Working as a client advocate at a pregnancy resource center, I never know what kind of stories I will hear from the clients that walk through the doors. Sometimes they are stories of joy like God answering prayers or providing miracles. Other times, they are stories that have left me without words, thinking how God could allow these things to happen.

I remember the first time a client told me that she was beat and left outside of a supermarket. She was scared not only in fear that if she reported her abuser, he might retaliate but also because she was undocumented and did not know what the outcome would be if she did report what happened to her. As I looked into her eyes, I could see the loss of hope she had. I could see how confused she was on what to do next. She was searching for answers. Unfortunately, this is just one of many horrifying stories I have heard while working with women. Sadly, these terrible and unjust stories have happened over many years.  

The Assaulted Woman in Judges 19

In Judges 19, the author tells a story of a woman traveling with her master after he came to get her back from her father’s house.

They were traveling from Bethlehem to the hill country of Ephraim. As the night drew, they decided to stay the night at Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin but no one would open up their homes to them, so they decided to sleep outside, which allowed an old man to stumble upon them.

He opened up his place to them but there were a group of men that noticed this and when the night came, they banged on the door asking the old man to give them the man who was staying there so that they could “know him”. The old man begged them not to do such a vile thing but they were persistent. He then offered the group of men his virgin daughter and the man’s servant, also referred to as his concubine, so that they could violate them and satisfy themselves.

They refused this request so the old man grabbed the concubine and gave her to them. They abused and raped her all night until morning. When morning appeared the woman came and fell dead at the doorstep of the man’s house. Her master came to the door and saw her lying there. He then picked her up, took her into their home, where he grabbed a knife, cut her limb by limb into twelve pieces to send them to all the territories of Israel.  

God Brings Justice

In Judges 20, justice is found when the people of Israel gather together to find out what happened and after hearing the testimony of her husband, they decide to go to the people of Benjamin to find her perpetrators.

After the tribe of Benjamin refrained from handing over her attackers, the Benjaminites went out against them to wage war. On the third day, God defeated the people of Benjamin including their towns. God poured out His justice through Israel defeating them in battle, proving that what had happened to the woman was not going to go unnoticed.

God saw this woman’s pain. He saw her hurt. He saw how she was treated and took action against her attackers. The unjust act of rape and murder set God’s wrath on not only the men in Judges 19 but their whole tribe. Verse 11 of chapter 20 says the “men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man.” God brought justice to the woman by leading Israel as one united people to victory against her attackers. Many Israelite men died during these battles. They died fighting for justice for the death of one woman.  

God’s Message of Love

This story always turns my stomach. Not enough training can make it any easier to hear stories of the unjust treatment of women. But even then, I find comfort somehow. I am reminded that God cares deeply for women from all walks in life. His heart breaks for them. He sees them in their pain and anguish and offers them life and justice. He offers them His loving Son who is Himself life and justice.

To God, women aren’t uncared for, lesser than, or unimportant in His kingdom. There are many stories of God using women to bring about His will. Look at Ruth for instance. If it wasn’t for Ruth, the line of David wouldn’t have occurred. Through the line of David, Jesus came. God loves women and treats them fairly. He doesn’t abuse them. He doesn’t toss them to the side to be hurt or murdered.

Through this truth, I encourage women to look to the gospel. God uses my own life to show women that He does truly love them. I get the opportunity each day to tell women they are beloved and in the hands of God. No act of injustice can separate them from the love of God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

I am reminded that God cares deeply for women from all walks in life. His heart breaks for them. He sees them in their pain and anguish and offers them life and justice. Click To Tweet

Want to read this series in Judges from the beginning? Start here.