BRAGADAYJAH 800

BRAGADAYJAH 800

Hannah’s Vow to the Lord.

Year after year, Elkanah went up with his two wives and two sons to worship before the Lord at Shiloh. And year after year Phinehas would harass and taunt Hannah so much so that Hannah would weep continually and refused to eat. Then Elkanah would try to encourage his wife Hannah to eat and assured her of his love and asking her if he was not better to her than ten sons. So after they had eaten Hannah went up to the temple at Shiloh, where there sat Eli the priest.  And Hannah was in bitterness of soul, and wept sorely. And Hannah made a vow to the Lord and said, “O Lord of Host, if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thine handmaid and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid; but will give unto thine handmaid a a man child then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life; and there shall no razor come upon his head.
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BRAGADAYJAH 799

BRAGADAYJAH 799

Now there was a man of Ramathaim-Zophim of mount Ephraim whose name was Elkanah.  Elkanah had two wives Hannah and Peninnah.  Peninnah had children; but Hannah was barren and had no children. And every year Elkanah took time out to go to the Lord’s house at Shiloh to worship and sacrifice unto the Lord of Hosts. And the two sons of Peninnah Eli and Hophni all went up together to the temple of the Lord.  And Elkanah would give to his wife Peninnah and her two sons portions; but to Hannah he gave a very generous portion; for he loved his wife Hannah although she could not bear children. And so Peninnah would provoke Hannah sorely, and mocked her because the Lord had stopped up her womb so that she could not bear children; which of course made Hannah very sad and cheerless.  

A Woman Named Hannah

BRAGADAYJAH 798

BRAGADAYJAH 798

Over the last two years I have steadfastly written a line by line summary of the most authentic, the oldest, story of mankind, as told in God’s word the Bible. Those line were encapsulated in those ancient books known to us as Genesis to Ruth, with all the books in between. From the book of beginnings, which speaks of the origination of mankind, the call of the Jewish Nation, the Redemption of that Nation, the sanctification of the Nation, the recodification for the Nation, the numbering and directing of a Nation, the conquering of the nations, the leadership of the nation to the wonderful story of adoption of a Moabitess woman into the nation, thereby unifying the gentile with His chosen people, and in part fulfilling His promise to Abraham to provide blessing to all the families of the earth.  I do thank the Lord my God for his faithfulness to me during the past 2 years, 2 weeks and 2 days in affording me the privilege of being faithful to my promise with regard to GRAGADAYJAH
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BRAGADAYJAH 797

BRAGADAYJAH 797

Boaz took Ruth as his wife, and the Lord blessed the marriage and they had a son.  And the women told Naomi that she was blessed of the Lord, because He had not left her kinless, and has given her a son whose name would be well known in Israel. That he would be to her a restorer of life, and a nourisher in her old age.  They also told her that her daughter-in-law loved her and would be better to her than seven sons. And Naomi took the child to her bosom and looked after him. And his name was called Obed, the father of Jesse the father of David. The antecedents of Boaz was as follows: Pharez, who begat Hezron, who begat Ram, who begat Amminadab, who begat Nahshon, who begat Salmon, who begat Boaz, who begat Obed of Ruth.  And Obed begat Jesse the father of David. Since we know that our Saviour is of David’s line, we see how God providentially brought Ruth, a Moabitess into the Royal line through which Messiah would come.
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BRAGADAYJAH 796

BRAGADAYJAH 796

At that time, there was a custom in Israel, that if a man declined his right of inheritance, he would pluck off his shoe and give it to his neighbor. So the kinsman told Boaz, “You buy it;” and with that he threw off his shoe. And Boaz said unto the elders and unto all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that which belonged to Elimelech and all that was Chillon’s and Mahlons of the hand of Naomi.   In addition, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahon have I purchased to be my wife to raise up an inheritance that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren; and from the gate of his place; ye are witnesses this day.”  And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachael and like Leah which two did build the house of Israel, and do thou worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem.  And let thy house be like the house of Pharez whom Tamar bare unto Judah of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.”  

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Age of Insanity

Age of Insanity

If the eighteenth century was budded the age of reason, the twenty first century, this century, may be aptly described as the age of insanity. I recently heard a comment about three teen-aged girls who attempted to leave the luxury and comfort of their homes and their school environment, to go abroad to join ISIS.  And the puzzle was, “Why would they?” And no one seems to be able to come up with the answer, simple and straightforward though it verily is. Before stating the answer, let me just refer to something again that God, The Almighty, All-knowing, All-Seeing, All-powerful One has said, “The FOOL, (that is to say the insane), says in his heart, there is no God.” That’s what God has said.  Do we not see, that all of us, especially children, need God in our lives?  A God which satisfies the hungry, thirsty, wandering soul? All people, children included need an anchor in their lives; they need something, someone, to believe in; and if they can’t find it at home, or at school, of course they are going to go looking for it; they are going to go looking for adventure. That is the way of the youth in all of us.  Some find it close to home some go further afield. Telling children they can’t read their bibles in school and not being encouraged to read it at home, and not been taught to find meaning and purpose in their lives which can only come from faith in God, is bound to set them drifting away, having no moorings; no anchor for their souls, and to go looking for adventure, even choosing to find it in the most unsafe and unlikely places. So we deprive our children of God, and someone introduces them to Satan, and what are they supposed to do, or more particularly what are they expected not to do? Were we not so deeply entrenched in the “Age of Insanity,” we would all know the reason why those girls, and all others like them, would go looking  for answers wherever they think they might find them.

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BRAGADAYJAH 795

BRAGADAYJAH 795

Boaz given the right of Redemption.

The following morning, Boaz went and sat by the gate of the city, and there came by the kinsman who was first in line for Ruth’s hand in accordance with the law of the inheritance. And Boaz asked the man to join him and they sat down together. And then Boaz invited ten men of the city to join them; and they did. And Boaz told the kinsman in their presence and that of the people, that Naomi who came out of the land of Moab sells a parcel of land which belonged to their brother Elimelech. And it was his intention to invite him to claim it being the first in line; and if not to let him know that he may claim it. And Boaz also said that beside the field of Naomi the kinsman would be obliged to take along with it, Ruth, the Moabitess the wife of the dead to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.  And the first kinsman said that he was unable to redeem the inheritance, leaving it to Boaz to do so.

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BRAGADAYJAH 794

BRAGADAYJAH 794

Ruth laid at Boaz’s feet until morning; and she rose up early while it was still dark; and Boaz said to her “Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.”  Then he told Ruth to bring the veil that she had on and when she held it out he measured six measures of barley and gave to her as she was about to leave for the city. And Ruth went home to her mother-in-law Naomi, and she greeted her and asked her how things went during the night. And Ruth told her all that had happened the night before and in the morning, and told her also about the six measures of barley that Boaz had given her, telling her that she did not want her to return to Naomi empty handed.  So Naomi told Ruth to sit still and see how the matter played out as she felt certain that Boaz would see the matter through.

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BRAGADAYJAH 793

BRAGADAYJAH 793

And it happened that Boaz woke at midnight, and was startled when he saw the shape of a women lying at his feet. And he said, “Who are you?” And Ruth answered and said, “I am Ruth thine handmaid.  Spread therefore your skirt over me, for you are a near kinsman.” And Boaz said, “Blessed be thou of the Lord my daughter; for thou has shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning; in that you have not followed after young men rich or poor. And now my daughter fear not; I will do to you all that you request; for all the people of my city know that you are a virtuous woman.   And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; however, there is one closer than I.  Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning he will perform unto you the part of a kinsman, then let him do the part of a kinsman; but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to you, then I will do unto you the part of a kinsman. This I swear to you, the Lord being my witness.”

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BRAGADAYJAH 792

BRAGADAYJAH 792

Now then Naomi told Ruth that she wanted to give her advice that things may be well with her. She told her that she had reason to think that Boaz would spend the night in his threshing floor. Therefore, she told her to wash and anoint herself and put her best clothes on and go sit in the threshing floor. Naomi also advised Ruth that she must make herself inconspicuous until after Boaz had finished eating and drinking; and afterwards when he would have lain down, she should go and uncover his feet and lie down next to his feet, and wait until he speaks to her. Ruth listened carefully and agreed to do all that Naomi directed her; and then she left and went to the threshing floor and did what Naomi had told her to do. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went and lay down near the heap of corn in the threshing floor, and Ruth went and lay down at his feet. 

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BRAGADAYJAH 791

BRAGADAYJAH 791

So Ruth, at the end of the day, returned home and gave to Naomi a goodly portion of what she had gleaned. And Naomi asked her, where she had gleaned that day and with whom.  And Ruth revealed to her all the blessings she had had that day, and said that the man’s name was Boaz. And Naomi said unto her, “Ruth, blessed be he of the Lord who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead.” And Naomi told Ruth that Boaz was near kinsman unto them and in fact one of the next of kin.

And Ruth in response told Naomi that Boaz had also told her that she should stay close to his young men until they had completed the harvest. And Naomi told her, that it was good that she was going out with Boaz’s maidens, and not in some other field. So she kept close to the maidens of Boaz and gleaned until the end of the barley harvest, and the end of the wheat harvest, while continuing to dwell with Naomi.   www.chaberbooks.com

BRAGADAYJAH 790

BRAGADAYJAH 790

Having heard Boaz, Ruth replied and said, “Let me find favor in thy sight, my Lord, for that thou hast comforted me, in that thou hast spoken friendly unto thy handmaid though I am not like unto one of thy handmaidens.” And Boaz told Ruth, to eat with the rest of his maidens at mealtime; and she did eat with them and was filled. And when she was risen up to resume her gleaning, Boaz instructed his men to allow her to glean even among the sheaves, (the un-reaped wheat), and not to prevent her. Besides, Boaz said to his men, let some fall from your hands on purpose so that she may gather it freely. And Ruth gleaned in the field until evening and when she gathered together all she had it was about an ephah of barley, which is about 33 pounds of weight.

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BRAGADAYJAH 799

BRAGADAYJAH 799

Boaz extends hospitality to Ruth.

So Boaz approached Ruth and told her that henceforth, she was to glean as one of his maidens and not with the common gleaners.  That when she was thirsty she would drink from the vessels which the king’s young men had drawn, that is to say, she did not have to go and draw water from the well herself. And so Ruth being a virtuous woman asked of Boaz, why she being a stranger not of Israel, was being treated with such hospitality. And Boaz assured her that he had heard of her virtue and steadfastness with Naomi.  How she had given up returning to return to her mother and father in her own country, since her husband had died, choosing rather to remain with a people whom she knew not before. And Boaz bestowed blessings on Ruth, in the name of the Lord God Almighty, under whose wings, and with whose people she had chosen to abide. 

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BRAGADAYJAH 798

BRAGADAYJAH 798

Naomi and Boaz

Now there was a rich man, a man of high standing of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. He was kin to Naomi’s husband.  Now Ruth told Naomi that she wanted to go to the field and glean corn as was the law and custom in those days, and Naomi told her to go.  Accordingly Naomi went into the field to glean after the reapers had passed through. And she was in the field of Boaz. Soon after Boaz who was away returned and greeted his reapers, asking them how they fared and imparting God’s blessing on them; and the reapers wished blessings on their master in return. Then Boaz noticed Ruth and asked his servants who she was; and they told him her name was Ruth, and she was a Moabitess that came out of the land of Moab with Naomi when she returned to Bethlehem. And they explained to Moab that she had come in the morning and asked permission to glean in the field; and having been granted permission she had been there all day.   

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BRAGADAYJAH 797

BRAGADAYJAH 797

Ruth’s classic expression of Love.

In response to her mother-in-law, Ruth spoke the never-to-be forgotten words:  “Entreat me not to leave thee or return from following after thee; for whither thou goest I will go, and whither thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.  Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” And when Naomi saw that Ruth’s mind was made up, and her resolve to remain with her unshakeable, she ceased trying to dissuade her. So Naomi and Ruth set out and continued until they arrived at Bethlehem.  And the people at Bethlehem were glad to see Naomi, some of them asking, is this really you, Naomi? And Naomi answered and said, “Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full and the Lord has brought me home empty; so why do you call me Naomi since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?  So Naomi and Ruth remained in Jerusalem, Naomi formerly of Bethlehem, Ruth a Moabitess.

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BRAGADAYJAH 796

BRAGADAYJAH 796

Naomi and her Two Daughters –in-law

Naomi now told her daughters-in-law it would be best for them to leave her and return to their native land, and wished them well, thanking them for their fidelity to both her dead sons and herself. But the young women expressed the desire to remain with her. Surely they told her, “We will return with you unto your own people.”  But Naomi told them to leave her, pointing out that she could no longer produce sons which could be husbands for them. Naomi told them that she was old and had no husband, and she added by way of further explanation, that even she would find a husband in her old age, and even if she should bear more sons, it would be unlikely that they would wait until they were old enough to be husbands to them. Both clung to Naomi and wept at the thought of leaving her; but Orpah eventually kissed her and departed; but Ruth clung to her and would not leave her.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 794

BRAGADAYJAH 795

Naomi and Ruth

Now it happened that in the days of the judges that there was a famine in the land.  And a certain man of Bethlehem-Judah went to live in the country of Moab, his wife and his two sons with him. The man’s name was Elimelech and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the name of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. The family being Ephrathites of Bethlehem-Judah living in Moab. In course of time Naomi’s husband died and she was left a widow with her two sons. And her two sons married women of Moab, the name of one wife was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth; and they all dwelt in the land of Moab for about ten years.  And in course of time both sons died leaving behind their wives, Orpah and Ruth and Naomi was left with her two daughters in law.  And things were hard in the land of Moab; so Naomi decided to return to her own land because she had heard that the Lord had blessed the land; so they set out to return to the land of Judah.
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BRAGADAYJAH 794

BRAGADAYJAH 794

Accordingly, some wives were provided for the men of the children of Benjamin; but there was further lack and the men of Israel felt that more wives should be found for them that they shall not become extinct as a tribe of Israel. Aware that there was a yearly feast coming up, to be held on the north side of Bethel near the highway that passed up from Bethel to Shechem; the children of Israel advised the children of Benjamin to lie in wait in the vineyards; and if the daughters of Shiloh came out to dance, then they should come out of the vineyards and catch each of them a wife of the daughters of Shiloh and return to their home in Gibeah.  The children of Israel assured them that if the maidens fathers should make enquiry, the children of Israel would tell them that they permitted it as they were responsible for the people of Benjamin been destroyed in the war, and that they were making reparation to them. So the men of Benjamin were able to get themselves wives and rebuild their cities and return to be one of the twelve tribes of Israel at a time when there was no king and each man did what was right in his own eyes.

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BRAGADAYJAH 793

BRAGADAYJAH 793

So the children of Israel set about finding wives for the children of Benjamin, and while they were gathered together, they made enquire to see if any tribe other than Benjamin had failed to attend the assembly of the congregation; and the people having been numbered, it was discovered that none of the tribe of Jabesh-Gilead were present. So the assembly selected twelve thousand armed men and commanded them to go to Jabesh-Gilead and smite all the inhabitants thereof, both of men and of women, save only such women that have never had any connection with any man, and to take any such virgin women back to the congregation.  And so the men of Israel found four hundred such women, and took them back to the congregation. And the children of Israel sent messengers to the men of Benjamin who had taken refuge at the rock Rimmon, and to invite them to come to them so that they may be given wives of the women taken from Jabesh-Gibeah.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 792

BRAGADAYJAH 792

Following the sour relations between Benjamin and the other tribes of Israel, the children of Israel had vowed never to allow their daughters to be given to a man of Benjamin for wife.  And the people gathered together in the house of God and remained there before the Lord from morning to night and sorrowed before Him. And as they cried before the Lord they were troubled by the fact that there was a tribe of Israel missing.  And early the next morning they rose up early and built there an altar before the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and a peace offering before the Lord. And the children of Israel recalled the oath before taken, that any tribe of the congregation of Israel that does not appear before the Lord at Mizpeh should surely be put to death. And so the children of Israel sorrowed over the plight of Benjamin their brother.  And worried that those of the Benjamites that remain would have difficulty finding themselves wives since they were decimated by reason of the war with Israel.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 791

BRAGADAYJAH 791

Benjamite Cities destroyed

When the men of Benjamin saw the smoke rising out of their city, they turned their back on the enemy and turned towards the city; and at that time the children of Israel assailed then, and destroyed eighteen thousands of them.  And some of the men of the Benjamites fled and went towards the wilderness towards the rock Rimmon and the men of Israel followed after them and slew five thousand of them, and continued chasing them and caught them at Gidom, and slew another two thousands of them. So that in that day, there fell of the Benjamites, twenty five thousand men. But six hundred escaped and fled to the rock Rimmon and remained there four months. And the men of Israel, turned against all the cities of Benjamin and smote them with the edge of the sword city by city, and set on fire all the cities that they came to.    

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BRAGADAYJAH 790

BRAGADAYJAH 790

Gibeah Captured and Burnt

We will remember that before attacking the children of Benjamin the first time, the children of Israel asked God who should they send against Benjamin; and the Lord told them Judah; but the children of Israel decided to go in numerical might and they met with defeat; even when they regrouped and asked God whether they should go out again God said, “go.” But note, God did not promise them victory; and going, they met with defeat again. Surely, they must have thought if God says go, that means success; but surely that does not necessarily follow.  Sometimes God would say go even though He knows you will meet with opposition if not defeat; sometimes, God just decides to each us a lesson through, disappointment, suffering and failure.  We note, however, that when Phinehas the priest in attendance at the time asked him, God did promise success; but even then final success does not always mean in God’s scheme of things, that there is to be no suffering in the way to success, or failure on the road to victory. So on this occasion the children of Israel having suffered heavy loss to start with, withdrew and encouraged the people of Gibeah and Benjamin to pursue after them, they fell into Israel’s trap and some twenty five thousand and two hundred of them were smitten, and the city of Gibeah burnt to the ground by the men of Israel.

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BRAGADAYJAH 789

BRAGADAYJAH 789

At the time when the children of Israel were making their supplication before the Lord, the Ark of the Covenant was there in the house of God. Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before the Ark in those days; and he besought the Lord and ask Him if he should go out to battle against Benjamin his brother, or should he cease; and the Lord said go up; “for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hands.”  And Israel set men around the camp of Gibeah to lie in wait and the next say the children of Israel set themselves in array and went up against Benjamin in Gibeah as before. And the children of Benjamin seemed at first to be winning the battle as before, in the fight leading up to the city and also the house of God and the children of Israel adopted a strategy of retreat, luring the children of Benjamin to follow them away from the city and unto the byways.   

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BRAGADAYJAH 788

BRAGADAYJAH 788

The Children of Israel Defeated a Second Time.

We note that the children of Israel’s first encounter with the children of Benjamin resulted in failure.  Do we wonder why? They had the wisdom before they attacked Benjamin, to ask God who should go up first; and God told them; but they decided to do their own thing; so not surprisingly, their self-centered efforts met with failure.  So what did they do?  They reassembled themselves the second day at the same place and once again prepared to battle against Benjamin; but while so assembled, they went to the house of God and cried before and implored Him what to do, and whether they should go up or not; and the Lord told them to go up. So they went up the second time and the children of Benjamin destroyed them a second time even eighteen thousands of them. So the next day they went back before the Lord again and wept and fasted until evening and offered burnt offerings before the Lord and made supplications unto Him.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 787

BRAGADAYJAH 787

Gibeah Goes To War.

Now at that time the children of Benjamin were numbered out of the cities some twenty six thousand men armed for battle beside the armed men of Gibeah itself. And among the people of Benjamin there were seven hundred skilled stone throwers who could throw stones even with the left hand and never miss. But the men of Israel who drew sword, other than the men of Benjamin were four hundred thousand. And the children of Israel went into the house of God and asked counsel of God and asked Him, which of them should go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin; and the Lord said, “Judah, shall go first.” And the children of Israel rose up early 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 out of Gibeah and destroyed twenty and two thousands of the Israelites that day.    

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BRAGADAYJAH 787

Gibeah Goes To War.

Now at that time the children of Benjamin were numbered out of the cities some twenty six thousand men armed for battle beside the armed men of Gibeah itself. And among the people of Benjamin there were seven hundred skilled stone throwers who could throw stones even with the left hand and never miss. But the men of Israel who drew sword, other than the men of Benjamin were four hundred thousand. And the children of Israel went into the house of God and asked counsel of God and asked Him, which of them should go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin; and the Lord said, “Judah, shall go first.” And the children of Israel rose up early 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 out of Gibeah and destroyed twenty and two thousands of the Israelites that day.   

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BRAGADAYJAH 786

BRAGADAYJAH 786

The Verdict

And the congregation rose and unanimously agreed that while they would not enter within the tent or home of the Levite, (by Israelitish law both would have been deemed unclean by virtue of the carnage that took place there), they would, however, avenge upon Gibeah the ignominy committed against the Levite and his wife. Therefore, the decision was taken to march against Gibeah. The company would be made up of ten out of every hundred men in each tribe of Israel, one hundred of each thousand, and one thousand out of each ten thousand, equipped with food for the people when they come against Gibeah.  And the tribes of Israel sent messengers to all the tribes of Benjamin demanding to have an explanation of the great wickedness that was committed in Israel, and demanded that the men guilty of the evil deed be delivered up unto them that they may be put to death, thus eliminating evil out of Israel; but the children of Benjamin would not listen to the demands of their brethren the children of Israel. And instead armed themselves to fight against their brethren.    

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BRAGADAYJAH 785

BRAGADAYJAH 785

What is your Verdict?

So the aggrieved husband took his almost lifeless concubine wife and departed to his own place and on arrival, he cut his wife up in twelve pieces and sent the parts into all the coasts of Israel; and all that knew it marveled and said there has not been such a thing seen in all Israel before, not since they had come out of Egypt unto that day. In response, the children of Israel gathered themselves together with one accord, from Dan to Beersheba and with the land of Gilead unto the Lord at Mizpeh. And the chief of all of the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand of them, footmen that wielded the sword. And being thus assembled they asked the husband of the slain woman, the Levite, to give an account to them of what had happened. And he answered and said, “I came into Gibeah that is part of Benjamin with my wife to lodge there; and the men of Gibeah rose against me and surrounded the house in which I was, and threatened to slay me and my concubine whom they forced and now she is dead. So I took her and cut her in pieces and sent the pieces into all the country of the inhabitants of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.”  Therefore, demanded the husband, “What is your verdict?”   

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BRAGADAYJAH 784

BRAGADAYJAH 784

Abuse of the Levite’s Wife

At the stranger’s invitation the sojourners decided to lodge with him. And they moved in with the stranger who provided for theirs’ and their asses’ needs. And it happened that while they were in the house, the local ruffians, men of the city, described as sons of Belial, (children of the devil), surrounded the house the, and beating on the door of the house, demanded of the owner that they sent out the stranger that they may know (sodomize) him. We note, interestingly that God’s word describes those who harbor such unnatural thoughts, as children of the devil. However, to continue with the story, the owner of the house pleaded and reasoned with the men and asked them to change their minds and desist. He even suggested to them that he had two women in the house, his own daughter and the wife of the stranger; but he said, to this man who is my guest, do not such a vile thing unto him. By way of comment again, the bible refers to the suggestion of knowing the man in his house as a vile thing, which indeed it was and still is. But the local hooligans were insistent and so the man offered up his concubine, and they knew and abused her all night and let her go in the early hours of the morning; and exhausted, battered and bruised, the woman fell unconscious at the door and laid there.

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BRAGADAYJAH 783

BRAGADAYJAH 783

Now after they departed the father-in-law’s house, they journeyed on until evening and when they neared the city of Jebus, one of the servants suggested to his master that they should enter in and lodge there for the night; but the master declined saying he would not care to lodge in a city of the Jebusites not being of the tribe of Israel. And he chose instead to go on to Gibeah; so they decided to go on to Gibeah hoping to arrive there before dark; but by the time they reached Gibeah which was a city of Benjamin, the sun was set; and it turned out that there in Gibeah they could find no place to lodge the night; so they sat down at the side of the street. But while sitting there, they encountered an old man who dwelt in the city, who asked them where they were from and where they were going; and after they explained to the stranger, who they were, where they were from and where they were going, the old man invited them to spend the night, promising them food for themselves and hay for the asses. 

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BRAGADAYJAH 872

BRAGADAYJAH 782

And still in the days when there was no ruler in Israel that a certain Levite who lived on the side of mount Ephraim took to himself a concubine out of Bethlehem-Judah, and his concubine played the whore against him, and left his house, and went to live in her father’s house in Bethlehem-Judah and remained there four full months.  And her husband went to her to speak to her in a quiet manner without hostility, desiring to persuade her to return to his house with him. And she took her husband into her father’s house and when her father saw him, he was very pleased with him and invited him and his two servants to be his guests; and so the husband stayed there for three days and three night. But on the fourth morning when the husband arose to depart, his father-in-law invited him to stay and have breakfast before departing. And so the husband and her wife and her two servants stayed another night and another for seven days before departing, so fond was his wife’s father of him, and so reluctant was the father to part company with his daughter
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BRAGADAYJAH 781

BRAGADAYJAH 781

So the children of Dan having conquered the land, lived by themselves in that remote area. They were not affiliated with the rest of Israel. There was no one to deliver them because they lived far from Zidon and they kept to themselves having no business with any other people. And they built themselves a city and dwelt there. And they named the city Dan after the name of Dan their father who was a son of Israel. And the children of Dan set up the graven images, and Jonathan the son of Gershom the son of Manasseh and his sons were made priests to the tribe of Dan and remained so until the day of the captivity of the land. And during that time they set up the graven and molten images which they had taken out of the house of Micah and worshiped them. 

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