The king then declared that they will hide away their weapons of all kind (including their swords) so they will never be tempted to use them again to destroy human life. Of course, he recognizes that their enemies may soon come upon them, but if this happens they must be determined to let their own lives be taken rather than resist these attacks by killing their fellow human beings.
To demonstrate their firm determination to carry out this resolutions here is what we read:
“And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth. And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.”