Thematic Bible: Refusing to join, often punished

And he took a yoke of oxen and hewed them in pieces and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whoever does not come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. Verse ConceptsGesturesHeraldKnivesAnimals Cut In PiecesUnified PeopleTerror Of God

And the sons of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that did not come up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning the one that would not come up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death. Verse ConceptsPeople Bound By Oaths

And they said, Is there anyone of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And they found that no one from Jabeshgilead had come to the camp nor to the assembly. For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there. Then the congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword with the women and the children. read more.
And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male and every woman that has lain with a man.