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.
Ver. 10. Of the valiantest.] Heb., Of the sons of valour; such as were those duo fulmina belli, the two Scipios.
With the women and the children.] Why, what had those poor sheep done, that they must be slaughtered? a This is surely Exemplum nimiae severitatis saevientis in innocentes, as Piscator noteth: an excess of severity, raging against innocents that could not resist. Egregiam vero laudem! Surely, if these men had rightly repented of their cruelty toward the Benjamites, as they even now pretended, those of Jabeshgilead had found more mercy. David had not yet recovered his foul fall, when he dealt so cruelly with the Ammonites. 2Sa 12:31
a Here again rash zeal outruns right reason.