The Levite’s Concubine and the Atrocity at Gibeah
The story of the Levite’s concubine, found in Judges 19-21 of the King James Version (KJV), stands as one of the most horrifying and pivotal narratives in the Bible. It is not merely a chronicle of events, but a dark indictment of a nation’s moral collapse, summarized by the repeated phrase, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6; 21:25 KJV).
The Events Leading to a National Crisis
The episode begins with a Levite dwelling in Mount Ephraim, who travels to Bethlehem-judah to reconcile with his concubine. After a protracted and hospitable visit with her father, the couple and their servant finally depart late in the afternoon.
Their journey is interrupted by a poor choice of lodging. Nearing the non-Israelite city of Jebus (later Jerusalem), the Levite rejects his servant’s suggestion to stop, stating a preference for lodging in an Israelite city. He declares: “We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.” (Judges 19:12 KJV).
Ironically, the search for safety and brotherhood among “the children of Israel” in the Benjaminite city of Gibeah would prove more dangerous than a stay among foreigners. They are neglected by the city’s inhabitants until an old man, himself a sojourner, takes them in.
The Sin of Gibeah and its Echoes
While the host, the Levite, and his party were enjoying themselves, the house was surrounded by “certain sons of Belial”—a biblical term for worthless or wicked men—who demanded the male guest be brought out to be raped (“that we may know him,” Judges 19:22 KJV). This act of attempted gang-rape mirrors the sin that led to the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19).
In a shocking abandonment of responsibility, both the host and the Levite violate the sanctity of the women to protect the male guest. The host offers his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine. Ultimately, it is the Levite who actively puts his concubine out to the mob: “the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning.” (Judges 19:25 KJV). The concubine dies on the threshold of the house.
The Call for Justice and Civil War
The Levite’s subsequent actions ignite a nation-wide response. Upon arriving home, he takes the corpse of his concubine and cuts her into twelve pieces, sending a piece to each of the tribes of Israel. This horrific act served as a dramatic, non-verbal summons and evidence against the tribe of Benjamin. It was an ancient equivalent of declaring war, symbolizing the fractured state of the nation and calling all of Israel to action.
The result was a civil war (Judges 20) in which the eleven tribes of Israel sought justice against the men of Gibeah. When the tribe of Benjamin refused to surrender the offenders, they were nearly wiped out, with only six hundred men surviving. This tragedy brings the book of Judges to its grim conclusion, serving as a powerful demonstration of the consequences when a people forsake God’s fundamental principles of law and order and allow chaos to reign.