The story of the levite and his concubine – लेवी और उसकी उपपत्नी की कहानी
The story of the Levite and his concubine is a tragic tale found in the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in Judges 19-21.
In the days when Israel was ruled by judges, there lived a Levite who resided in the hill country of Ephraim. He had a concubine, a woman who was his secondary wife but did not have the same status as a primary wife. The Levite’s concubine was from Bethlehem in Judah.
One day, she became unhappy with him and returned to her father’s house in Bethlehem. After four months, the Levite decided to go to Bethlehem to win her back. Upon his arrival, he was warmly welcomed by her father, who insisted that he stay for several days, which the Levite did.
Eventually, the Levite decided it was time to return home. He set out with his concubine and a servant in the late afternoon. As they traveled, they reached the outskirts of Jebus (modern-day Jerusalem), but the Levite chose not to stop there since it was not an Israelite city. Instead, they continued until they arrived at Gibeah, a town in the territory of Benjamin.
Upon reaching Gibeah, the Levite and his party were not welcomed by the townsfolk. It was an evening of hostility, and they were offered no hospitality until an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was also in Gibeah, took them into his home.
That night, a group of wicked men from the city surrounded the old man’s house, demanding to have the Levite brought out so they could sexually assault him. The old man pleaded with the men, offering instead his own daughter and the Levite’s concubine. To save the old man, the Levite pushed his concubine out to the men, and they abused her throughout the night.
In the morning, the Levite found his concubine at the door, but she was lifeless. He took her body back home and, in his grief, cut her into twelve pieces, sending one piece to each tribe of Israel as a shocking message about the evil that had occurred in Gibeah.
This act stirred outrage among the Israelites. They gathered at Mizpah and vowed to take action against the wickedness in Gibeah. The tribes of Israel demanded that the tribe of Benjamin hand over the men who committed the crime, but the Benjamites refused to surrender their fellow tribesmen. This led to a civil war.
The Israelites fought against the Benjamites, resulting in a devastating conflict where many lives were lost on both sides. Eventually, the tribe of Benjamin was nearly wiped out, with only a few hundred men surviving.
In their sorrow and guilt over the destruction of one of their tribes, the remaining Israelites sought to find wives for the surviving Benjamite men to prevent the tribe from dying out completely. They devised a plan that allowed the Benjamites to abduct women during a festival in Shiloh, ensuring the continuation of their lineage.
The story highlights themes of violence, morality, hospitality, and the consequences of sin. It reflects a time of chaos and moral ambiguity in Israel, illustrating the dangers of neglecting justice and the importance of community responsibility. The Levite’s actions and the response of the tribes reveal the complexities of human behavior and the dire consequences that can arise from unchecked wickedness.
The story of the levite and his concubine – लेवी और उसकी उपपत्नी की कहानी
