O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 10:21 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Tuesday March 17 > Judges 19-21 (The Message) > > Judges 19 > > The Levite > 1-4 It was an era when there was no king in Israel. A Levite, living as a > stranger in the backwoods > hill country of Ephraim, got himself a concubine, a > woman from Bethlehem in Judah. But she quarreled with him and left, > returning to her father's house > in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there four months. Then > her husband decided to go after her and try to win her back. He had a > servant and a pair of donkeys > with him. When he arrived at her father's house, the > girl's father saw him, welcomed him, and made him feel at home. His > father-in-law, the girl's > father, pressed him to stay. He stayed with him three days; > they feasted and drank and slept. > > 5-6 On the fourth day, they got up at the crack of dawn and got ready to > go. But the girl's father > said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen yourself with a > hearty breakfast and then you can go." So they sat down and ate breakfast > together. > > 6-7 The girl's father said to the man, "Come now, be my guest. Stay the > night-make it a holiday." > The man got up to go, but his father-in-law kept after > him, so he ended up spending another night. > > 8-9 On the fifth day, he was again up early, ready to go. The girl's > father said, "You need some > breakfast." They went back and forth, and the day slipped > on as they ate and drank together. But the man and his concubine were > finally ready to go. Then his > father-in-law, the girl's father, said, "Look, the > day's almost gone-why not stay the night? There's very little daylight > left; stay another night and > enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get an early start > and set off for your own place." > > 10-11 But this time the man wasn't willing to spend another night. He got > things ready, left, and > went as far as Jebus (Jerusalem) with his pair of saddled > donkeys, his concubine, and his servant. At Jebus, though, the day was > nearly gone. The servant said > to his master, "It's late; let's go into this Jebusite > city and spend the night." > > 12-13 But his master said, "We're not going into any city of foreigners. > We'll go on to Gibeah." He > directed his servant, "Keep going. Let's go on ahead. > We'll spend the night either at Gibeah or Ramah." > > 14-15 So they kept going. As they pressed on, the sun finally left them in > the vicinity of Gibeah, > which belongs to Benjamin. They left the road there > to spend the night at Gibeah. > > 15-17 The Levite went and sat down in the town square, but no one invited > them in to spend the > night. Then, late in the evening, an old man came in from > his day's work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and > lived temporarily in > Gibeah where all the local citizens were Benjaminites. When > the old man looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, he said, > "Where are you going? And > where are you from?" > > 18-19 The Levite said, "We're just passing through. We're coming from > Bethlehem on our way to a > remote spot in the hills of Ephraim. I come from there. > I've just made a trip to Bethlehem in Judah and I'm on my way back home, > but no one has invited us > in for the night. We wouldn't be any trouble: We have > food and straw for the donkeys, and bread and wine for the woman, the > young man, and me-we don't > need anything." > > 20-21 The old man said, "It's going to be all right; I'll take care of > you. You aren't going to > spend the night in the town square." He took them home > and fed the donkeys. They washed up and sat down to a good meal. > > 22 They were relaxed and enjoying themselves when the men of the city, a > gang of local hell-raisers > all, surrounded the house and started pounding on the > door. They yelled for the owner of the house, the old man, "Bring out the > man who came to your > house. We want to have sex with him." > > 23-24 He went out and told them, "No, brothers! Don't be obscene-this man > is my guest. Don't commit > this outrage. Look, my virgin daughter and his concubine > are here. I'll bring them out for you. Abuse them if you must, but don't > do anything so senselessly > vile to this man." > > 25-26 But the men wouldn't listen to him. Finally, the Levite pushed his > concubine out the door to > them. They raped her repeatedly all night long. Just > before dawn they let her go. The woman came back and fell at the door of > the house where her master > was sleeping. When the sun rose, there she was. > > 27 It was morning. Her master got up and opened the door to continue his > journey. There she was, > his concubine, crumpled in a heap at the door, her hands > on the threshold. > > 28 "Get up," he said. "Let's get going." There was no answer. > > 29-30 He lifted her onto his donkey and set out for home. When he got home > he took a knife and > dismembered his concubine-cut her into twelve pieces. He > sent her, piece by piece, throughout the country of Israel. And he ordered > the men he sent out, "Say > to every man in Israel: 'Has such a thing as this > ever happened from the time the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt > until now? Think about it! > Talk it over. Do something!'" > > Judges 20 > 1-2 Then all the People of Israel came out. The congregation met in the > presence of God at Mizpah. > They were all there, from Dan to Beersheba, as one person! > The leaders of all the people, representing all the tribes of Israel, took > their places in the > gathering of God's people. There were four hundred divisions > of sword-wielding infantry. > > 3 Meanwhile the Benjaminites got wind that the Israelites were meeting at > Mizpah. > > The People of Israel said, "Now tell us. How did this outrageous evil > happen?" > > 4-7 The Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, spoke: "My concubine > and I came to spend the > night at Gibeah, a Benjaminite town. That night the men > of Gibeah came after me. They surrounded the house, intending to kill me. > They gang-raped my > concubine and she died. So I took my concubine, cut up her > body, and sent her piece by piece-twelve pieces!-to every part of Israel's > inheritance. This vile > and outrageous crime was committed in Israel! So, Israelites, > make up your minds. Decide on some action!" > > 8-11 All the people were at once and as one person on their feet. "None of > us will go home; not a > single one of us will go to his own house. Here's our > plan for dealing with Gibeah: We'll march against it by drawing lots. > We'll take ten of every > hundred men from all the tribes of Israel (a hundred of every > thousand, and a thousand of every ten thousand) to carry food for the > army. When the troops arrive > at Gibeah they will settle accounts for this outrageous > and vile evil that was done in Israel." So all the men in Israel were > gathered against the city, > totally united. > > 12-13 The Israelite tribes sent messengers throughout the tribe of > Benjamin saying, "What's the > meaning of this outrage that took place among you? Surrender > the men right here and now, these hell-raisers of Gibeah. We'll put them > to death and burn the evil > out of Israel." > > 13-16 But they wouldn't do it. The Benjaminites refused to listen to their > brothers, the People of > Israel. Instead they raised an army from all their cities > and rallied at Gibeah to go to war against the People of Israel. In no > time at all they had > recruited from their cities twenty-six divisions of sword-wielding > infantry. From Gibeah they got seven hundred hand-picked fighters, the > best. There were another > seven hundred supermarksmen who were ambidextrous-they > could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. > > 17 The men of Israel, excluding Benjamin, mobilized four hundred divisions > of sword-wielding > fighting men. > > 18 They set out and went to Bethel to inquire of God. The People of Israel > said, "Who of us shall be > first to go into battle with the Benjaminites?" > > God said, "Judah goes first." > > 19-21 The People of Israel got up the next morning and camped before > Gibeah. The army of Israel > marched out against Benjamin and took up their positions, > ready to attack Gibeah. But the Benjaminites poured out of Gibeah and > devastated twenty-two > Israelite divisions on the ground. > > 22-23 The Israelites went back to the sanctuary and wept before God until > evening. They again > inquired of God, "Shall we again go into battle against the > Benjaminites, our brothers?" > > God said, "Yes. Attack." > > 24-25 The army took heart. The men of Israel took up the positions they > had deployed on the first > day. > > On the second day, the Israelites again advanced against Benjamin. This > time as the Benjaminites > came out of the city, on this second day, they devastated > another eighteen Israelite divisions, all swordsmen. > > 26 All the People of Israel, the whole army, were back at Bethel, weeping, > sitting there in the > presence of God. That day they fasted until evening. They > sacrificed Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings before God. > > 27-28 And they again inquired of God. The Chest of God's Covenant was > there at that time with > Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, as the ministering > priest. They asked, "Shall we again march into battle against the > Benjaminites, our brothers? Or > should we call it quits?" > > And God said, "Attack. Tomorrow I'll give you victory." > > 29-31 This time Israel placed men in ambush all around Gibeah. On the > third day when Israel set > out, they took up the same positions before the Benjaminites > as before. When the Benjaminites came out to meet the army, they moved out > from the city. > Benjaminites began to cut down some of the troops just as they > had before. About thirty men fell in the field and on the roads to Bethel > and Gibeah. > > 32 The Benjaminites started bragging, "We're dropping them like flies, > just as before!" > > 33 But the Israelites strategized: "Now let's retreat and pull them out of > the city onto the main > roads." So every Israelite moved farther out to Baal > Tamar; at the same time the Israelite ambush rushed from its place west of > Gibeah. > > 34-36 Ten crack divisions from all over Israel now arrived at Gibeah- > intense, bloody fighting! The > Benjaminites had no idea that they were about to go > down in defeat-God routed them before Israel. The Israelites decimated > twenty-five divisions of > Benjamin that day-25,100 killed. They were all swordsmen. > The Benjaminites saw that they were beaten. > > The men of Israel acted like they were retreating before Benjamin, > knowing that they could > depend on the ambush they had prepared for Gibeah. > > 37-40 The ambush erupted and made quick work of Gibeah. The ambush spread > out and massacred the > city. The strategy for the main body of the ambush was > that they send up a smoke signal from the city. Then the men of Israel > would turn in battle. When > that happened, Benjamin had killed about thirty Israelites > and thought they were on their way to victory, yelling out, "They're on > the run, just as in the > first battle!" But then the signal went up from the city-a > huge column of smoke. When the Benjaminites looked back, there it was, the > whole city going up in > smoke. > > 41-43 By the time the men of Israel had turned back on them, the men of > Benjamin fell apart-they > could see that they were trapped. Confronted by the Israelites, > they tried to get away down the wilderness road, but by now the battle was > everywhere. The men of > Israel poured out of the towns, killing them right and > left, hot on their trail, picking them off east of Gibeah. > > 44 Eighteen divisions of Benjaminites were wiped out, all their best > fighters. > > 45 Five divisions turned to escape to the wilderness, to Rimmon Rock, but > the Israelites caught and > slaughtered them on roads. > > Keeping the pressure on, the Israelites brought down two more > divisions. > > 46 The total of the Benjaminites killed that day came to twenty-five > divisions of infantry, their > best swordsmen. > > 47 Six hundred men got away. They made it to Rimmon Rock in the wilderness > and held out there for > four months. > > 48 The men of Israel came back and killed all the Benjaminites who were > left, all the men and > animals they found in every town, and then torched the towns, > sending them up in flames. > > Judges 21 > > Wives > 1Back at Mizpah the men of Israel had taken an oath: "No man among us will > give his daughter to a > Benjaminite in marriage." 2-3 Now, back in Bethel, the > people sat in the presence of God until evening. They cried loudly; there > was widespread > lamentation. They said, "Why, O God, God of Israel, has this happened? > Why do we find ourselves today missing one whole tribe from Israel?" 4 > Early the next morning, the > people got busy and built an altar. They sacrificed > Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings. > > 5 Then the Israelites said, "Who from all the tribes of Israel didn't show > up as we gathered in the > presence of God?" For they had all taken a sacred oath > that anyone who had not gathered in the presence of God at Mizpah had to > be put to death. > > 6-7 But the People of Israel were feeling sorry for Benjamin, their > brothers. They said, "Today, one > tribe is cut off from Israel. How can we get wives > for those who are left? We have sworn by God not to give any of our > daughters to them in marriage." > > 8-9 They said, "Which one of the tribes of Israel didn't gather before God > at Mizpah?" > > It turned out that no one had come to the gathering from Jabesh Gilead. > When they took a roll > call of the people, not a single person from Jabesh Gilead > was there. > > 10-11 So the congregation sent twelve divisions of their top men there > with the command, "Kill > everyone of Jabesh Gilead, including women and children. > These are your instructions: Every man and woman who has had sexual > intercourse you must kill. But > keep the virgins alive." And that's what they did. > > 12 And they found four hundred virgins among those who lived in Jabesh > Gilead; they had never had > sexual intercourse with a man. And they brought them > to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. > > 13-14 Then the congregation sent word to the Benjaminites who were at the > Rimmon Rock and offered > them peace. And Benjamin came. They gave them the women > they had let live at Jabesh Gilead. But even then, there weren't enough > for all the men. > > 15 The people felt bad for Benjamin; God had left out Benjamin-the missing > piece from the Israelite > tribes. > > 16-18 The elders of the congregation said, "How can we get wives for the > rest of the men, since all > the Benjaminite women have been killed? How can we keep > the inheritance alive for the Benjaminite survivors? How can we prevent an > entire tribe from > extinction? We certainly can't give our own daughters to them > as wives." (Remember, the Israelites had taken the oath: "Cursed is anyone > who provides a wife to > Benjamin.") > > 19 Then they said, "There is that festival of God held every year in > Shiloh. It's north of Bethel, > just east of the main road that goes up from Bethel > to Shechem and a little south of Lebonah." > > 20-22 So they told the Benjaminites, "Go and hide in the vineyards. Stay > alert -when you see the > Shiloh girls come out to dance the dances, run out of > the vineyards, grab one of the Shiloh girls for your wife, and then > hightail it back to the country > of Benjamin. When their fathers or brothers come to > lay charges against us, we'll tell them, 'We did them a favor. After all > we didn't go to war and > kill to get wives for men. And it wasn't as if you were > in on it by giving consent. But if you keep this up, you will incur > blame.'" > > 23 And that's what the Benjaminites did: They carried off girls from the > dance, wives enough for > their number, got away, and went home to their inheritance. > They rebuilt their towns and settled down. > > 24 From there the People of Israel dispersed, each man heading back to his > own tribe and clan, each > to his own plot of land. > > 25 At that time there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt > like doing. > > Please join us on Skype Monday thru Friday at 8:00 EST for our Morning > Skype Prayer Time. > > > Contact Me At: > Donnie Parrett > 1956 Asa Flat Road > Annville, Kentucky 40402 > Home Phone: 606-364-3321 > Church Phone: 606-364-PRAY > Skype Name: Donnie1261 > Email: [email protected] > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
