NOTE:
This post has been withdrawn. The post has been published in my book, Rereading the Biblical Text: Searching for Meaning and Understanding. The approach taken in the book is to compare how different translations have approached difficult texts in the Old Testament. The goal of the book is to invite readers to reread the biblical text in light of the new understanding of the intent of the original writer of the text. You can order the book from Amazon.
Rereading the Biblical Text
Visit my Amazon author’s page to purchase the book (click here).
Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
A Note About This Post:
Before “Rereading Judges 19:2: The Levite and His Concubine” was withdrawn for publication, “Rereading Judges 19:2: The Levite and His Concubine” was read by 2066 readers. “Rereading Judges 19:2: The Levite and His Concubine” was also shared 3 times by readers who enjoyed reading the post. You can read “Rereading Judges 19:2: The Levite and His Concubine” and other articles on problems in Bible translation by reading my book Rereading the Biblical Text: Searching for Meaning and Understanding. Below is the content of the book:
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments – Page xi
Abbreviations – Page xii
Introduction – Page xv
SECTION 1 — THE PENTATEUCH
Chapter 1. The Creation of Animals in Genesis 2:19 – Page 3
Chapter 2. The Serpent Was Right (Genesis 3) – Page 7
Chapter 3. The Seed of the Woman (Genesis 3:15) – Page 11
Chapter 4. Were They Really Giants? (Genesis 6:4) – Page 17
Chapter 5. “As Far as Dan” (Gen 14:14) – Page 20
Chapter 6. Abraham and the Promises of God – Page (Genesis 12:7) – Page 23
Chapter 7. The Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:8) – Page 26
Chapter 8. The Rape of Bilhah (Genesis 35:22) – Page 29
Chapter 9. Miriam, a Leader in Israel (Exodus 15:20) – Page 32
Chapter 10. Azazel (Leviticus 16:8-10) – Page 35
Chapter 11. Understanding Numbers 24:24 – Page 38
SECTION 2 — THE HISTORICAL BOOKS
Chapter 12. The Levite and His Concubine (Judges 19:1–30) – Page 43
Chapter 13. The Sacrifice of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 10:6–12:7) – Page 47
Chapter 14. The Fate of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 10:6–12:7) – Page 4750
Chapter 15. The Virginity of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 10:6–12:7) – Page 54
Chapter 16. Who Went Back to the City? (Ruth 3:15) – Page 59
Chapter 17. Was Ruth Barren? (Ruth 4:13) – Page 59
Chapter 18. King Saul: Little in His Own Eyes (1 Samuel 15:17) – Page 63
Chapter 19. How Old Was Saul? (1 Samuel 13:1) – Page 64
Chapter 20. David and Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4) – Page 67
Chapter 21. David’s Sons Were Priests ((2 Samuel 8:18) – Page 70
Chapter 22. “Him that Pisseth against the Wall” (1 Samuel 25:22) – Page 72
Chapter 23. Whose Cloak Did Ahijah Tear? (1Kinga 11:4–7) – Page 78
Chapter 24. The Challenges of Parenthood (2 Kinga 21:25–26) – Page 82
SECTION 3 — THE WISDOM AND POETICAL BOOKS
Chapter 25. Psalm 8:5: In Search of a Better Translation – Page 87
Chapter 26. Understanding Psalm 17:14 – Page 90
Chapter 27. Jezebel’s Wedding Song (Psalm 45:1–17) – Page 93
Chapter 28. Psalm 100:3: In Search of a Better Translation – Page 99
Chapter 29. Sons or Children? (Psalm 127:3-5) – Page 103
Chapter 30. Proverbs 29:18 – Page 106
Chapter 31. “Black and Beautiful” or “Black but Beautiful”? (Song of Songs 1:5) – Page 108
SECTION 4 — THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS
Chapter 32. The Use of Gender Inclusive Language (Isaiah 9:1) – Page 115
Chapter 33. “You Have Increased Their Joy” (Isaiah 9:3) – Page 118
Chapter 34. Who Will the Messiah Strike? (Isaiah 11:4) – Page 120
Chapter 35. The Way of the Lord (Isaiah 40:3) – Page 122
Chapter 36. “All Their Goodliness” (Isa 40:6) – Page 126
Chapter 37. The Proclaimer of Good News (Isaiah 40:9) – Page 129
Chapter 38. The Problem of Divorce in the Old Testament (Isaiah 50:1) – Page 132
Chapter 39. Beulah Land (Isaiah 62:4) – Page 135
Chapter 40. The Balm of Gilead (Jeremiah 8:22) – Page 138
Chapter 41. The Mother of Seven (Jeremiah 15:9) – Page 142
Chapter 42. The Coming of the Messiah (Daniel 9:25–27) – Page 144
Chapter 43. The Seventy Weeks of Daniel (Daniel 9:25–27) – Page 148
Chapter 44. The Knowledge of God (Hosea 4:1) – Page 152
Chapter 45. The Word “Hesed” in the Book of Hosea (Hosea 4:1) – Page 154
Chapter 46. The Word “Justice” in Amos (Amos 5:24) – Page 157
Chapter 47. “What the Lord Requires” (Micah 6:8) – Page 160
Bibliography – Page 165
Index of Subjects – Page 169
Index of Authors – Page 171
Index of Scriptures and Other Ancient Documents – Page 173
Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
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Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament 
>Another enlightening post. I linked to it this evening at my blog. Keep up the good work, professor!
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>That is an interesting interpretation. However, I’ve never really thought that this story was about the woman at all. I see many similarities between this story and the one of Sodom and Gomorrah in Gen 19. Perhaps the men were following the example of Lot in offering the women with them (not only did the Levite offer his concubine, but the old man who owned the house also offered his own virgin daughter to them). It appears that sending out the women in this manner may have been a more common practice than we would like to think. The dismemberment of a human being sounds horrific, and indeed, it was so disturbing that the tribes cried out for justice. It might appear that the Levite took his living wounded concubine to his house and finished her off, then sending her parts across the land. Verse 28 seems to indicate that she was dead already, as when he spoke to her, there was no answer. We would think that a man would protect his wife or daughter from such an ordeal out of his love for them. We are satisfied in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah that the angels prevented any harm to come to the women. Perhaps we are also satisfied that the old man’s virgin daughter was spared. But, we are unable to comprehend in a free (no slavery) and law-filled country the conditions of that town. The town was going to abuse and rape someone from that household, and the lowly concubine had the least monetary and social value. Placing the blame on the concubine or on her huband takes the focus off the ones who beat and raped a woman all night long until she was so damaged that she couldn’t knock on the door or even speak. If she wasn’t dead by morning, she still would not have recovered. The point of the story as I understand it is that a town of Israel had become so wicked that it did this thing. The town’s tribe then refused to hand over the guilty and instead went to war against their brothers; then the whole tribe nearly perished because they chose their wicked brothers over justice.
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>I’ve linked this at Blogwatch here
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>The best & most plausible explanation for the behaviour of the husband that I have seen – just could not accept Matthew Henry’s explanation
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>This chapter disturbs me greatly. It shows how lowly women were perceived. First, this was a Levite whose life was obviously dedicated to serving God. Second, he had a concubine, a woman who was unlawfully his wife, then later in verse 25, he handed his concubine to them (didn’t he care, why would an honourable man want to see his woman humiliated?), then in the morning he walks casually by her at the door step (v.25) and says “Get up; lets go.” All the clues help us understand that this man was trully cruel and that must have been the reason she had left her ‘husband’ and gone back to her father. I mean, she would not have gone back to her fathers house if she had committed adulterly against the levite, it had to be something different just as Prof. Mariottini explains it. Then followed the war in Chap 20 between the benjamins and the Israelites. It was total chaos, I felt very confused and upset after reading this chapters.
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>Polly,Judges chapter 19 is considered by many to be “a text of terror.” It is amazing that such an event could happen in the Bible, but it did happen. But, there are several things that you should consider when reading this story.1. Just because the man was a Levite, it does not mean that he was religious. There were many Levites who were not involved in the religious life of Israel.2. The concubine was not his unlawful wife. She was his lawful wife but a secondary wife. A concubine was a wife that did not have the same rights as the primary wife.3. The concubine was not unfaithful to her husband. The husband had done something wrong to the woman, this is the reason she left him4. The situation in Judges 19 and 20 reflects a very chaotic time in the life of Israel. It was a time when people had ignored God and the result was chaos.I think other women need to read what I wrote in order to see that the blame was not on the concubine but on the Levite.Thank you for visiting my blog and for your comments.Claude Mariottini
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>What a dreadful story, Judges 19. I would never let my children read that, or any other similarly dreadful stories in the Old Testament. This story of “please leave my male visitor alone; let me give you my daughter to gang-rape instead” is a repetition of what Lot did in Sodom and Gomorrah, and God actually rewarded Lot for this behavior. I am disgusted by such immoral and sexist stories, and I (and many other educated people) seek morality elsewhere. Why does the Bible promote this kind of behavior, professor?
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>Thank you Dr. Mariottini, for the first sensible explanation I have got for Judges 19. No one I have asked has been able to tell me anything except “it’s a horrible story”. i kept telling myself “seek and you shall find” and I found you.
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>Isabelle,Thank you for your comment. The story in Judges 19 is a sad story that brings much pain to women who are abused. I am glad my post has helped you gain a better understanding about this sad story.Claude Mariottini
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>Claude Can you please enlighten me with my question?Why does he need to cut the concubine to 12 pieces what does it represents?Looking forward to your reply.Ty for your time.
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>Chinkee,Thank you for your comment. I want to apologize for the delay in answering your question. I have been out for the holidays.The twelve pieces were meant to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. One piece was sent to each of the twelve tribes. This action was meant to raise outrage among the tribes, which it did. As a result, the tribes went to war against the Benjaminites and, as a result, the tribe of Benjamin was almost decimated.Thank you for visiting my blog. God bless you in your new church start. Happy New Year.Claude Mariottini
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>I know it is outrageously late to post anything here, but I found this site by searching for some explanation that would help me with Judges 19 and maybe others will too.To Anonymous who wrote: “What a dreadful story, Judges 19. I would never let my children read that, or any other similarly dreadful stories in the Old Testament. This story of “please leave my male visitor alone; let me give you my daughter to gang-rape instead” is a repetition of what Lot did in Sodom and Gomorrah, and God actually rewarded Lot for this behavior. I am disgusted by such immoral and sexist stories, and I (and many other educated people) seek morality elsewhere. Why does the Bible promote this kind of behavior, professor?”This blog article helped me understand that the Bible does not ‘promote this kind of behavior’. I’ve said for quite some time that I trust God. I know He loves women. But why would He allow things like this? Well the fact that it was in the Bible in two examples (Sodom and in this chapter) does not mean that it is being condoned or promoted. As the Professor said, this was a time of chaos, a time of sinful rebellion against the Law that God had given to His chosen people. And certainly, anyone can see that God did not condone what was happening in Sodom or Gomorrah. I don’t like the fact that Paul says that a man who marries a woman whose husband is still living is making HER an adulterer. But that is Paul, speaking 2000 years ago, still not necessarily the way God would have ultimately put it if He were speaking directly to our generation. I’m sure that the man who did that would also be an adulterer, not just the woman. But Paul didn’t phrase it that way. Oh well, the Holy Spirit spoke through humans and there is probably some human filtering of the ultimate message.Lot was not rewarded for offering his virgin daughters as a sacrifice. Lot was a selfish man who chose the easy way (the green valley of the Jordan) and was seduced by the city life. He allowed his daughters to be raised in a place that taught them that anything goes, and he suffered for it ultimately. But in the destruction of S&G, he was rewarded because of Abraham’s faith. He was saved because God was blessing Abraham, who believed God and ‘it was credited to him for righteousness.’ But also, Lot did believe the messengers from God. Of course this (Judges 19) is not something you would want to share with your children. That is why God gave children parents: so they can introduce children to the truths they need and are prepared for as governed by adult wisdom. No one is suggesting that this be a bedtime story. But that does not change the bottom line that the Bible presents the ONE WAY to LIFE.These are all side issues, actually they are distractions, meant to keep people who need a Savior from accepting that unique gift. Like my brother-in-law choosing not to believe in a loving God because of the flood and earthquake victims in China: what does that have to do with the fate of his soul? If he spends eternity in hell, how will that help the earthquake victims? These are lies and delusions thrown up by satan to keep people who listen to him from listening to the Holy Spirit and finding the God who is the only source of love.The bottom line is, whoever we are, do we trust God? Do we believe that Jesus was/is His one and only Son? Do we believe that Jesus accepted the ordeal of becoming human in order to save all of us? That He became fully man, but remained fully God? Do we believe that Jesus freely offered His own life to purchase our pardon from the judgment that our sins deserve? Do we accept His free gift of Salvation? Nothing else matters.
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>Dear Forgiven 318:Thank you for visiting my blog and for your comment. There is much I could say about what you wrote.One thing we muts remember is that the people who appear in Judges 19 were not Christians and they did not have the same moral standards that Christians draw from the Bible.God allowed these stories to appear in the Bible to teach us a lesson. That lesson teaches that when people live without God they can commit all kinds of atrocities. As the text says, everyone did what was right in their own eyes.Claude Mariottini
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>Hi, what an interesting discussion. I hear the excuse often that this was the cultural norm for women to be treated this way – that God didn’t approve but it was just the way things were. Well, with all of the rules and regulations God posted in Leviticus, why couldn’t God demand fair treatment of women and forbid slavery?! People that believe the bible is infallible cannot have a logical discussion with those that do not. They are trying to rationalize the irrational. We try to sanitize the bible for our children e.g. the genocide at Jericho and Joshua murdering pregnant mothers and infants. We don’t sing “Joshua killed the babies at Jericho, Jericho, Jericho…”Why didn’t God add a commandment about equality? You’d better not covet your neighbor’s house but hey, sending your virgin daughter or concubine out to be gang raped isn’t that big a deal. The evidence that Jesus of the New Testament isn’t the God of the Old isn’t only what the bible says but also what it doesn’t say. I do respect your opinions and enjoy the discussion.K PritchardColorado
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>Thank you for the interesting explanation of this troubling chapter, Dr. Mariottini. My take on this, as well as many other scenes of OT violence, is that when Man lives without God, he lives with Satan. And when he lives with Satan, anything, including tossing your wife out to satisfy demons for the night rather than protecting her becomes is what happens. Treating her as a doormat and then chopping her up just rounds out the context of a man, the Levite, who lives in a world that has closed its eyes to God and his simple instructions for happiness. In other words, without Grace, we are doomed to act like beasts. If one reads the OT as a repetitive and insistent reminder of how bestial we can be without God’s Grace, then troubling chapters like this begin to make some sense. Viewing chapters like this as some kind of validation of the acts described is a grave mistake. Perhaps the way for Anonymous to present this story to her children is simply to say “without God, Man is capable of the greatest of evil.” Thank you again Dr.
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>Carlf,Thank you for your comment. I agree with you. People who do not live according to God’s Word commit these kinds of actions. Evil seems to prevail when people live without God.Thank you for visiting my blog.Claude Mariottini
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>Thanks for your help, Professor. I too was looking for an answer as to why the woman was cut into 12 pieces. I sent an email to a group of believers and none of them bothered to answer.I decided to search again but didn’t see your blog in the initial search. I know God led me to your blog. God bless you.
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>Dear Solitaire,I am glad to know that my post on the Levite and his concubine was helpful to you. I write my blog to help people who want to develop a better appreciation for the Old Testament.Thank you for visiting my blog.Claude Mariottini
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>”I don’t like the fact that Paul says that a man who marries a woman whose husband is still living is making HER an adulterer. But that is Paul, speaking 2000 years ago, still not necessarily the way God would have ultimately put it if He were speaking directly to our generation. I’m sure that the man who did that would also be an adulterer, not just the woman. But Paul didn’t phrase it that way. Oh well, the Holy Spirit spoke through humans and there is probably some human filtering of the ultimate message.” Posted by ForgivenI disagree. That was not Paul speaking but God using Paul’s men. There was no “human filtering of the ultimate message.” The Holy Spirit is God and immutability is an attribute of deity. What God has written in His word is eternal. Didn’t Jesus say in Matthew 5:18 that, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” The original Scriptures therefore, as God gave them in the Hebrew language, are absolute perfection. We may say the same of the New Testament in the Greek language.As for the man who marries a woman whose husband is still living is already an adulteress. Very often it is the married woman who seduces an unmarried man. The passage you are referring to (Romans 7) does not say that the man is not an adulterer. Paul is speaking of a believer’s relationship with Christ who becomes dead to the law and is married, so to speak, to Christ so that he/she can bear fruit to God.
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>I cannot help but wonder why so many posts on here state that only people who do not follow god’s word could commit these kinds of atrocities. Obviously these people are intelligent and go to great lengths to try and understand that which they study and try to live their life by. How then, in such a case, are so many blinded to all of the atrocities that have been committed in the name of their god?
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>Dear Friend,God’s word says: “You shall not murder.” If one lives by God’s word, that person will not murder. If a person says: “I believe in God” but commits murder then that person is not obeying God’s word because God says “you shall not murder.”Many people may say they believe in God but they do not do what God teaches them not to do.Thank you for visiting my blog.Claude Mariottini
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>While your interpretation offers cultural & social consideration, it offers only a partial view to the remainder of scripture. Do you not recall how Joseph was a just man who was minded to put Mary away privily when he could have likewise had Mary put to death? I'd say the KJV is quite correct in Judges 19.
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>Dear Anonymous,Thank you for your comment and thank you for visiting my blog.You can say that the KJV is correct, but the fact is: the social, cultural, and linguistic realities of the text clearly indicate that the translation of the KJV is not correct.The woman was not a whore. The Levite was an abuser and that was the reason the woman left him.Claude Mariottini
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>This passage has always confused and horrified me. This year I'm trying to re-read the whole Bible and when I got stuck on this passage I went searching for an answer. I'm glad I found your post because this is the first reasonable explanation that I have ever encountered. Thank you very much for your clear and well-reasoned thoughts.
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>Emily,Thank you for visiting my blog. I try to write posts that deal with difficult topics in the Old Testament but in a way that makes sense to people.I am glad to know that my post helped you understand this passage.Congratulations on your beautiful family.Claude Mariottini
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>Dr. Mariottini:While I am newly saved, I'm far from "new" (read "old"). When I heard this passage read on a CD Bible (KJV), I wondered if I had heard it correctly. Thank you for your clarifying insight. Even more interesting are some of the posters to this verse who would have God put twenty-first century American values on issues such as "equality" and "slavery" on a 3000 year-old text. Their misguided attitude that, somehow, God should conform to their concepts of justice is astounding to me.
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>Dave,Thank you for your comment. I appreciate your words. I hope that, as a new believer, you will find my blog informative.Thank you for visiting my blog.Claude Mariottini
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>Hi Sir, Your essay is clear and thought provoking. I agree with your view. I read this passage in the Bible recently, just opening it up as I do. But, what stood out this time was how adamant the Israelites were about punishing the Benajaminites. The idea that they were Israelites as well, made them sad, but they did it anyway. I applied this in my life, not as extreme as the Israelites, but I had to instill some discipline on my son. Even though it made me feel sad to see him unhappy, I know that unhappiness will pass, and his new found wisdom will serve him. Rob
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>Professor, I agreed with your post as well. I am writing a Squidoo Lens about Judges 19. I'd like to include your thoughts.I just getting started, but your post is one of the more solid articles written on the chapter. Let me know what you think.Janvier
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I came across this searching for other things, a little out of time.
Dr Claude you make a lot of sense and bless you for that.
Even with this explanation many appear to still misunderstand.
Right now, in the place I live, I’m being daily reminded that many who call themselves christians behave in ways that would make you think otherwise. Its hardly surprizing that things were so in those times also.
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Snowman,
The story of the Levite and his concubine is a tragic story that reflects a time of chaos in ancient Israel. We cannot agree with the behavior of the Levite. The Bible cannot be used to promote violence against other people. Our Christian faith helps us to treat people with dignity because they are created in the image of God. Anyone who calls himself (or herself) a Christian must live and act as Jesus did.
Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you will come back and read some of my other posts.
Claude Mariottini
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Pingback: DOMESTIC ABUSE IN CHRISTIAN HOMES – Recommended Reading « Spiritual Side of Domestic Violence
Terry,
Thank you for the link. I have written a post about your blog. Read my latest post.
Claude Mariottini
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Dr. Mariottini,
Thank you for this article. This story always haunted me as a woman. Such cruelty! I admire the mercy you show when you write and when you teach. Thank you.
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Christina,
Thank you for your comment. I apologize for the delay in answering your comment. My blog was out for several days for repairs.
The story of the Levite and his concubine is one of the most tragic stories in the Old Testament. I tried to show that the woman was not an unfaithful wife. Her husband probably mistreated her, forcing her to return to the house of her father.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Claude Mariottini
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I think God doesn’t leave sin unpunished. The whore was punished the Levite man also should not have pursued a whore God forbid. The Benjamites were punished for their wicked behavior. God has used different ways to teach Israel against sin. The 12 slices of the concubine to 12 twelve tribes was an alarm to Israel of the prevailing sin among The Benjamin’s
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Sikita,
Thank you for your comment. I believe it is wrong to call the concubine a “whore.” She was the legitimate wife of the Levite. Concubines were secondary wives, not whores. She left her husband, not because she was unfaithful to him, but because she was angry at him for something he had done.
Claude Mariottini
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Dear Readers,
This post has been closed for additional comments. If you want to comment on this topic, please, read my new post on this same topic and leave a comment there.
My new post is Blaming the Woman.
Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
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