旧约 - 士师记(Judges)第19章

And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.
And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.
And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.
And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.
And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.
And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.
And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.
And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.
Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.
Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.
And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.
And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.
And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.
士师记第十九章   第 19 章 

  士 19:1> 以色列人的妾侍的地位如何?有什么权力? 

  19:1 娶妾是当时以色列社会所容许的事,不过这并不是神的原意(参创 2:24 )。妾必须做大部分的家务,但却只有妻子所有的小部分权利。她虽然在法律上属于丈夫,但所生的儿女,通常不会有合法之妻所生儿女那样的权利,不能承受遗产。她的主要作用是给丈夫性的享受,多生儿女,在家务上劳苦。以色列人常常把战时所掳的外邦女子纳为妾。但有时也会有以色列女子被纳为妾,这个故事之中所说的大概就是这样。 

  士 19:1-21:25> 士师时代的以色列人有哪些特征? 

  19:1-21:25 这一段所记载的悲剧有什么意义?以色列人对神的信仰瓦解,他们的民族凝聚力也就解体,变成各自为政。假使他们顺服神,深信祂必然会成全祂的应许的话,就能占领整个应许之地。但是他们忘记祂,失去了自己的方针、目的,很快地就“各人任意而行”( 21:25 )。他们不让神引领,就和周围邪恶民族一样的败坏。他们为自己的好处制定法律,所定的标准就远远低于神的标准。你把神撇开后,就会为自己的邪恶大感震惊( 19:30 )。 

  士 19:24> 这房主的想法实在不可思议,是出于什么考虑? 

  19:24 对于非明文规定接待客旅的律法,在中东最为注重。不惜任何代价保护宾客,是最高荣誉的表现。不过这里对接待客旅惯例的遵守已变得非常荒唐。这个主人,宁可让匪类强奸凌辱自己的女儿及宾客的妾,也不愿使客人受辱。这两个人都自私,都不愿使自己受到伤害;他们没有勇气,甚至伴侣的生命遭遇危险的时候,也不敢起来面对冲突;他们不顺从神的律法,任由匪徒凌辱谋杀别人。若社会共同的守则比道德信念权威更大,它的后果将是多么可怕! 

  士 19:29-30> 太恐怖了!就连当时的以色列人也为之震惊…… 

  19:29-30 这种传播方式虽然是可怕的,但罪行的恐怖被有效地传出去了,它提醒以色列人认清匪徒所犯的罪行是何等严重,并且要求以色列人采取行动。在若干年后,扫罗也采用类似的方法去传信息(参撒上 11:7 )。其实那人和那些奸杀他妾的人同样有罪(是他把她交出去任他们凌辱的),这的确是一件荒唐的事。 

  士 19:30> 神的律法不单是神国度里的律法,也是地上的律法…… 

  19:30 这一章所讲的可怕罪行,还不是以色列人所犯的最大的罪。更严重的是,他们未能按照神的道德原则建立政府,未把神的律法也作为地上的律法。结果律法未能执行,作奸犯科也不以为耻。由于他们不顺服神,导致性变态与不法之事日增。在事件未扩大到难以收拾以前,他们总是姑息养奸,不愿理会。 

  我们一离弃神和祂的真道,一切恶事就会发生。我们渐渐会“随流失去”,偏离神,自己却毫不觉察,最后的结果就会影响到未来的世代。我们必须继续呼吁世人悔改归向神,让祂在各人心里作道德与灵性上的君王。──《灵修版圣经注释》