The Concubine in Gibeah - a plot from the Book of Judges of Israel . The concubine ( Pilgesh ) Levita was raped by some people from the tribe of Benjamin , and then died. Leviticus cut the body of the concubine into 12 parts and sent to the 12 tribes of Israel.
Enraged tribes of Israel demanded retaliation and bring the perpetrators to justice. The Benjaminites refused to extradite the criminals to the court of other tribes, provoking a civil war, as a result of which the Israelis systematically exterminated the tribe of Benjamin, including women and children. In addition, the Israelis vowed not to marry their daughters to Benjamin.
When the knee was exterminated almost completely, including all women, it was decided that it was necessary to allow the knee to survive. Men from the city of Yabesh Gilad (Jabesh of Gilead), who refused to participate in the punishment of the Benjaminites, were killed. Their daughters were extradited as surviving men from this tribe ( Judges 19-21 ). As a result of the war, the tribe of Benjamin became βthe smallest of the tribesβ [1] . However, Giva Benjaminova was later settled by the same tribe: the first king of Israel , Saul , came from this tribe ( 1 Sam. 9: 1-2 ), from the city of Giva ( 1 Sam. 10:26 ).
Bible Story
Giva Abuse
Charles Joseph Staniland, approx. 1900
The concubine of a certain Levite from the mountains of Ephraim left him and returned to his parents' house in Bethlehem . Leviticus followed a servant and a pair of donkeys. For five days, her father managed to delay his return. On the fifth day, by evening, the Levite left his house.
When they passed the city of the Jebusites (as Jerusalem was called before its capture by the Israelites), the servant offered to spend the night. However, Leviticus refused to enter "a city of strangers that was not from the sons of Israel," and they continued on their way to Giva Benjamin.
Gustave Dore , approx. 1880
By night, they reached Giva, but none of them in the town square offered them a place to sleep. In the end, the old man, also from the mountains of Ephraim, but long living among the Benjaminites, returning from the fields, invites them to his home, feeds donkeys, travelers wash their feet, eat and drink [2] .
Suddenly, local residents surround the house, and demand from the elderly owner "bring out the person who entered your house and we will know him" (to know in this context the euphemism of sexual intercourse) [3] .
Gustave Dore , approx. 1890
Instead of a guest, the old man offers his virgin daughter and concubine Leviticus. The scene is similar to the plot of Lot and his daughters from Genesis . According to Ken Stone, violence against a woman was considered less shameful than a man, at least in the eyes of other men. This approach reflects the social subordination of women and the fact that homosexual rape was considered a particularly serious attempt on male dignity [3] .
The crowd did not stop the threat of rape, and Leviticus led his concubine outside. βAnd they knew her, and scoffed at her all night until morning.β In the morning, insensitive, they found her dead under the door of the house. According to the descriptions, it is not entirely clear how and when the woman died [3] .
After returning home, Leviticus cut it into 12 parts and sent it to all the tribes of Israel, demanding revenge [4] .
Battle in Giva
The news shocked the Israelites: this has not happened in Israel since the day of the Exodus . Angry Israelis gathered in Mitzpe (Massif), while casting a spell on those who did not come to the meeting: the inhabitants of those cities who did not come would incur a terrible curse. The Benjaminites refused to extradite the criminals, and gathered to war against the 400,000th militia, exposing the 26,000th professional army, of which 700 were the inhabitants of Giva, the most skilled throwers of stones from the sling. On the first and second day of the battle, the Israelites suffered crushing defeats, losing 22 and 18 thousand soldiers, respectively. [4] .
On the third day, the Israelites ambushed at Gibeah. The Benjaminites, having killed about 30 people, hoped for another victory, and chased after the retreating Israelis. Having lured their cities, the ambush of the Israelites attacked Gibeah, "and struck the whole city with the edge of the sword." Enraged Israelis destroyed all the cities of Benjamin, killing the inhabitants and cattle. Only 600 soldiers who occupied the Rimmon rock survived. [5] .
Reconciliation with Benjamin
At a meeting in Mitzpe, the Israelis vowed not to give their daughters to marry the Benjaminites. However, anger soon gave way to grief over what had happened, and it was decided to restore the knee. The oath made this matter difficult. [6] .
The spell turned out to be fatal for the residents of Yaves-Gilad, who did not join the militia. A detachment of 12,000 people was sent there, which killed all the inhabitants of Yaves-Gilad, except for 400 girls who "did not know the male bed."
The Israelis sent a conciliation delegation to the Benjaminites, and gave them the captured women, "so that the tribe of Israel would not disappear." However, this was not enough, another 200 brides were missing. [6] .
On the advice of the elders, and so that the oath would not be broken, the Benjaminites hid in an ambush in the vineyards, near the place where traditionally the girls from Shilo (Siloma) dance around for an annual holiday. Having stolen a girlfriend, they returned to their inheritance [6] .
Later Mentions
Mentioned in the book of the prophet Hosea ( Hosea 9: 9 , Hosea 10: 9 )
Dating
Judging by the fact that during those events Phinehas , son of Eleazar , was still alive ( Judges 20:28 ), the event occurred at the very beginning of the Judges' era , although it is placed at the end of the book.
See also
- Tu Be Av
- Bible Women List
- Benjamin's knee
- Bible and homosexuality
Notes
- β First Book of Samuel ( First Book of Kings )
- β Court. nineteen
- β 1 2 3 Stone, Ken.
- β 1 2 [1] Arnold SJ, Patrick M., Gibeah: The Search for a Biblical City , A&C Black, 1990, ISBN 978-0-567-41555-4 ]
- β Court. 20
- β 1 2 3 Court. 21
Links
- Book of Shoftim (Judges) : course of lectures. - Lecture 14: Concubine in Gibeah βand the war with Benjamin (chap. 19-21) .