The murderers kept their crime secret until the next day. Men from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, located to the north, arrived as they traveled south to the ruins of Jerusalem. Their appearance and the offerings they carried showed they were seeking mercy from the Lord (Leviticus 2:1; 14:2–9). The annual Festival of Shelters took place at this time of year at the Temple (Leviticus 23:33–36), and the eighty worshipers were likely unarmed.