Page 92
THE LEVITES WIFE ABUSED.
The Benjamites of Gibeah, force the Wife of a Levite to Death.
THE Scripture in the two last Chapters of this Book of Judges, relates a History, which prov'd of great and fatal consequence to the Israelites, as occasioning the destruction of a whole Tribe. A Levite dwelling on the side of Mount Ephraim, took to him a Wife out of Bethlehem; but upon some miscarriage of hers did occasion a Separation, so that she return'd to her Fathers House, where she continued for the space of four Months; and at the expiration thereof, her Husbands Affection returning to∣wards her, he resolved to go to Bethlehem to her Fathers, and fetch her home again.
As soon as he was come to his Father-in-Laws House, he received him with much Joy and Kindness, forcing him to continue with him three Days; and then being very unwil∣ling to part with him, he both by his kind En∣tertainment, and pressing Invitation, endea∣vour'd to oblige him to stay longer with him than he intended; so that it was the fifth Day towards Evening, before he could get away from his Fathers; and having reach'd Gibeah a while after Sun-set, he was fain (with his Wife and Servants) to sit down in the Street, be∣cause there was none so kind as to offer them a Lodging; but soon after an Old Man coming from his Work out of the Field, seeing him stand in the Street, kindly invited him with his Wife and Servants to his House, giving them an hearty Entertainment.
But as they were sat down at Table, and making merry, certain wicked Wretches of the City, beset the House round about, and knock∣ing at the Door, bade the Old Man (the Master of the House) to bring forth the Man that came to lodge with him, that they might satisfie their unnatural Lust with him.
The good Old Man was struck with horror at this their demand, and endeavour'd with the softest words imaginable, to divert them from so great a Villany, offering rather to expose his own D••ughter, that was a Virgin, than his Guests Wife to their Lust. But all that he could do not prevailing, the Levite brought forth his Wife to them, whom they abused all Night till towards the Morning; and about Break of Day, they let her go.
The Woman after this Treatment had much ado to return to the Door of the House where her Husband was lodg'd; and was no sooner arrived there, but she fell down stone dead before the Threshold, with her hands stretch'd forth, as demanding Vengeance of her Husband for this inhuman outrage com∣mitted upon her.
Her Husband arising in the Morning to re∣turn home, and finding his Wife without moti∣on lying at the Door, supposed she had been asleep; but finding that she was dead indeed, the extream grief wherewith he was seiz'd, and the detestation he conceiv'd for this abo∣minable Fact, put him upon a Resolution of cutting the Dead Body of his Wife into 12 Parts; and to send each Tribe a part, to pro∣voke them to take Vengeance of so execra∣ble and crying Abomination.
Upon the receipt of this strange and terri∣fying Present, the Tribes unanimously resolv'd to avenge this unparallel'd Excess; they all acknowledg'd, that never was the like thing committed in Israel, from the time of their coming out of Egypt; and having assembled themselves together as one Man, they pro∣tested they would not return to their Homes, till they had punished and aveng'd this exor∣bitant Outrage.
S. Ambrose admires this their holy Resolu∣tion, their Zeal shewing them not to be indiffe∣rent in a Case which so much concern'd the Glory of God. The Outrage done (saith that Father) to a Married Wife, enflames and pro∣vokes all Israel; and one Tribe▪ being guilty of the Crime, all the rest League themselves together to destroy and exterminate them, fearing lest by conniving at it, they might draw down upon all Israel the Divine Wrath which one of their Tribes had so justly deserved.
The same Father blushes at the Corruption of the Age wherein he liv'd, by suffering the frequent Profanation of that Holy Ordinance, when he compared it with this most commen∣dable Zeal of the Israelites, who sought no frivolous Excuses to cover the Crime of their Bre∣thren, but aveng'd it with that extremity of Rigor, as was proper to prevent the like Licenti∣ousness for ever after: And that holy Man thinks, he can never sufficiently lament their unhappi∣ness, who only mind their own interest, being un∣concern'd at the greatest Profanation of the LAW of GOD.