Quotes About Community

So they sat down and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the girlís father said to the man, “Please agree to stay overnight and let your heart be merry.”

But his master replied, “We will not turn aside to the city of foreigners, where there are no Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.”

He continued, “Come, let us try to reach one of these towns to spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”

They stopped to go in and lodge in Gibeah. The Levite went in and sat down in the city square, but no one would take them into his home for the night.

That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was residing in Gibeah (the men of that place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the field.

When he looked up and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going, and where have you come from?”

The Levite replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote hill country of Ephraim, where I am from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and now I am going to the house of the LORD; but no one has taken me into his home,

even though there is both straw and feed for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me and the maidservant and young man with me. There is nothing that we, your servants, lack.”

“Peace to you,” said the old man. “Let me supply everything you need. Only do not spend the night in the square.”

So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.

While they were enjoying themselves, suddenly the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they said to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so we can have relations with him!”

The owner of the house went out and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Do not commit this outrage.

Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.

And during the night, the men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house. They intended to kill me, but they abused my concubine, and she died.

Behold, all you Israelites, give your advice and verdict here and now.”

Then all the people stood as one man and said, “Not one of us will return to his tent or to his house.

So all the men of Israel gathered as one man, united against the city.

And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?

The next morning the Israelites set out and camped near Gibeah.

So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.

The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.

And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.

What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”

For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.