Judges 19:1-30 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Moral Decay Within Israel
Comments for Study 18

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Memory Verse: 19:30
Questions
Outline
A MAP OF THE DIVISION OF CANAAN
A MAP OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF ISRAEL
ISRAEL'S HISTORY
ISRAEL'S JUDGES

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I. Don't Go, Stay With Us Just a Little Longer (19:1-10)

>1. What is repeated in judges? (1a, 17:6, 18:1a, 21:25)

* Judges 19:1a In those days Israel had no king."

* Judges 17:6 "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit."

* Judges 18:1a "In those days Israel had no king."

* Judges 21:25 "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit."

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>What does this event concern? (1b)

* Judges 19:1b "Now a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.

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>What kind of relationship did they have? (2-3)

* Judges 19:2-3 "But she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went back to her father's house in Bethlehem, Judah. After she had been there four months, her husband went to her to persuade her to return. He had with him his servant and two donkeys. She took him into her father's house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him."

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>2. How long did the father-in-law persuade the man and his daughter to stay in his house? (4)

* Judges 19:4 "His father-in-law, the girl's father, prevailed upon him to stay; so he remained with him three days, eating and drinking, and sleeping there."

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>On the next day what did the father-in-law say? (5)

* Judges 19:5 "On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to leave, but the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Refresh yourself with something to eat; then you can go."

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>Did he keep his promise?

* Judges 19:6-8 "So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Afterward the girl's father said, "Please stay tonight and enjoy yourself." And when the man got up to go, his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed there that night. On the morning of the fifth day, when he rose to go, the girl's father said, "Refresh yourself. Wait till afternoon!" So the two of them ate together."

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>3. When the party was about to leave what did the father-in-law proclaim? (9)

* Judges 19:9 "Then when the man, with his concubine and his servant, got up to leave, his father-in-law, the girl's father, said, "Now look, it's almost evening. Spend the night here; the day is nearly over. Stay and enjoy yourself. Early tomorrow morning you can get up and be on your way home."

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>Why might the father-in-law keep doing this?

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>What did the man from Ephraim finally do? (10)

* Judges 19:10 "But, unwilling to stay another night, the man left and went toward Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine."

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II. No Place to Lay Our Head (19:11-21)

>4. What problem arose because they left so late in the evening? (11)

* Judges 19:11 "When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, "Come, let's stop at this city of the Jebusites and spend the night."

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>Why didn't the master want to stay in a Gentile town? (12-13)

* Judges 19:12-13 "His master replied, "No. We won't go into an alien city, whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah." He added, "Come, let's try to reach Gibeah or Ramah and spend the night in one of those places."

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>How did racial pride add to their problem?

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>5. When they reached an Israelite town what did new problem did they have? (14-15)

* Judges 19:14-15 "So they went on, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin. There they stopped to spend the night. They went and sat in the city square, but no one took them into his home for the night."

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>Who noticed their problem? (16-17)

* Judges 19:16-17 "That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was living in Gibeah (the men of the place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the fields. When he looked and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, "Where are you going? Where did you come from?"

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>6. What was the Ephraimite quick to point out? (18-19)

* Judges 19:18-19 "He answered, "We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah and now I am going to the house of the LORD. No one has taken me into his house. 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."

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>What was the old man sure they shouldn't do? (20)

* Judges 19:20 "You are welcome at my house," the old man said. "Let me supply whatever you need. Only don't spend the night in the square."

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>What did he do for them?

* Judges 19:21 "So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink."

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III. Heartless Immorality Reigned (19:22-30)

>7. What wicked thing did some of the men of the city demand? (22)

* Judges 19:22 "While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, "Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him."

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>What did the owner of the house propose? (23-24)

* Judges 19:23-24 "The owner of the house went outside and said to them, "No, my friends, don't be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don't do this disgraceful thing. Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But to this man, don't do such a disgraceful thing."

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>What does this say about the moral decay in Israel?

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>8. Did anyone show love to the concubine? (25-26)

* Judges 19:25-26 "But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight."

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>Why didn't anyone in the town come to these people's aid?

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>9. Did the master expect to find his concubine? (27)

* Judges 19:27 "When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold."

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>How is the darkness of his heart revealed? (28)

* Judges 19:28 "He said to her, "Get up; let's go." But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home."

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>10. What shocking thing did he do when he got home? (29)

* Judges 19:29 "When he reached home, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Israel."

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>Why didn't anyone know what to do about these evil acts? (30)

* Judges 19:30 "Everyone who saw it said, "Such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt. Think about it! Consider it! Tell us what to do!"

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>Who should have taken actions against this evil? (Exodus 18:25-26; Deut. 1:15-18)

* Exodus 18:25-26 "He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves."

* Deuteronomy 1:15-18 "So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you--as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials. And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it. And at that time I told you everything you were to do."

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>Who should members of the church go to when there are problems? (1 Cor. 6:1-5)

* 1 Corinthians 6:1-5 "If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?"

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