Articles
Knit Together Against Evil
Knit Together Against Evil
“Then all the children of
How bad does it have to get before a nation will rise up in judgment against evildoers? It seems that every society has troubled spots: wars and rumors of wars have existed ever since nations have existed, and so it is with our own. The question rings loudly, among the citizens, “How long will the leadership allow evil-doers to prosper before they do something?”
Within our text of Judges 20, in response to the question posed by the whole congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?”: The event the Levite described, and the occasion of the assembly of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, that is, from one end of the nation to the other, unfolded in Judges 19, and relates the occasion of which the Levite traveled. You’re encouraged to read the entire text, but for our intent we will enter the text as the Levite turned aside to lodge in Gibeah, “and sat him down in the street of the city.”
“And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even: now the man was of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehem-judah unto the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim; from thence am I, and I went to Bethlehem-judah: and I am now going to the house of Jehovah; and there is no man that taketh me into his house. Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man that is with thy servants: there is no want of anything. And the old man said, Peace be unto thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. So he brought him into his house, and gave the asses fodder; and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink. As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door; and they spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may know him. And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, do not this folly. Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not any such folly. But the men would not hearken to him: so the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go. Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way; and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands upon the threshold. And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going; but none answered: then he took her up upon the ass; and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of
Reflect upon the response of Israel, against this great evil, saying, “So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man” (Judges 20:11). What will it take for a nation to rise up against evildoers? ret
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