Day 27

Judges 20-21

THE UNFORTUNATE OATH

Israel had sworn … None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife – Judg. 21:1

            This oath was no less than a promise for revenge.  When a certain Levite’s concubine was unfaithful to her marriage vows she returned to her father’s home in Bethlehem.  After the Levite apprehended her, they traveled as far as Gibeah and spent the night with a hospitable old man who offered them food and shelter.  Some homosexual men from the tribe of Benjamin came to the house desiring to use the Levite as a sexual partner.  The plot thickens (and sickens)!  The host offered his virgin daughter and the concubine instead of the Levite for their night of pleasure.  After the homosexuals refused, the Levite pushed his concubine out the door, hoping to keep himself safe.  After using and abusing this woman all night they let her go.  She got as far as the entry where she died with her hand on the handle.  Her Levite husband returned home, and in an act of righteous indignation cut her body into 12 pieces and sent the parts throughout Israel.  The leaders were shocked (So am I), and gathered for war against Benjamin.  The Benjamite casualties were so massive that the survival of the tribe was in jeopardy.  Israel had sworn an oath not give wives to the 600 surviving males.  (Is it thick enough and sick enough?)  This dilemma caused them to destroy the males of Jabesh Gilead to get some wives.  There were still not enough brides so they permitted the Benjamite males to steal some virgins at an Israelite religious festival in Shiloh.  “We can’t give them to you, but you can steal them.”  How is that for keeping the oath?

            Oaths frequently are made in haste, in ignorance, or with underlying motives.  That is why we need to avoid them.  We can’t know our own hearts.  They are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9).  Usually the best we do to keep our oaths is rationalize .  Rationalize = rational lies.  That is what Israel did at Shiloh.  They manipulated their oath to satisfy their dilemma. 

            Before you make an oath, ask yourself why you are doing it.  Is it necessary?  Is it something I need because I’m afraid I won’t perform otherwise?  Goals are Ok.  Oaths are out.  God doesn’t require them.  Never require of yourself what God does not require.

Leave the oaths to God.