Disturbing! Judges 19-20

May the mumbling commence!

“In those days, Israel had no king.”  Perhaps, the most disturbing story hides in Judges 19-20.  The story is disturbing on two different levels.  No names are given to protect the sullied.  It is the hideous story of the concubine.

First, there is a Levite from Ephraim who travels to Bethlehem to retrieve his wayward concubine.  If she was unfaithful to him, I wonder why the Levite would pursue her.  Was it the power of love?  I am not convinced.  Was it maintaining his relationship with his father-in-law, the concubine’s father?  With the evidence of the text, I think the son-in-law and father-in-law relationship was more important to the Levite.  The Levite stayed five days to fellowship with his father-in-law and a good part of a sixth day.

You may ask me, why do I question the love of the Levite for his concubine?  He was willing to hand her over to a group of wicked men, knowing that she would be abused and raped.  That would make me lose sleep.  I would be waiting at the doorstep for her return.  I would be praying.  But, what happened?  The concubine collapsed on the doorstep, where she stayed until the morning.  When the Levite found her on the doorstep the next morning, he had no kind words for you.  He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.”  Now that is heartless!

And the heartlessness continued.  When the Levite returned home with her, he carved her into twelve pieces.  I wonder – Was she still alive when he started carving her up?  It is appalling to think that he would have ended her life, like she was an animal sacrificed to the Lord.  The same Hebrew word used for butchering a sacrificial lamb was used for the Levite carving up the concubine.  Then the Levite sent one piece of the woman to each of the twelve tribes of Israel – to call them together to confront the evil of the city of Gibeah.

It is difficult to be aware of anything else in this passage.  But there is another level of disturbing action or rather inaction that most people of today would miss.  The Levite entered the town square of Gibeah at sundown.  No one took him into their home.  He, his concubine, and his servant were vulnerable in a strange town.  They had gone further that day to reach the protection of a city of Israel – only to find no protection.  What a horrible breach of the hospitality laws of the Hebrew culture!

Only when a fellow Ephraimite came into town late from his fields did the Levite receive hospitality.  The Ephraimite asked him where he was going and where he was going to.  The Levite must have been desperate at that point.  He told the resident that he had fodder for his donkeys and food and drink for the people with him.  All they needed was a place to stay.  The Ephraimite invited him to his home and provided for the Levite and his traveling companions.  The Ephraimite protected him from the inevitable – if the Levite would have spent the night in the town square.  He was willing to provide protection even at the expense of his virgin daughter.  (Reminds me of Lot.)

When Israel gathered to hear the Levite, I wonder why the Levite only spoke of the men of the town wanting to kill him.  He made no mention of their desire to have sex with him.  And that desire catches a lot of our attention.  All of Israel (minus Benjamin whose city was Gibeah) gathered as one to confront the tribe of Benjamin.  The tribe of Benjamin gathered in support of their brothers in Gibeah.

A war between brothers ensued.  Both sides suffered grievous causalities.  On the third attempt, Israel prevailed over Benjamin – after going to the Lord praying and fasting and sacrificing fellowship offerings.  Israel totally annihilated the cities of Benjamin, like Benjamin was devoted to the Lord.  Only 600 men of Benjamin escaped alive.

What vehemence!  What retaliation!  This, too, is disturbing.  Did this revenge really seem to match the crime?  Yes, Israel needed a king.  That King is the Lord Almighty.  We need a president.  That president is Jesus.  Let’s develop relationships with God and with all creation and walk humbly and attentively with our Lord.

Enough mumbling for now…  

Peace Out