Judging Judges

“In those days, Israel had no king.” This is the refrain for the remainder of Judges (Yes, dear reader, we are still in Judges).

The remainder of Judges revolves around a most disturbing anecdote that is a weird re-run of Lot. I mean, it’s almost like someone recycled a story from Genesis. (And remember, we are beyond the first 5 books which constitute the Torah, so my presumption is that we are into new authorship.).

Here’s the scene: A man offers hospitality to two travelers who otherwise would spend the night on the town’s square (In Genesis they were angels). Men from town surround his home demanding they come out to play, that is, have sex with them. (Sounding familiar?) Host says no to such a horrible thing, and offers instead his virgin daughter and the visitor’s concubine (also his daughter) to do with them what they will. [At this point in Lot’s story, the two angels protect him from these people and begin Lot’s rescue] Now the visiting man throws his concubine to the men who rape and abuse her all night. In the morning, he takes her lifeless body (not clear if she is dead or not), carts her home and once there cuts her into 12 pieces, sending them to all areas of Israel. When he is to explain himself, he alters the story to let on the men wanted to kill him and lays all blame on them. The tribes unite to seek vengeance against this Benjamite sect of the Israelites.

Now, I will spare you many details, but war by the numbers ensues. With only a few hundred Benjamite soldiers left, the rest of the Israelites realize since they have killed all their people and the Benjamites must have heirs. SO, they go to another tribe, kill every man and every woman who is not a virgin, steal the virgins, take them to Shiloh for the Bs. But there weren’t enough, so they went to another village that was having a festival and instructed the surviving Benjamites to each grab a virgin while she’s dancing, for his own. So they did.

“In those days Israel had no king; every one did as he saw fit.”

I’ll say!

Confession #74 “…every one did as HE saw fit.” What about what SHE saw fit? Where does this bible speak to me, for me, about me, oh daughter of Eve? All I know is, I cannot wait to get to the next Book – Ruth!