Judges 20:6 - I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
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What does "Judges 20:6" mean?
Judges 20:6 describes a brutal and shocking act committed by a Levite in response to the gang rape and death of his concubine in the town of Gibeah. To understand the verse, it's important to consider its context within the broader narrative of Judges 19 and 20:
The Story: A Levite and his concubine are traveling. They stop in Gibeah, a town inhabited by people of the tribe of Benjamin. The men of the town demand to rape the Levite, but instead, the Levite offers them his concubine. They rape her all night, and she is found dead the next morning at the Levite's door.
The Levite's Response: The Levite takes the concubine's body, cuts it into twelve pieces, and sends the pieces throughout the territory of Israel. This act is intended to shock and outrage the other tribes and incite them to action.
Meaning of the Verse:
"I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces..." This describes the gruesome act itself. The Levite dismembers the woman's body. The act is shocking, deliberately so.
"...and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel..." This explains the distribution of the body parts. Each piece was sent to a different area controlled by one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
"...for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel." This is the Levite's explanation for his actions. "Lewdness" refers to the sexual violence inflicted upon his concubine. "Folly" implies a moral and spiritual depravity. The Levite is asserting that the actions of the men of Gibeah are not just a crime against him but a grave offense against the entire nation of Israel and its covenant with God.
Interpretation and Significance:
Call to Action: The Levite's act is designed as a dramatic and disturbing call to action. By sending the dismembered body parts, he is essentially sending a message of outrage and demanding that the other tribes take action against the perpetrators in Gibeah.
Moral Outrage: The story is meant to evoke a sense of moral outrage at the depravity of the men of Gibeah.
Reflection of the Time: The story is a stark reflection of the lawlessness and moral decay of the period of the Judges, when "everyone did what was right in their own eyes" (Judges 21:25). The gruesome nature of the story highlights the depths of depravity to which Israel had sunk.
Trigger for War: The Levite's actions ignite a civil war among the tribes of Israel. The other tribes demand that the tribe of Benjamin hand over the guilty men from Gibeah for punishment. The Benjamites refuse, leading to a bloody conflict.
Ethical Considerations:
It's crucial to understand that while the Bible recounts this story, it doesn't necessarily endorse the Levite's actions. The text presents a complex situation with disturbing events. While the reader may feel a degree of empathy for the Levite, his dismemberment of his dead concubine is a brutal act which many would find shocking. The entire episode is considered by many to be a tragic episode in Israel's history.
Judges 20:6 - I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
What does "Judges 20:6" mean?
Judges 20:6 describes a brutal and shocking act committed by a Levite in response to the gang rape and death of his concubine in the town of Gibeah. To understand the verse, it's important to consider its context within the broader narrative of Judges 19 and 20:
The Story: A Levite and his concubine are traveling. They stop in Gibeah, a town inhabited by people of the tribe of Benjamin. The men of the town demand to rape the Levite, but instead, the Levite offers them his concubine. They rape her all night, and she is found dead the next morning at the Levite's door.
The Levite's Response: The Levite takes the concubine's body, cuts it into twelve pieces, and sends the pieces throughout the territory of Israel. This act is intended to shock and outrage the other tribes and incite them to action.
Meaning of the Verse:
"I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces..." This describes the gruesome act itself. The Levite dismembers the woman's body. The act is shocking, deliberately so.
"...and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel..." This explains the distribution of the body parts. Each piece was sent to a different area controlled by one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
"...for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel." This is the Levite's explanation for his actions. "Lewdness" refers to the sexual violence inflicted upon his concubine. "Folly" implies a moral and spiritual depravity. The Levite is asserting that the actions of the men of Gibeah are not just a crime against him but a grave offense against the entire nation of Israel and its covenant with God.
Interpretation and Significance:
Call to Action: The Levite's act is designed as a dramatic and disturbing call to action. By sending the dismembered body parts, he is essentially sending a message of outrage and demanding that the other tribes take action against the perpetrators in Gibeah.
Moral Outrage: The story is meant to evoke a sense of moral outrage at the depravity of the men of Gibeah.
Reflection of the Time: The story is a stark reflection of the lawlessness and moral decay of the period of the Judges, when "everyone did what was right in their own eyes" (Judges 21:25). The gruesome nature of the story highlights the depths of depravity to which Israel had sunk.
Trigger for War: The Levite's actions ignite a civil war among the tribes of Israel. The other tribes demand that the tribe of Benjamin hand over the guilty men from Gibeah for punishment. The Benjamites refuse, leading to a bloody conflict.
Ethical Considerations:
It's crucial to understand that while the Bible recounts this story, it doesn't necessarily endorse the Levite's actions. The text presents a complex situation with disturbing events. While the reader may feel a degree of empathy for the Levite, his dismemberment of his dead concubine is a brutal act which many would find shocking. The entire episode is considered by many to be a tragic episode in Israel's history.