The concluding chapters of Judges describe the tragic events that nearly destroyed a tribe in Israel. A Levite living in the hill country of Ephraim married a concubine from Bethlehem. After a time the woman deserted her husband and returned to her father. Four months later the Levite came after her, encouraging her to come home. She agreed.
On the way the couple stopped for the night in Gibe-ah of Benjamin. It seemed that no one would show the travelers hospitality, but then an old farmer invited them to spend the night. Later that evening base men of the city came to the door intending to molest the Levite. The concubine was offered in his place. Seizing her, the wicked men abused her all night.
In the morning the Levite found his concubine lying dead at the door. After carrying the body home, he cut it into pieces and sent the 12 parts to all the tribes of Israel. The enraged nation demanded that Benjamin hand over the murderous rapists. The request was denied. Benjamin chose to protect the corrupt men of Gibe-ah.
The ensuing battle cost thousands of people their lives. Benjamin suffered the greatest losses. Its cities were burned, and all but 600 men perished.
The tragedy in Benjamin illustrates the deplorable moral conditions in Israel during the period before the monarchy: “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). This final verse of Judges is a warning to any nation doing what is right in its own eyes. Human judgment is an extremely poor moral standard. A nation walks a safe moral course only when doing what is right in God’s eyes.
