^17 (A)Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man ^[a]intimately.

⁷ He then took a yoke of oxen and ^(A)cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “^(B)Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, the same shall be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out ^(C)as one person.