Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

We finished our eighth book of the Bible today and since we're reading an

entire book tomorrow that means we're about to be at nine books total.

Don't worry the book we're reading tomorrow is super short, just four chapters.

Also, I mentioned this at the beginning of the book of judges and hopefully you've already read the text from today and know this is a tough section,

but just a heads up that if there are little ears nearby, you may want to listen later.

This is one of my least favorite sections in all of scripture, but there are still things to be

learned about God in these chapters, even though he seems mostly absent.

We opened with a reminder that Israel is living in anarchy at this point,

which sets us up for everything that happens in today's reading.

We start with a Levite, the tribe appointed to work for God, who had a concubine, which is basically a household servant with fewer rights and less permanency than a wife, and whose main job is to sleep with the boss and have his babies.

She decides she wants to leave this

arrangement but he goes after her to win her back. He meets with her dad and things are

going smoothly. Her father keeps inviting them to stay day after day with him but on the

fifth day the Levite is ready to move

on so they head out for the long journey home. His servants suggest they spend the night

in a can-an-night area but the Levite really prefers to keep moving until they hit an Israelite

area.

They stop in the city of Gebaya, which is in the land allotted to the Benjhemites.

They're planning to sleep in the town square, but an old man comes by and urges them to stay at

his place instead.

Not long after that, the Benjamin of the town show up and demand to have sex with the Levite.

...