An Unnamed Levite Goes Wild
If Judge Deborah is the reluctant hero and Micah is the anti-hero, then the final character listed in the book of Judges might be viewed as a questionable hero.
This judge, a Levite whose name is not given, has a dubious set of morals and a morose method of getting attention. He’s a most questionable judge.
Consider his story:
- The Levite had a concubine who ran away from him. He waited four months, before looking for her.
- Upon their trip home, the men of Gibeah, with their unrestrained sexual appetites, desire the Levite. His response is to offer them his concubine as an alternative.
- After abusing and misusing her all night, she crawls to the house and dies.
- The Levite then cuts her body up and sends the pieces around the country.
His countrymen, sufficiently riled up, go on a rampage against the men of Gibeah, who are aided by surrounding cities from the tribe of Benjamin.
This effective “civil” war results in tens of thousands of people being killed and the tribe of Benjamin being essentially annihilated.
While all the other judges in the book of Judges went after other nations, this quasi judge went after his own people. Yes, evil was confronted, but at a high cost and over an event that could have been avoided.
[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Judges 19-21, and today’s post is on Judges 19:1-3.]
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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