This Levite man, his concubine wife, and his servant set out from the concubine’s father’s home. She was there because she ran away from her husband and was whoring around with other men. He was trying to bring her back home to him. It was late in the evening, so they were looking for a place to stay. The man only wanted to stay in a city of Israel, so they passed a couple before coming to Gilbeah, a Benjamite city. They were settling in when some men surrounded the home, demanding that the homeowner send the Levite out so they could have sexual relations with him. They wouldn’t agree to their demands but offered the homeowner’s daughter and the man’s concubine to them. The man took his concubine wife out to them, and the men took her and abused her all night long and left her at the doorstep of the home. When the man came out the following morning, she was dead. He cut her body into twelve pieces and sent them to every tribe in Israel as a message against the tribe of Benjamin.
The only lesson I could find is to always be prepared for the worst; have your weapons ready to defend your home and guests if such an occasion should arise. You definitely shouldn’t give up without a fight, sending the weakest person out for abuse. To me, this Levite man is as guilty as the Benjamites.
But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took 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. Judges 19:25-26
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