He won her heart.
This is sequel of my previous blog with title Judges 19 This is not a love story.
There was a Levite goes a long the way traveled from Ephraim to Bethlehem to win his unfaithful concubine’s heart who had left him back to her father house.
His father in low welcome him, gave him a privilege to him to stay, they eat and drink together, and let this man bring his daughter goes with him.
Judges 19 16-20. Mask.
And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at night. He saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city. This old man, finally knew his stranger’s destination “the house of the LORD,” so that he brought him into his house.
Society has many to offer those who win other’s heart. Our Levite won the heart of his father in low once, now he is winning the old man heart buy telling him that he comes from a good society, that his destination is the house of the Lord.
In phrase 19 he expressing himself as a good man, as he saying “We have both straw and fodder for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves your servants—me, your maidservant, and the young man with us. We don't need anything."
Gee, how boastful he is! As we know that Levite has nothing to boast off, because he works only for the temple. In Number 18:23, it says……. They (Levite) will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. Why he said those kinds of words? To reassure the old man that they will not bother him?
The old man, brought them into his house. They were making they hearts merry in the house. Each of them put on their mask.
Judges 19 22-24. What father offered his daughter to Libertines, and why?
While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Here they face reality. The nation without rule, everyone did as he saw fit. Our old man fit his mask as a good hospitable man to his guest. His hospitality code turned to fanaticism. Perhaps our old man remember what it is written in Deuteronomy 14: 27, and do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own, but neglect protecting his own daughter. Well, I think he puts on his mask so seriously, that’s why he forgot who he really is. He is not Israelite!
And the same case of our Levi. See that the Libertines asking for man. Not women, not a girl, not a virgin! The Levite is male, and so his servant is. Of course he knows that homosexual practice is wrong. He read Bible! He recites Bible to all the people of Israel, that’s what he does everyday. But something wrong, these two men were selfish. They didn’t want to get hurt themselves.
Judges 19:25-30
The man gives his concubine to them. He lost his goal at the first place, that he traveled a long the way to win her heart. May be it was not love that fill his heart when he decided to go to his father in low place. But it was not for integrity for sure. He is a Levite, he knows very well having a concubine does not follow God’s law, although it was right in their society in his time. He stopped let God lead him. He becomes master of his own.
The lady “valentine” was raped, abused, by Libertines, and they let her go at daybreak. This lady put herself as a servant. She did what her master asked her to do, after finished the task his master had given her, she went back to the house. She comes back to the man that already won her heart, a prince who talked nicely to her father, and to the one that her father believes can take care of her. But what was she found? The door was locked! His “valentine” prince went to bed, closed the door, and didnot even think about what might happen to her.
When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. I would ask “Where is the love?” A man got up in the morning; prepare everything to continue his journey found his concubine helplessly lying at his doorstep. Can he imagine what had happened to her?!! His mask of Godly living bring others to disaster.
When he found out the girl is dying, he put her on his donkey and set out for home. When he reached home, he cut up her, limb by limb. 12 parts! How cruel he is. And…., he sent those parts of her bodies into all the areas of Israel.
This is really not a love story.