So, when I
first became of aware of this story in grad school, my professor asked the
entire class a very simple, very crucial question: “Why is this story in the
Bible?”
Silence
reigned over the class for several minutes as we pondered this. Finally, and I
don’t remember who said it, we said that there was nothing redeemable about
this story. Nothing happens in it that stands as an example for Israel.
Throughout the beginning of the Old Testament, every story had something in it
which pointed to hope, which pointed to an example of what people, specifically
Israel, should be doing. Even with Cain, the tower of Babel, Sodom and
Gomorrah, Joseph’s brothers, and Pharaoh, every story showed a ray of hope,
some kind of an example that pointed to redeeming qualities.
Not this
story.
From
beginning to end, it’s horrific. Several times there are opportunities for the
story to turn, and it does, but only to go deeper into darkness. This story is
the low point for Israel. They have demonstrated what a horrible and selfish people
they are, both on an individual level and a societal one.
In the end,
the only thing our class could say was that this story is a warning of what not
to do. This story demonstrates what happens when people “did what was right in
their own eyes” (Judges 21:25) instead of in God’s eyes. These were the days
where Israel was ruled by their tribal leaders, when “there was no king in
Israel” nor was there a prophet. We don’t have God’s voice calmly guiding
Israel. We have no Abraham, Moses, or Joshua to lead the people to do what is
right. Any time a verse tries to bring in God’s words, they don’t ring as true.
God didn’t
need the army of Israel to lay waste to Sodom, he sent two angels. Why wouldn’t
the same hold true for Gibeah? God has not been shy of action throughout the
Old Testament, why now? It doesn’t fit the character of God. Throughout all of
Judges, Israel has been spiraling away from God, and even invocations to God
don’t quite ring as sincere or true.
I think
that any time it happens in this story, they’re trying to justify their actions
in destroying Benjamin, and they want to further justify their actions by
kidnaping women into sexual slavery as a means to restore the balance because
of their overreaction.
I said that
Samson was actually a very Greek hero, and I likewise think that this story
sounds more Greek than Israelite. It’s the only explanation I have for how
bizarre it is.