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JUDGES

CHAPTER 19

1 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.

The introduction to this chapter gives us an accurate picture of what the people of Israel were doing at this time. Notice, there is no king, no organized government.

These last three chapters in the book of Judges are about one major incident which cost many lives. It is a sordid story, and teaches how awful it is to have fighting within a family. Let us remember, at this point, that a CHURCH is a FAMILY!

The whole thing started with this Levite. Notice that he BOUGHT a wife from another tribe. Since the woman was SOLD by her father, it might give us some insight as to that family's morality.
Again we see the error of taking a marital partner outside the normal social area to which we belong.
Being a Levite, and a student of God's Word, this man should have known better.

2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months. 3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

This woman had extra-marital affairs (adulter), and then went home to her father. The Levite went after her. At least he was willing to bring her home, even when death was the penalty for what she had done.

4 And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. 5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way. 6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. 7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again. 8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them. 9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.

Three times the father-in-law detained the Levite from going home by using the "good times" method. But the fourth time it didn't work. The Levite was ready to be on his way home.
He should have gone the FIRST time, but he tarried and tarried, and tarried.

10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.

And when the Levite did determine to leave, he hasted. It was evening, and it would have been better to travel the next day.

11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

As a result of the haste, their travel only took them as far as Jerusalem. Jerusalem had not yet been totally conquered. However, they might have been treated more kindly there than in the next town. But they went on to Gibeah where they met with disaster.

12 And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah. 13 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah. 14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. 15 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging. 16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites. 17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? 18 And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house. 19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing. 20 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. 21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

The normal thing for travelers in those days was to enter the village square or stand in the street until someone invited them to stay in their home.
But noone was kind enough to offer them a place to stay. Finally one man offered his home. You will note in verse 16 that this man was not a Benjamite, but an Ephraimite who happened to live in Gibeah.

22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.

There is a word that needs to be spoken here. It is a very sordid tale, with many indecent entries. But here, men are "making merry," and enjoying themselves.
They are supposedly in safety. But we never know how near disaster may be. If indeed we "make merry," let us be wary.

23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. 24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. 25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.

Such an unspeakable incident! Why is it in our Bible? Because God would have us know that man is a VILE sinner!
This is a most reprehensible sin. How awful it is when people who claim to belong to God participate in such atrocious sin.
Who would have thought that those who had the comfort of God's Presence would be so vile as to commit acts which God calls "abomination" (Leviticus 18:22)?
When Shiloh, with the tabernacle of God, was only 15 miles away, there is sodomy in Gibeah!
Is it not bad enough that they practice this evil themselves? Would they also use force upon unsuspecting strangers?
Homosexuals today claim we should not "force our morals down their throat." But they would force theirs down ours!
This is indeed a hideous sin. No wonder that God calls it an ABOMINATION!

The sin of sodom is evil, and perhaps the very thought of it revolted the kind old man so badly he offered his daughter for sexual pleasures. His attitude seemed to be the same as Lot, who offered his daughters to protect the angels.
We do owe a debt of safety to those under our roofs. But I believe fighting to the death would be better than prostituting a daughter. Perhaps that's one of God's messages in this story.
Is it not easy to "put off" on someone else the harm that may come to us personally? For some reason, which we aren't told, the men turned down the offer of this man's daughter.

Then too, is the sin of the Levite in offering his wife to keep himself from harm. What self-respecting man would do such an awful thing to his wife?
Perhaps what Matthew Henry suggests, "Her sin was sensual pleasure, and her punishment was sensual pleasure" is a truth. Even though there was no king in Israel, GOD was in Israel.
But NEVER is such an atrocity justified!

Man has not graduated from these sins. We see the same thing happening day after day in our present century: men prostituting their wives for their own benefit.

Through this awful tale, of man's inhumanity to man, we must see that God is working justice in and through the situation. If these things are repugnant to us, imagine their affect on the Holy and Just Almight GOD!

26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light. 27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. 28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. 29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. 30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.

God used the Levite's grieving anger to bring retribution to the Benjamites. We will see just HOW God used this situation to mete justice in the next chapter.
Perhaps the Levite was so grief-stricken he did not know what to do. But what he did showed his disgust for the men who committed the atrocity. And sending parts of his wife's body to the tribes of Israel brought drastic results.
He probably sent a letter also, telling of the situation which caused him to do such a thing.
But notice that last verse. There was NEVER such a horrible act committed than this since Israel had left Egypt!! And they had done some pretty horrible things.

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