Let’s take a look at a similar case in the book of Judges. Once again we will see several people losing their lives because of an attempt of sodomy or homosexuality. These attempts that were made let’s us know this act was accepted and a routine among these men. The bad thing about the scripture that we are about to read is that these were Israelites that should have known the law. Let’s take a look at the story of the Levite in Gibeah that belonged to Benjamin:
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah. And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there four whole months. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. (Judges 19:1-3)
At this point the father in-law asked the Levite to stay a few days with him, so he did. At the end of the fifth day the Levite, his damsel, and his servant packed up and began their journey home. After traveling for several hours the servant asked the Levite if they could stop and rest in the city of Jerusalem which was called Jebus at that time. The Jebusites were the inhabitants of the city at that time and were not of the stock of Israel, but rather they were sons of Ham through Canaan. The Levite told his servant that they will not stop in a city of strangers, but that they will continue on until they come to a city of Israel. Once the sun had set they turned into the city of Gibeah, which belonged to Benjamin. After arriving in the city they sat in the street. Then came along an old man who asked them where they were from and where were they headed. The Levite answered the gentlemen and the man then took them into his house and provided food and drinks for them and their beasts. While they were enjoying themselves there was a knock on the door and this is where we will resume in the scripture, at the 22nd verse:
Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him. And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go. Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light. And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. (Judges 19:22-29)
We see this account was similar to the sequence of events in the book of Genesis. But in this case, we see a female being raped, which is also a vile act that was and will be punishable by death even the lake of fire. Let’s see what takes place after the children of Israel received the token from the Levite.
Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh. (Judges 20:1)
The children of Israel started out on the right track, by gathering themselves onto Lord. After they were gathered, the chief among them asked the Levite what had taken place in Gibeah. Let’s see what the Levite had to say:
And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead. And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel. (Judges 20:4-6)
He states that they were trying to kill him. He doesn’t mention the fact that he pushed his wife out the door to save himself. We are supposed to protect our wives, and if needs be lay down our lives for them, not run behind them. Let’s read the next verse,
Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel. (Judges 20:7)
They asked counsel of among themselves, instead of taking the matter directly to the Lord. So the children of Israel encamped against the city of Gibeah, and told the Benjamites to send the men out so they could put them to death. The Benjamites refused to hand them over. Now, note what happens next:
And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first. (Judges 20:18)
Note what the scripture says, “Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin?” They should have said, “Lord, should we go out to war against our brothers?” We see that they have made their minds up, before consulting with the Lord. Let’s see what happens next.
And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men. (Judges 20:19-20)
Wait a minute! Benjamin destroyed twenty thousand men of Israel. The men of Benjamin are the ones that committed that lewd act. If the son of Benjamin had not sinned against the Lord, none of this would have taken place. Here in their first encounter twenty-thousand of the men of Israel had die. Let’s continue:
And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.) (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.) And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword. (Judges 20:21-25)
In the second encounter Benjamin destroyed eighteen thousand men of Israel all because of the lust of a few men. So far a total of thirty-eight thousand men had die. Now, let’s take a look at the final battle between these brethren.
And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways. And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah. And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them. And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword. (Judges 20:29-35)
This third and final battle, twenty five thousand men of Benjamin died. That brings the total to 63,000 men being killed in battle. Why? Because of the “men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.”
What does this phrase indicate “that we may know him” or the act of “knowing”? This phrase simply means to have sexual intercourse.
