Judges 19: The rape and death of a concubine

Synopsis:

A Levite from Ephraim took a concubine from Bethelhem-judah, but she went back home to her father. So the Levite travelled there to get her back. His father in law convinced him to stay for several days, but eventually they saddled up and left. They came to Jebus but the Levite wanted to stay where there were Israelites and not Jebusites. So they travelled on in the dark to Gibeah which belonged to Benjamin. But no one there would take them in. An old man came from the field and invited them to stay at his house. But then some followers of Belial (a demon) came and wanted the Levite to be given to them to rape. The old man offered up his daughter and the Levites concubine instead.  These men raped the concubine all night long and let her go in the morning. She died on the doorstep. The Levite put her on his horse and rode home. There he cut her up into 12 pieces and sent her to all the coasts of Israel.

In other words:

A man goes to great lengths to get his concubine back, but gives her up to be raped and killed.

Favorite bit:

Judges 19:5-9 The concubine’s father is able to convince the man to stay on a few days more.

Least favorite bit:

Judges 19:25 Obviously – the rape and death of the unnamed concubine.

Most interesting bit:

Judges 19:22 – the sons of Belial – clearly a gang of some sort dedicated to doing sick and degrading things and clearly they could do so without consequence.

Moral Lesson Learned:

• Consider of it, take advance and speak your minds. – Judges 19:30 

Note: This is the first chapter where the moral is explicitly spelt out. What I think this means.

• Don’t be bullied into submission – speak up and speak out (Judges 19)