March 25

March 25

Judges 19–21

Scripture Text: Judges 19:1–21:25

Series: Read the Bible in a Year

Judges 19:1–21:25

Yesterday’s reading concluded with the story of Micah (not to be confused with the prophet), who created his own idols and hired a Levite to be his priest to this false god. It is hard to say who was worse, Micah or the Levite. We do know that Micah did this for financial gain, somehow imagining that a man-made idol and an apostate priest would prosper him. Instead, Danites steal his idol and his priest, setting up the idol to worship at Dan even though the Lord had provided himself and a temple at Shiloh. 

Today’s reading begins with another Levite who goes to some length to bring home his unfaithful concubine. Returning home, the Levite and his concubine spend the night at Gibeah in the company of a man who did not want them spending the night in the open square. As they are settling in for the evening, men of the city beat on the door, desiring sex with the visiting Levite. Instead, the Levite sends his concubine outside, who is abused by the Benjamite mob all night. The next morning, he finds the poor woman lying with her hands on the threshold, as though trying escape into the safety of the house. The Levite who seemed so interested in recovering her, shows no interest in her well-being, and tells her coldly to get up because they are leaving. She cannot, possibly because she has died from repeated rape and other abuse. He takes her home where he dismembers her and sends her twelve body parts to each tribe of Israel. The people of Israel are left, as are we, in shock at such an atrocity. 

The rest of Israel responds by going to war with the tribe of Benjamin. The smaller army of Benjamen turns back repeated advances of Israel, killing tens of thousands of men, though the Lord had told them to advance against them. Does the Lord allow their initial defeats as judgment for allowing people like these Benjamites to live among them? The text does not say so but one may wonder. Eventually, the Lord gives them victory, nearly annihilating the tribe of Benjamen. The rest of Israel shows they are not so much better morally than Benjamen by sending their daughters to the surviving 600 men of Benjamen. Perhaps, they imagine, this will fix the depravity of Benjamen. 

When everyone does what seems right in his own eyes instead of relying on the word and will of the Lord, breakdown of society and even the church is likely to be the result.   

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