{"id":6219,"date":"2015-11-22T06:16:50","date_gmt":"2015-11-22T00:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intelligent-torvalds.74-208-171-134.plesk.page\/?p=6219"},"modified":"2019-07-09T02:46:36","modified_gmt":"2019-07-08T20:46:36","slug":"romans-part-64","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/?p=6219","title":{"rendered":"Romans, Part 64"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am considering Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer<\/em>[1]<\/sup><\/a> as a description of love rather than as rules to obey.\u00a0\u00a0 In a previous essay<\/a> I wrote, \u201cDear God, I hope she was dead,\u201d of the Levite\u2019s concubine as she was sprawled out on the doorstep of the house<\/em>.[2]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 That hope<\/em> is probably not the hope Paul wrote of if Rejoice in hope<\/em> described love rather than instituted a rule to obey because Love is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth<\/em>.[3]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 I assume that chapter 19 of Judges related what happened in Gibeah and chapter 20 related what the Levite \u201cexplained\u201d about what happened.\u00a0 (But I don\u2019t think I would make that assumption with any literature other than the Bible.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Judges 19 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Judges 20 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\nThen the Israelites said, \u201cExplain how this wicked thing happened!\u201d\u00a0 The Levite<\/a>, the husband of the murdered woman, spoke up\u2026<\/p>\n

Judges 20:3b-4a (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

So they traveled on, and the sun went down when they were near Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin.\u00a0 They stopped there and decided to spend the night in Gibeah\u2026They were having a good time\u2026<\/p>\n

Judges 19:14, 15a,:22a (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u201cI and my concubine<\/a> stopped in Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin to spend the night.<\/p>\n

Judges 20:4b (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

So far so good, there is substantial agreement between the two accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Judges 19 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Judges 20 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u2026when suddenly some men (\u02bc\u0131\u0302ysh<\/a><\/em>, \u05d0\u05e0\u05e9\u05d9) of the city (\u02bd\u0131\u0302yr<\/a><\/em>, \u05d4\u05e2\u05d9\u05e8), some good-for-nothings[4]<\/sup><\/a> (be<\/sup>l\u0131\u0302ya\u02bdal<\/a><\/em>, \u05d1\u05dc\u05d9\u05e2\u05dc); literally, \u201csons of worthlessness\u201d), surrounded the house and kept beating on the door.<\/p>\n

Judges 19:22b (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u201cThe leaders (ba\u02bdal<\/a><\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9) of Gibeah attacked me and at night surrounded the house where I was staying.<\/p>\n

Judges 20:5a (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Here, some men of the city, some good-for-nothings<\/em> became the leaders of Gibeah<\/em> in the Levite\u2019s retelling of the tale.\u00a0 If this were two Gospel accounts I would tend to add them together to understand that some men of the city, some good-for-nothings<\/em> were also the leaders of Gibeah<\/em>.\u00a0 I\u2019m not so trusting at the end of Judges.\u00a0 But there may be no discrepancy at all.<\/p>\n

The King James translators chose men<\/a><\/em> in place of leaders<\/em>.\u00a0 So did the translators of the Septuagint<\/a> (\u03b1\u03bd\u03b4\u03c1\u03b5\u03c2<\/a>, a form of \u1f00\u03bd\u03ae\u03c1<\/a>).\u00a0 Still, I applaud the NET translators for attempting to highlight the difference here.\u00a0 The account in Judges 19 called them men<\/em> (\u02bc\u0131\u0302ysh<\/em>, \u05d0\u05e0\u05e9\u05d9) twice (note 50<\/a>) while the Levite called them ba\u02bdal<\/em>.\u00a0 I will suggest that the term may be more derogatory or facetious than leaders<\/em>.<\/p>\n

For fire went out from Heshbon<\/em>, Moses quoted a proverb, a flame from the city of Sihon.\u00a0 It has consumed Ar of Moab and the lords<\/em> (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9) of the high places of Arnon<\/em>.[5]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 The Lord<\/em> God of Israel<\/em>[6]<\/sup><\/a> spoke through Joshua: The leaders<\/em> (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9) of Jericho, as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites, fought with you, but I handed them over to you<\/em>.[7]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

When Gideon with his three hundred men, exhausted, but still chasing the Midianites<\/em>,[8]<\/sup><\/a> asked the people of Succoth for bread, The officials<\/em> (\u015bar<\/a><\/em>, \u05e9\u05c1\u05e8\u05d9) of Succoth said, \u201cYou have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna.\u00a0 So why should we give bread to your army?\u201d<\/em>[9]<\/sup><\/a> Gideon\u2019s hungry men defeated Midian without their bread (Judges 8:13-17 NET):<\/p>\n

Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the pass of Heres. \u00a0He captured a young man from Succoth and interrogated him. \u00a0The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoth\u2019s officials (<\/em>\u015bar, \u05e9\u05c1\u05e8\u05d9)<\/em> and city leaders (<\/em>z\u00e2q\u00ean<\/a>, \u05d6\u05e7\u05e0\u05d9\u05d4)<\/em>\u2013 seventy-seven men (<\/em>\u02bc\u0131\u0302ysh, \u05d0\u05d9\u05e9)<\/em> in all. \u00a0He approached the men (<\/em>\u02bc\u0131\u0302ysh, \u05d0\u05e0\u05e9\u05d9)<\/em> of Succoth and said, \u201cLook what I have! \u00a0Zebah and Zalmunna! \u00a0You insulted me, saying, \u2018You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. \u00a0So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?\u2019\u201d \u00a0He seized the leaders (<\/em>z\u00e2q\u00ean, \u05d6\u05e7\u05e0\u05d9)<\/em> of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then \u201cthreshed\u201d the men (<\/em>\u02bc\u0131\u0302ysh, \u05d0\u05e0\u05e9\u05d9)<\/em> of Succoth with them.\u00a0 He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city\u2019s men (<\/em>\u02bc\u0131\u0302ysh)<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The officials<\/em>, leaders<\/em> and men<\/em> of Succoth insulted Gideon and were punished for it, but not once were they called ba\u02bdal<\/em>.\u00a0 That epithet was reserved for the leaders <\/em>(ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9) of Shechem<\/em>,[10]<\/sup><\/a> who conspired with Abimelech to murder Gideon\u2019s legitimate heirs (Judges 8:33-35 NET).<\/p>\n

After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted (Septuagint<\/a>: \u1f10\u03be\u03b5\u03c0\u03cc\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u03c5\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd, a form of \u1f10\u03ba\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u03cd\u03c9<\/a>)<\/em> themselves to the Baals (<\/em>ba\u02bdal<\/a>, \u05d4\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd)<\/em>. \u00a0They made Baal-Berith (<\/em>ba\u02bdal be<\/sup>r\u0131\u0302yth<\/a>,\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc \u05d1\u05e8\u05d9\u05ea)<\/em> their god (<\/em>\u02bc\u0115l\u00f4h\u0131\u0302ym<\/a>, \u05dc\u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05dd)<\/em>. \u00a0The Israelites did not remain true to the Lord (<\/em>ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/a>, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4)<\/em> their God (<\/em>\u02bc\u0115l\u00f4h\u0131\u0302ym, \u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd)<\/em>, who had delivered them from all the enemies who lived around them. \u00a0They did not treat the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) fairly in return for all the good he had done for Israel.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In other words, these ba\u02bdal <\/em>worshippers were disloyal to God and his leadership.\u00a0 The temple of Baal-Berith<\/em>[11]<\/sup><\/a> even financed Abimelech\u2019s rise to power.[12]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 It makes me suspect that the Levite called the men of Gibeah ba\u02bdal <\/em>(\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9) to highlight their<\/em> disloyalty and to indicate its source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Judges 19 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Judges 20 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

They said to the old man who owned (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) the house, \u201cSend out the man who came to visit you so we can have sex with (y\u00e2da\u02bd<\/a><\/em>, \u05d5\u05e0\u05d3\u05e2\u05e0\u05d5) him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Judges 19:22c (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

They wanted to kill (h\u00e2rag<\/a><\/em>, \u05dc\u05d4\u05e8\u05d2) me\u2026<\/p>\n

Judges 20:5a (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

There is no usage of h\u00e2rag<\/em> (kill<\/em>) to this point in the Bible that would lead me to believe that it could entail the euphemistic y\u00e2da\u02bd<\/em> (have sex with<\/em>; literally, to know<\/em>).\u00a0 I would like to believe that the Levite felt some remorse, regret or at least some embarrassment that would cause him to avoid retelling his part in this story, but I can\u2019t be fully convinced that I understand his motives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Judges 19 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Judges 20 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The man who owned (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) the house went outside and said to them, \u201cNo, my brothers!\u00a0 Don\u2019t do this wicked thing!\u00a0 After all, this man is a guest in my house.\u00a0 Don\u2019t do such a disgraceful thing!\u00a0 Here are my virgin daughter and my guest\u2019s concubine.\u00a0 I will send them out and you can abuse them and do to them whatever you like.\u00a0 But don\u2019t do such a disgraceful thing to this man!\u201d<\/p>\n

Judges 19:23, 24 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In the introduction of the tale the Levite didn\u2019t tell\u2014The man who owned<\/em> (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) the house<\/em>\u2014I find the denotation of ba\u02bdal<\/em>.\u00a0 The owner<\/em> of an ox is ba\u02bdal<\/em> (Exodus 21:28-32<\/a>, 36<\/a>).\u00a0 If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it<\/em> he is the owner<\/em> of the pit; he is ba\u02bdal<\/em> (Exodus 21:33, 34<\/a>).\u00a0 As the owner<\/em> of an ox, so the owner<\/em> of a donkey or of anything else is also ba\u02bdal<\/em> (Exodus 21:34<\/a>; 22:11-15<\/a>).\u00a0 So, of course, the owner of a house is ba\u02bdal<\/em> (Exodus 22:8<\/a>; Judges 19:22, 23<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Owned, Owner<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Reference<\/td>\n\n

NET<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

LXX<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Exodus 21:28<\/td>\n\u2026the owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) of the ox will be acquitted.<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 21:29a<\/td>\n\u2026and its owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5) was warned\u2026<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u1ff3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 21:29b<\/td>\n\u2026and the man (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5) must be put to death (m\u00fbth<\/a><\/em>, \u05d9\u05d5\u05de\u05ea).<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 21:34a<\/td>\n\u2026the owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) of the pit must repay the loss.<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 21:34b<\/td>\nHe must give money to its owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05dc\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5)\u2026<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u1ff3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 21:36<\/td>\n\u2026and its owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5) did not take the necessary precautions\u2026<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u1ff3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 22:8<\/td>\n\u2026then the owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) of the house will be brought before the judges (\u02bc\u0115l\u00f4h\u0131\u0302ym<\/em>, \u05d4\u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05dd; Septuagint<\/a>: \u1f10\u03bd\u03ce\u03c0\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6, \u201cin the sight of God\u201d)\u2026<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 22:11<\/td>\n\u2026and its owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5) will accept this\u2026<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 22:12<\/td>\n\u2026he will pay its owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05dc\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5).<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u1ff3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 22:14<\/td>\n\u2026and it is hurt or dies when its owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5) was not with it\u2026<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 22:15<\/td>\nIf its owner (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5) was with it\u2026<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Judges 19:22<\/td>\nThey said to the old man who owned (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) the house\u2026<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Judges 19:23<\/td>\nThe man who owned (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) the house went outside and said to them\u2026<\/td>\n\u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The owner of a woman was also ba\u02bdal<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Husband<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Reference<\/td>\n\n

NET<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Septuagint<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Genesis 20:3<\/td>\n\u2026for she is someone else\u2019s (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) wife (b\u00e2\u02bdal<\/a><\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05ea).<\/td>\n\u03c3\u03c5\u03bd\u1ff3\u03ba\u03b7\u03ba\u03c5\u1fd6\u03b1 \u1f00\u03bd\u03b4\u03c1\u03af<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exodus 21:22<\/td>\n\u2026in accordance with what the woman\u2019s husband (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) demands of him\u2026<\/td>\n\u1f00\u03bd\u1f74\u03c1 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b3\u03c5\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03c2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Leviticus 21:4[13]<\/sup><\/a><\/td>\nHe must not defile himself as a husband (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) among his people\u2026<\/td>\n\n

n\/a<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Deuteronomy 21:13<\/td>\n\u2026you may have sexual relations (b\u00f4\u02bc<\/a><\/em>, \u05ea\u05d1\u05d5\u05d0) with her and become her husband (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05ea\u05d4)\u2026<\/td>\n\u03c3\u03c5\u03bd\u03bf\u03b9\u03ba\u03b9\u03c3\u03b8\u03ae\u03c3\u1fc3 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1fc7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Deuteronomy 22:22<\/td>\nIf a man is caught having sexual relations (sh\u00e2kab<\/a><\/em>, \u05e9\u05db\u05d1) with a married (b\u00e2\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05ea) (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) woman\u2026<\/td>\n\u03c3\u03c5\u03bd\u1ff3\u03ba\u03b9\u03c3\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03c2 \u1f00\u03bd\u03b4\u03c1\u03af<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Deuteronomy 24:4<\/td>\n\u2026her first husband (ba\u02bdal<\/em>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d4) who divorced her is not permitted to remarry her\u2026<\/td>\n\u1f00\u03bd\u1f74\u03c1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

By this reckoning the Levite was ba\u02bdal<\/em>.\u00a0 But surely ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em>, the creator and owner of everything, was also ba\u02bdal<\/em>.\u00a0 Suddenly it becomes easier to understand why ancient Israelites succumbed over and over again<\/a> to ba\u02bdal<\/em> worship, especially if the ba\u02bdal<\/em> worshippers down the street practiced \u201csacred sex<\/a>,\u201d celebrating in worship things ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em>\u00a0forbade.<\/p>\n

Plead earnestly with your mother<\/em>, ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em>\u00a0spoke of Israel through the prophet Hosea years later, (for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband<\/em> [\u02bc\u0131\u0302ysh<\/em>, \u05d0\u05d9\u05e9\u05d4]), so that she might put an end to her adulterous <\/em>(Septuagint<\/a>: \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u03af\u03b1\u03bd, a form of \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u03af\u03b1<\/a>) lifestyle, and turn away from her sexually immoral <\/em>(Septuagint<\/a>: \u03bc\u03bf\u03b9\u03c7\u03b5\u03af\u03b1\u03bd, a form of \u03bc\u03bf\u03b9\u03c7\u03b5\u03af\u03b1<\/a>) behavior<\/em>.[14]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 However, in the future I will allure her<\/em>, He promised. \u00a0I will lead her back into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her<\/em>.[15]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cAt that time,\u201d declares the Lord (<\/em>ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4)<\/em>, \u201cyou will call, \u2018My husband (<\/em>\u02bc\u0131\u0302ysh, \u05d0\u05d9\u05e9\u05d9)<\/em>\u2019; you will never again call me, \u2018My master (<\/em>ba\u02bd\u0103l\u0131\u0302y<\/a>, \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9)<\/em>.\u2019 \u00a0For I will remove the names of the Baal (<\/em>ba\u02bdal, \u05d4\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd)<\/em> idols from your lips, so that you will never again utter their names!\u201d[16]<\/sup><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Judges 19 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Judges 20 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The men refused to listen to him, so the Levite grabbed (ch\u00e2zaq<\/a><\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7) his concubine and made her go outside.\u00a0 They raped (y\u00e2da\u02bd<\/a><\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d3\u05e2\u05d5) her and abused her all night long until morning.\u00a0 They let her go at dawn.\u00a0 The woman arrived back at daybreak and was sprawled out on the doorstep of the house where her master (\u02bc\u00e2d\u00f4n<\/a><\/em>, \u05d0\u05d3\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05d4) was staying until it became light.<\/p>\n

Judges 19:25, 26 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u2026instead they abused my concubine so badly that she died (m\u00fbth<\/a><\/em>, \u05d5\u05ea\u05de\u05ea).<\/p>\n

Judges 20:5b (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Again the Levite\u2019s version of the story is dramatically different from the account in Judges 19.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t mention his own involvement in his concubine\u2019s rape or that she survived her ordeal.\u00a0 Perhaps he didn\u2019t know the latter, if she died during the night.\u00a0 Though m\u00fbth<\/em>, the Hebrew word translated died<\/em>, can mean to kill<\/em> or execute<\/em>, the form here seems to be used of women who died of what we\u2014with no access to the tree of life<\/a>\u2014 consider \u201cnatural causes,\u201d[17]<\/sup><\/a> or dead[18]<\/sup><\/a> animals.\u00a0 As I wrote in a previous essay<\/a>, I hope she died during the night but I\u2019m not convinced that hope is in line with the truth.\u00a0 Frankly, this particular Levite has given me no reason to trust his account.<\/p>\n

<\/a>The Hebrew word translated grabbed<\/em> was translated persuaded<\/em> in: His father-in-law, the girl\u2019s father, persuaded<\/em> (ch\u00e2zaq<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7) [the Levite] to stay with him for three days, and they ate and drank together, and spent the night there<\/em>.[19]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Instead of grabbing her with his hands and thrusting her out of the door, the Levite may have persuaded<\/em> his concubine to sacrifice herself.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if he grabbed<\/em> her or persuaded<\/em> her.\u00a0 If he persuaded<\/em> her I don\u2019t know how he persuaded<\/em> her, but I want to consider the faith<\/a> of Jephthah\u2019s daughter and \u03c3\u03ba\u03ac\u03bd\u03b4\u03b1\u03bb\u03b1 (a form of \u03c3\u03ba\u03ac\u03bd\u03b4\u03b1\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd<\/a>; stumbling blocks<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n

As I wrote before<\/a> I never want to disparage her faith in any way, but how I use the description of her faith as Scripture could become a stumbling block to others.\u00a0 If I use her faith as a searchlight to examine<\/em> my own work,[20]<\/sup><\/a> expose my faithlessness and repent, Then<\/em> [I] can take pride in<\/em> [myself; that is, my own progress] and not compare<\/em> [myself] with someone else<\/em>.[21]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 But if I used her faith as an example for young women to follow, to guilt them into acting against their own self-interests, I would have become[22]<\/sup><\/a> one of the judges with evil motives<\/em>.[23]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0And I would have turned the compelling childlike faith<\/a> of Jephthah\u2019s daughter into a stumbling block for other young women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Judges 19 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Judges 20 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

When he got home, he took a knife, grabbed (ch\u00e2zaq<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7) his concubine, and carved her up into twelve pieces. \u00a0Then he sent the pieces throughout Israel.<\/p>\n

Judges 19:29 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

I grabbed hold (\u02bc\u00e2chaz<\/a><\/em>, \u05d5\u05d0\u05d7\u05d6) of my concubine and carved her up and sent the pieces throughout the territory occupied by Israel, because they committed such an unthinkable atrocity in Israel. \u00a0\u00a0All you Israelites, make a decision here!\u201d<\/p>\n

Judges 20:6, 7 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

I sincerely doubt that the Levite persuaded<\/em> his concubine to be carved up into twelve pieces\u2014dead or alive.<\/p>\n

The first occurrence of ch\u00e2zaq<\/em>, the Hebrew word translated grabbed<\/em>, in this form (\u05d5\u05d9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7) in the Old Testament described the grip a famine had on Egypt: The famine was severe<\/em> (ch\u00e2zaq<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7) throughout the land of Egypt<\/em>.[24]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 The most common usage by far described the grip yeh\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em> had on Pharaoh\u2019s heart: But the Lord <\/em>(ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em>, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4) hardened<\/em> (ch\u00e2zaq<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7) Pharaoh\u2019s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord <\/em>(ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em>, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4) had predicted to Moses<\/em>.[25]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 It was used to describe the grip He had on the hearts of all the peoples dwelling in the land of Canaan during Joshua\u2019s conquest: For it was of the LORD <\/em>(ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em>, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4) to harden<\/em> (ch\u00e2zaq<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7) their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle<\/em>\u2026[26]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 It was translated control<\/em> in: The Lord <\/em>(ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em>, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4) gave King Eglon of Moab control<\/em> (ch\u00e2zaq<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7) over Israel because they had done evil in the Lord\u2019s <\/em>(ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em>, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4) sight<\/em>.[27]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

The Levite also described his grip but with the functionally equivalent word \u02bc\u00e2chaz<\/em> (\u05d5\u05d0\u05d7\u05d6): But the Lord said to Moses, \u201cPut out your hand and grab<\/em> (\u02bc\u00e2chaz<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d0\u05d7\u05d6) [the snake] by the tail\u201d \u2013 so he put out his hand and caught it<\/em> (ch\u00e2zaq<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7), and it became a staff in his hand<\/em>\u2026[28]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 In a different form \u02bc\u00e2chaz<\/em> described ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h<\/em>\u2019s<\/em> grip on judgment<\/em>: I will sharpen my lightning-like sword, and my hand will grasp hold<\/em> (\u02bc\u00e2chaz<\/em>, \u05d5\u05ea\u05d0\u05d7\u05d6) of the weapon of judgment; I will execute vengeance on my foes, and repay those who hate me!<\/em>[29]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 But \u02bc\u00e2chaz<\/em> also described the capture<\/em> of someone fleeing: When Adoni-Bezek ran away, they chased him and captured<\/em> (\u02bc\u00e2chaz<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d0\u05d7\u05d6\u05d5) him.<\/em>[30]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

So perhaps both accounts agree in mentioning the firmness of the Levite\u2019s grip as he carved up his concubine.\u00a0 Or perhaps both accounts agree describing the effort he expended before he could carve up his resistant and unwilling concubine. \u00a0Frankly, I can\u2019t tell.\u00a0 But the brotherhood<\/a> of four hundred thousand sword-wielding foot soldiers<\/em>[31]<\/sup><\/a> responded as one man[32]<\/sup><\/a> to the Levite\u2019s explanation (Judges 20:8-10 NET):<\/p>\n

Not one of us will go home! \u00a0Not one of us will return to his house! \u00a0Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will attack the city as the lot dictates. \u00a0We will take ten of every group of a hundred men from all the tribes of Israel (and a hundred of every group of a thousand, and a thousand of every group of ten thousand) to get supplies for the army. \u00a0When they arrive in Gibeah of Benjamin they will punish them for the atrocity which they committed in Israel.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Romans, Part 65<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Back to Romans, Part 67<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[1]<\/sup> Romans 12:12 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[2]<\/sup> Judges 19:26 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[3]<\/sup> 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[4]<\/sup> KJV: Belial<\/em>. \u00a0See: \u201cBelial, the Northern Crown Prince of Satanism<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/a>[5]<\/sup> Numbers 21:28 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[6]<\/sup> Joshua 24:2 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[7]<\/sup> Joshua 24:11b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[8]<\/sup> Judges 8:4 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[9]<\/sup> Judges 8:6 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[10]<\/sup> Judges 9:2<\/a>, 3<\/a>, 6<\/a>, 7<\/a>, 18<\/a>, 20<\/a>, 23<\/a>, 24<\/a>, 25<\/a>, 26<\/a>, 39<\/a>, 46<\/a>, 47<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[11]<\/sup> http:\/\/www.abarim-publications.com\/Meaning\/Baal-berith.html#.VjwAqIKFNAg<\/a>; https:\/\/www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org\/jsource\/judaica\/ejud_0002_0003_0_01776.html<\/a>, http:\/\/www.angelfire.com\/empire\/serpentis666\/Baal-Berith.html<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[12]<\/sup> Judges 9:4 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[13]<\/sup> This is a special case.\u00a0 The KJV translated ba\u02bdal<\/em> (\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc) being<\/em> a chief man<\/em>, forcing God to call his own priests ba\u02bdal<\/em>.\u00a0 Though that is some powerful prophetic irony, I think the NIV translators grasped the sense of it better: He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage, and so defile himself<\/em>.\u00a0 The priest may make himself unclean<\/em> or defile<\/em> himself for a dead close relative who is near to him: his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother, and his virgin sister<\/em>\u2026 (Leviticus 21:2, 3 NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[14]<\/sup> Hosea 2:2 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[15]<\/sup> Hosea 2:14 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[16]<\/sup> Hosea 2:16, 17 (NET) Table1<\/a> Table2<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[17]<\/sup> Genesis 23:2<\/a>; 35:8<\/a>, 19<\/a>, 38:12<\/a>; Numbers 20:1 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[18]<\/sup> Exodus 21:34<\/a>, 36 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[19]<\/sup> Judges 19:4 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[20]<\/sup> Galatians 6:4, 5 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[21]<\/sup> Galatians 6:4 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[22]<\/sup> If the Levite persuaded<\/em> his concubine this way, for instance, he made a distinction<\/a> (\u03b4\u03b9\u03b5\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03b8\u03b7\u03c4\u03b5, a form of \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03bd\u03c9<\/a>) between himself\u2014a holy Levite and a man\u2014and his concubine\u2014a sex slave and a woman.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[23]<\/sup> James 2:4 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[24]<\/sup> Genesis 41:56b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[25]<\/sup> Exodus 9:12 (NET) Also: Exodus 7:13<\/a>, 22<\/a>; 8:19<\/a>; 9:35<\/a>; 10:20<\/a>, 27<\/a>; 11:10<\/a>; 14:8 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[26]<\/sup> Joshua 11:20a (KJV)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[27]<\/sup> Judges 3:12b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[28]<\/sup> Exodus 4:4 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[29]<\/sup> Deuteronomy 32:41 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[30]<\/sup> Judges 1:6a (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[31]<\/sup> Judges 20:2 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[32]<\/sup> Judges 20:8 (NET) note 16<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am considering Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer[1] as a description of love rather than as rules to obey.\u00a0\u00a0 In a previous essay I wrote, \u201cDear God, I hope she was dead,\u201d of the Levite\u2019s concubine … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1736,3116,3118,20,2719],"tags":[2386,3015,3014,3011,3007,3010,3003,3004,1363,3008,3012,2999,3016,2995,2963,3002,3005,2976,2987,3006,2994,2996,2997,3009,3017,3013,3001,3000,2998,2914],"class_list":["post-6219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-12","category-love","category-rejoice-in-hope","category-romans","category-section-three","tag-1-corinthians-136","tag-deuteronomy-3241","tag-exodus-44","tag-exodus-912","tag-galatians-64","tag-genesis-4156","tag-hosea-214","tag-hosea-216-17","tag-hosea-22","tag-james-24","tag-joshua-1120","tag-joshua-2411","tag-judges-16","tag-judges-1914-15","tag-judges-1922","tag-judges-1923-24","tag-judges-1925-26","tag-judges-1926","tag-judges-1929","tag-judges-194","tag-judges-203-4","tag-judges-204","tag-judges-205","tag-judges-206-7","tag-judges-208-10","tag-judges-312","tag-judges-833-35","tag-judges-86","tag-numbers-2128","tag-romans-1212"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6219"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12657,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6219\/revisions\/12657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}