DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links and a discussion forum 2014 May 29
The Death of Virginia (c. 1760)
Francesco de Mura (1696-1782)
Neoclassical Style; Neapolitan School
Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: Judges 19 contains the account of the murder of a young woman. (As in the painting above, sexual lust played a key role in her death). She was from Bethlehemjudah and was the concubine of a Levite who sojourned in mount Ephraim. She committed adultery against him and then returned to her father's house where she stayed for four months. Afterward, her husband came to her, spoke kindly to her, and she received him into her father's house. Her father was glad to see him and persuaded him to stay for almost five full days (1-9). He departed with his wife in the middle of the fifth day and passed by Jerusalem (then called Jebus, and controlled by the Jebusites) and went to Gibeah, a city in the tribe of Benjamin. There, he, his wife, and his servant sat in the street of the city hoping for someone to give them lodging for the night (10-15). In the evening an old man from mount Ephraim who was sojourning in Gibeah saw the man and inquired about his origin and his destination. When he discovered that he was a fellow Ephraimite he invited him into his house and provided for him (16-21). But certain worthless men surrounded the house and demanded to have sexual relations with the stranger. But the man sent out his concubine, and they abused her all night. When they released her she came and fell at the door of the house (22-26). In the morning the man arose to leave and tried to awaken his wife, but she was dead. So he took her home, cut her into twelve pieces, and sent them to each of the twelve tribes. Those who saw it said that nothing like this had been done since they left Egypt until that day. And they called on each other to take counsel and to speak their minds (27-3).
It is my opinion that the man cut the body into pieces because each part bore evidence of the crime -- bruises and lacerations would be the most likely evidence. A night of sexual abuse would probably not have killed her -- at least that was the expectation of the woman's husband. Exposure may have been a factor in her death, but probably would not have killed her by itself since it was the time of year when crops were being worked in the fields (v. 16), and the night temperatures would have been comparatively moderate. She may have bled to death from lacerations, or died from internal injuries, or succumbed to exposure; or some combination of these factors may have killed her. Whatever the case, the body parts, together with the accompanying story, moved powerfully upon the nation. The story concludes in the next chapter.
Judges 19
1 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 Bethlehemjudah.
2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.
3 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.
4 And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.
6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.
11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
12 And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
13 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
15 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.
16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.
17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
18 And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
20 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
22 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.
23 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.
24 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.
25 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.
26 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.
27 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.
28 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.
29 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.
30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.
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