Why The Eleven Israelite Tribes Beat Up The Tiny Benjamin Tribe
Posted: Saturday, November 22, 2008
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
Question: Why did God allow the other 11 tribes of Israel to nearly exterminate the tribe of Benjamin?
Of the twelve Israelite tribes, only the tribe of Manasseh was smaller than the tribe of Benjamin according to the count taken by Moses at the command of God in the first chapter of the book of Numbers. This count was of all males over the age of twenty years. The number of such, at this time for Benjamin was 35,400. Keep in mind, this count was taken approximately 2514 A.M. While the Israelites were still in their wilderness wanderings.
And that figure could not show nearly all that were killed in these several days of fighting and burning of cities. But in order to understand this, we need to not only check out the circumstances approaching this fight, but to examine some of the disciplinary actions God had taken on several other occasions where disobedience had flourished.
This episode actually begins at the first of Judges chapter 19. This, as stated above was some 85 years after the count Moses had made shortly before his death and of the conquest of Canaan. The Israelites by now had successfully taken the land promised them by God and had each been assigned their respective lands. I would imagine that each tribe may have doubled in numbers since they were always quite prolific. But we find in Judges 19 that a man from the tribe of Levi, had taken for himself, a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. And she left him and returned to her father's house.
After four months went by, he went after her and was welcomed by her father, then after several days, they set out on their journey back to his home in the hill country of Ephraim. As they passed through the territory of Benjamin's tribe, they came to the town of Gibeah and decided to spend the night there in the street. An old man invited them into his home which they accepted but afterwards there arose a similar incident to that when the two angels visited Lot. The twenty second verse reads thusly in the KJV: " Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him." The New American Standard Version renders that last sentence: "Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him."
After pleadings would not satisfy the unruly crowd, the man's concubine was offered to them and they took her away. They raped and abused her throughout the night and then released her at the crack of dawn. She made her way back to the house where she fell at the doorsteps and died. When the Levite found what they had done to her, he cut her body into twelve pieces and sent them to each of the tribes. When it was known throughout all Israel, they came together and decided to punish those responsible for such a reprehensible act. It is worthy of note that they did appeal to God for guidance in this matter and also that they went to Gibeah and demanded that the people turn over the worthless men who had committed the act. But the people of Benjamin refused to do so.
Episodes such as this one are difficult for people of this age to fully understand. There are factors which, to us, seem cruel, thoughtless and unacceptable. There is even the question of men taking to themselves, concubines. This was an accepted practice in that time. It was a matter of choice by the man as well as the woman and carried the same responsibilities as that of a wife. Virtually the only difference was that of her rights. She had no inheritance rights. It is the equivalent to our current "common law wife" although the latter probably now has more rights than did the concubines of old.
Then the fact that these men offered to the town rabble, the concubine instead of the man is always reason for question. If you recall, Lot even offered his two virgin daughters to the crowd rather than the visiting men (angels). These types of choices, although unbelievable to those of us in this day and age, was more acceptable then. People then were taught from their infancy that they were to be ultra hospitable to travelers. That they should take them into their homes, see to their needs and virtually lay down one's life to protect them. Also, people of that day did not (I'm sorry to say) hold the same esteem towards women as towards men. I am certain that Lot could hardly bear the thought of turning his daughters over to the unruly crowd, yet he knew the abomination of their desire for the men in his home. Yet the unruly crowd was about to take Lot himself instead, until the angels pulled him back inside and struck the intruders blind.
It is my contention that these sorts of things were not pleasing to God and I think this is shown in both these incidents, i.e., the angels taking charge and stopping the incident. Also in His giving Israel the go ahead to punish the tribe of Benjamin in the case of this article. People often wonder why God does not intervene into cases where wrong is committed. He did so on a number of occasions during the patriarchal and Mosaical ages but most often it was only to show an example of his disdain for disobedience and to help keep his people in subjection. If mankind is to be given full free moral agency, God cannot afford to personally intervene in our lives.
This Article has been viewed 611 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Hi Joel. Good job, I would have not answered it so eloquently, but I agree. The problem is many people do not fully understand the darkness of sin. we live in a certain degree of darkness, sometimes even as believers. But if we would remember how holy and pure our God is, its much more palitable. God was not mean and vengeful--most of these acts we read about in Scripture are a result of continual disobedience, choosing the culturally accepted thing of the day instead of following the holy and protective hand of God. It is a sad commentary on Lot's constant compromise that led him to the place where he could do something so low as to offer his daughters to be raped. Think about it. If lot would not have pitched his tent close by, then in, and then finally joining the leadership of gomorah, he would have never found himself in that position. He should have fled that territory the moment he saw the degree of outright sinful behavior. It is a warning to us to flee sin, don't park next to the party or you are most likey to enter in and partake. It is my opinion if we looked at many of these stories from an applicational viewpoint, we would understand them a whole lot better. And thanks again for laying out in such a manner.Hi Teresa, you are correct and I appreciate your comment. You know, Abraham offered Lot his choice when they seperated and Lot's selfishness made him choose the lush grassland toward Sodom. But after all is said and done, I don't know just where he stood in God's eyes. Just read what Peter said about him in 2nd Peter 2:7-9:
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:I know, and I think that is such a demonstration of God's grace. There is a lot we don't have recorded for us. And in knowing God's justice and Grace, I believe that Lot was grieved in his spirit, he was not yet completely hardened by his surroundings and it tells me that he felt stuck. I know I have been in some situations were I look up and say, "God, what am I doing here, Get me out of here because I don't have the strength to do it myself". I just wonder if that is what Lot cried everyday! Especially because we have the wonderful words of Peter.It all comes down to God knowing the heart of man. He knows when a person goes from godly remorse to completely unjust and uncaring and no remorse.This is another reason why I believe the account of Lot is recorded for us--beginning with being tempted by the greener grass. It has WARNING written all over it. I don't know if you have seen it yet, but I finally posted another article under my column. I would love your input. Of course, my articles tend to bring more applicational thoughts in them where as yours seems to bring more theological and informative thoughts. I do hope that in that we can learn from one another :-)
Just as good the second time around. I am so glad, so far these columns have been productive and have encouraged peaceful discussion of the word of God.
Yes Joel CHOICE, its all about that from the time we open our eyes until the time they close. Good job.Hi Robert,Thanks for reading and commenting. I appreciate it.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.