But the Benjamites would not listen to their fellow Israelites

 Judges 20:1-17

Then all Israel from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came together as one and assembled before the Lord in Mizpah. The leaders of all the people of the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God’s people, four hundred thousand men armed with swords.

Then, when the army arrives at Gibeah in Benjamin, it can give them what they deserve for this outrageous act done in Israel.” So all the Israelites got together and united as one against the city.

The tribes of Israel sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What about this awful crime that was committed among you? Now turn those wicked men of Gibeah over to us so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel.

But the Benjamites would not listen to their fellow Israelites. From their towns, they came together at Gibeah to fight against the Israelites. At once the Benjamites mobilized twenty-six thousand swordsmen from their towns, in addition to seven hundred able young men from those living in Gibeah.

So, in a second terrible atrocity, her husband uses the pieces of her body to summon the 12 tribes to avenge her. When the Benjamites refuse to hand over their fellow tribesmen (the men of Gibeah) civil war results. The outcome is the near-extinction of Benjamin and the great national grieg.

Why?

All of the Israelite tribes come together and united as one against the city. Everyone hates the evil thing.

The tribe of Benjamin was worse, even protected their evildoer men. So tragedy happened to them.

This Levite using his own mind stir the civil war in Israel.

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刑事案件變成內戰。

如同ㄧ人出現兩次，如此合一。不是面對外敵而是面對自己人，用在內鬥。

內鬥內行，外鬥外行。因爲他們忘記自己是誰？是神的選民。

今天有些基督徒也是如此，教會不合一比外來逼迫更可怕。

解決之道是謙卑，反省。

雙方準備大打一仗，便雅憫人可以交出匪徒就解決了，卻也不願交出這些匪徒。當然以色列11支派也不該撿到槍，就開始報復。約瑟，但以理，耶蘇也是被冤枉，但是卻沒有報復人。

讀士師記時讓我們不是指責他人，而是查驗我們自己。

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How?

When there is no God there are many tragic things.