How Far Israel Had Fallen

This chapter records one of the darkest events in Scripture to show how far Israel had fallen without faithful leadership. It opens with the phrase, In those days, when there was no king in Israel. A Levite went to Bethlehem Judah to bring back his concubine. Her father pressed him to stay day after day, and the Levite finally departed late on the fifth day.

Passing Jebus, he refused to enter a city of foreigners and went on to Gibeah of Benjamin, sure his own people would receive him. Yet no one took them in. Only an old man from Ephraim, a sojourner there, came from his work in the field and said, Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but don't sleep in the street. He fed the donkeys, and the guests washed their feet and ate.

Then certain wicked fellows surrounded the house and beat on the door. The Levite seized his concubine and brought her out. The men abused her all night. At dawn she fell at the door, her hands on the threshold. The Levite said, Get up, and let's get going! But no one answered. He cut her body into twelve pieces and sent them throughout Israel. All who saw it said, Such a deed has not been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day! Consider it, take counsel, and speak. Scripture records this as evil, not as an example.