Shocking events require a response. Anything that does not require a response cannot truly be considered shocking. The Israelites were shocked enough by the events of the concubines rape and death that they called an assembly of God’s people and at that assembly the people demanded action. They wanted the perpetrators of the crime to be punished. The call for punishment is a logical and understandable reaction. Because they did not have a central government, and because each tribe and each individual did as they saw fit in their own eyes, there was no possibility they could avoid the responsibility to take action by claiming it was not their responsibility. United in a common cause, they formed up the men into an army and marched against a single city.

Gibeah was a city of the tribe of Benjamin, so the other tribes of Israel sent messengers throughout the land of the tribe of Benjamin and gave them an opportunity to do the right thing. As shocking as the crime was, it was just as shocking to discover that the tribe of Benjamin were not willing to turn the wicked men over to be punished. The tribe of Benjamin was one of the strongest military tribes of Israel and they occupied hilly and mountainous land that was easily defended. The men of Gibeah made up some of the elite soldiers of the Benjaminite Army. Perhaps they did not believe they could afford to offend their elite fighting men. Perhaps tribal loyalties were stronger than national loyalties. It is even possible that as a tribe they had become so unrighteous that they were no longer willing to accept correction from any outside source whatsoever. Whatever the reason, they were willing to take the conflict all the way to outright civil war to avoid punishing the criminal rapists.

When conflicts arise, people will have their actions determined by the priorities of their commitments. A right relationship with God requires a commitment to doing what is right, no matter the cost.