My free membership is up but I still have a question that I feel is important to bring to light and the question is simply, "Why did the Levite allow his concubine, to be raped and murdered when he went to all the trouble of going to get her from her fathers house and wanted to bring her back to his home"? I don't understand why he allowed her, and the virgin daughter to be killed, and why he had to cut his concubine up. Judges 19 is one of the "horror" stories of the Bible according to an instructor of Old Testament but I have not received an answer for what happened and why. Maybe you will give credence to my query, maybe not. If you deem this a worthy question please answer public and privately.
Your most humble servant. |
Judges 19 is an interesting story relative to the subject of hospitality in the ancient world. It is not unlike the story of Lot and his daughters at Sodom although the results were different. The Levite had little choice in the matter, as the men of the city were intent upon doing violence to his concubine. In violating of the laws of hospitality, she was dismembered into 12 pieces and sent throughout all of Israel to all 12 tribes as an object lesson to relate to all of Israel how cruelly and how vilely this man's concubine had been treated in Israel.
The last thing that is said is nothing this vile has ever happened before since we came up out of Egypt. Take counsel and speak or relate what happened to all of Israel. And, notice in the next chapter that the people of that area suffered dire consequences as is related in Chapter 20 and following.
Roy
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