Thematic Bible: Refusing to join, often punished

He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever doesn't come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." The dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man. Verse ConceptsGesturesHeraldKnivesAnimals Cut In PiecesUnified PeopleTerror Of God

The children of Israel said, "Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up in the assembly to the LORD?" For they had made a great oath concerning anyone who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely be put to death." Verse ConceptsPeople Bound By Oaths

They said, "What one is there of the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah?" Behold, no one came to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly. For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead there. The congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones. read more.
This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has slept with a man."