). It is used here to distinguish males from females. While some of the women are spared, no male is to be left alive.

Every woman that has lain with a male is literally “every woman knowing the bed of a male.” This is a euphemism or polite way to refer to any woman who is no longer a virgin. All married women and any others who had had sexual relations were to be killed. The relative clause that has lain with a male applies only to every woman and not to every male. For the Hebrew verb rendered has lain, see verse 11.39, where it is translated “had … known.” Translators should look for natural ways in their language to express this notion. Contemporary English Version says “kill everyone, except the women who have never been married,” but this rendering does not reflect the text accurately, since it is possible that some women who were not married were not virgins. Thus Revised English Bible is more correct by saying “put to death every male person, and every woman who has had intercourse with a man.”

You shall utterly destroy renders the Hebrew verb (charam) that is connected to the concept of “holy war,” which is seen in the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua. See also verse 1.17, where the same verb is used in relation to the Canaanite city of Zephath. In the history of Israel, items or people captured during battle were considered “set apart for” or “devoted to” Yahweh, which meant they were never to be taken as spoils and to be completely destroyed. Revised Standard Version regularly renders this verb as “utterly destroy,” an emphatic phrase that might serve as a model. Many versions simply say “kill” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), but this does not seem strong enough. Perhaps the addition of an expression such as “without exception” will show the seriousness of the order here. A footnote reference to verse 6.18 may be helpful to readers.

This order preserves the lives of the virgins of the city, who will serve as brides for the 600 surviving Benjaminite soldiers. Again this is quite ironic, since the rest of the inhabitants of Jabesh are to be killed in punishment for not sending warriors to fight against these same people, the Benjaminites. The order does show to what lengths the Israelites are willing to go to make amends for the damages done during the civil war. Ironically, they do not realize that their means of repairing the damage are equally evil. The downward spiral continues.

At the end of this verse some manuscripts of the ver Septuagintver* add “ ‘but spare any who are virgins.’ This they did” (Revised English Bible). However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends following the Hebrew text, which it gives a {B} rating.

A translation model for this verse is:

• These are your orders: Without exception, you must put to death every male and every woman who is not a virgin.”

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .