Judges 20:6

Judges 20:6 describes the horrific aftermath of the crime against a Levite’s concubine in Gibeah, a Benjaminite town located just a few miles north of what is now Jerusalem. This event takes place sometime after Joshua’s death (around the late 14th century BC) during the era of Israel’s judges, when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). The verse narrates, “*So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel*” (v.6). In doing so, the Levite issues a ghastly summons to the tribes of Israel, demanding they recognize and address the gross violation that had been perpetrated against her. The language highlights the utter depravity of the crime committed and the depth of moral corruption prevalent at that time.

The phrase “*they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel*” (v.6) echoes a Hebrew expression also translated “an act of folly,” used elsewhere in the Old Testament to describe serious acts of sexual misconduct (Genesis 34:7; Judges 20:6) citeturn0file2. This “folly” connotes both moral corruption and the abandonment of covenantal obligations to God. By cutting his concubine’s body into pieces and distributing them throughout the national territory, the Levite exposes the communal guilt of Gibeah’s men. It also provokes a national outcry among the remaining tribes in Israel—showing how sin, if left unchecked, can bring chaos and judgment upon an entire community. The resulting call to action galvanizes Israel’s leaders to gather against the tribe of Benjamin, initiating a civil war that will tear the nation apart in the subsequent verses (Judges 20:11-48).

In the broader biblical narrative, Judges 20:6 underscores humanity’s deep need for righteous leadership and ultimate redemption. This account is a vivid reminder that when people reject God’s ways and seek to govern themselves without accountability or moral restraint, the results are disastrous. Later in Scripture, God provides lasting redemption through Jesus Christ, whose sacrificial death and resurrection make a way for people to be reconciled to God and to treat one another with righteousness and love (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). This verse in Judges, though shocking, ultimately foreshadows the intensity of sin that demands such a redemption.

This verse illustrates how unchecked sin can result in extreme depravity within a community.