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Writer's pictureStephanie

She laid at the doorway, hand on the threshold

When he opened the door to leave his father-in-laws house, she laid at the doorway with her hands on the threshold. He said to her, “Get up, and let us go.” But she did not answer because she had died. He put her on a donkey and left to return to his home. (Judges 19).

It was during a time when leadership was distorted and folks were in an atrocious condition. The people of God had deteriorated to a chaotic state and civil war broke-out.


The vulnerability of a Levite man linked him to a concubine, a slave, servant, a woman not legally married to the man who she cohabitated. After she became his wife, she left him and went to live with her father who lived in another town. She had been there four months when the Levite went to get her. He tried speaking kindly to her with hopes that she would come back home with him. But her love was questionable.


Her father loved the Levite man and he was excited and happy that he came and stayed with him. Each day the Levite was ready to leave, her father asked him to stay longer. Her father detained him for five days until the Levites said that he must return home. The Levite, his wife, and servant left after five days staying with his father-in-law.


On their journey back home the Levite was selective where they would stay the night. While sitting in the square of a town he had chosen to reside for the night, an older gentleman was walking home. He stop and ask them about their plans and invited them to stay the night at his house because they would not be safe staying in the city square. The city which they stayed was filled with corruption, as the days we are living. This was a town that the occupants notice new comers. Unbeknownst to them the men of the town had watched them and follow them to the old man’s house.


As they were fellowshipping having a good time, there was a knock at the old man’s door and the men at the door requested that the Levite come out as they desired to have a relationship with him. After arguing with the men, he requested they take his daughter and the man’s wife to suffice their desires. Disappointed, they took the Levites wife, had a relation with her and abused her all night until morning. They dropped her off at the doorway of the old man’s house where she laid at the doorway with her hand on the threshold dead.


Why did the Levite marry this woman knowing she had a bad reputation and she was not equally yoked? Did her father have a reason for detaining him at his house? Why did the old man offer the women to the men at his door?


The Levite was from a tribe that rejected God and followed their whim. They were likened to some churches today’s whose flock is in an atrocious state because of corruption in leadership.

I often hear parents whose child lives or lived an un-kept life say, “I believe God is going to give them a true man or woman of God that will help them out of their problems. That could have been what this father thought. He knew his daughter’s lifestyle, but thought a person that comes from good stalk could help her.


Those day women were treated as property particular those with the reputation of this woman. The lack of leadership placed the men in position of every man for himself whatever seem right in his sight. The level of respect, there was no king to protect them and maintain peace.


It appears this woman was trying to get back to safety as she lay at the doorway with her hand on the threshold, but she never made it. How many women are reportedly found lying at the threshold today?


Hmm!


~SAR~




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