The Levite and His Concubine - Judges 19:1-20:7

The sermon text for this week is Judges 19:1-20:7. As you will recall, this passage contains mature subject content. If any parents desire to have their children engaged in an alternate activity while this passage is read and preached, then please send an email to George Vander Dussen letting him know. As it is right now, there are no plans for an alternate activity during the sermon time, but one can easily be arranged if any parents desire.

To help you prepare for the upcoming sermon, here are some questions to consider.

1. What was the relationship between the Levite and woman described in verse 1?

2. What is the significance of the father-in-law's effort to prevent the Levite from leaving (19:4-10)?

3. What tribe were the people of Gibeah from? What wicked act did they intend to commit against the Levite?

4. What tribe was the "old man" who showed hospitality from?

5. What motivation did the man of the house have for offering these men his virgin daughter and the Levite's concubine? (vs. 19:24). How does it make you feel knowing that a father would willing place his daughter in such a situation?

6. Read 19:25. On what grounds did the Levite have for forcing his concubine into this mob of wicked men?

7. When the concubine was found dead the next morning, the Levite brought her home and divided her body into twelve pieces. (19:29) Then he sent one piece of her body to each of the heads of the tribes of Israel. Why did he do this? What was the Levite hoping to accomplish by doing this?

8. What was the response of those who witnessed the woman's severed body? How did the chiefs of the tribes of Israel respond to this?