Judges Chapter 19

Judges 19 tells a tragic and disturbing story from the time when there was no king in Israel. A Levite man from the hill country of Ephraim took a concubine from Bethlehem. However, she was unfaithful to him and went back to her father’s house for four months. The Levite decided to go after her and arrived at her father’s house to bring her back.

On their journey back, they stopped at the city of Gibeah, which belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. They planned to spend the night in the town square, but no one offered them hospitality until an old man from the city took them into his home. Later that night, wicked men of the city surrounded the house and demanded that the Levite be handed over to them. Instead, the Levite gave his concubine to them, and they abused her all night.

The next morning, the woman was found dead at the doorstep. The Levite took her body, cut it into twelve pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel. This gruesome act led to a gathering of the tribes, who were outraged by the wickedness committed. They resolved to punish the people of Gibeah for their evil deeds.

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