Robert Alter’s translation of Judges 19:3 could support the idea that when the Levite “spoke to her heart” he was intending to covertly manipulate her for evil ends in order to entice her back under his control. Robert Alter renders it, “And her husband arose and went after her to speak to her heart to bring her back.”
Far too many Christian commentators assume that the Levite was being kind, godly and had benevolent intentions when he “spoke to her heart”. I dispute their interpretation. Such commentators do not understand the dynamics of domestic abuse, nor do they understand the cunning malevolence of the abuser.
I’ve read Trible’s article. Read it years ago as part of my background research for what eventually became my video presentation on The Levites Concubine.
Terribly beautiful. To read this today, of all days. Reformation Day. And I also wrote today about the witness of Mary Magdalen to the symbolic absence of the Body of Christ. This is not Christ. This is not church. Praying for seeing eyes and hearing ears.
I weep over this -- both the ancient story, which I haven't read since I was a kid too young to understand what was happening, and the modern travesty, which breaks my heart and makes me want to punch something. (Preferably a smug man in SBC leadership with an amicus brief behind his back.)
This whole mess with the SBC makes me sad, nauseous, and angry - as it should! Thank you, Aimee, for shedding light and biblical truth, connecting some dots that, admittedly, I would have missed.
I'm sorry that I started my day reading this, even before reading my Bible. No, not sorry. This post will haunt me. May it be for good, Lord Jesus. May it be for good.
My complementarian Old Testament professor in seminary said something very similar regarding this passage: The spiritual state of the Israelites in Judges is directly tied to their treatment of women.
I love your twist on it.
(Also, I really, really hate this passage. I avoid reading it. But sometimes, we need our faces rubbed in it to see the horror and remind ourselves what we can become if we aren't careful. Perfect choice for Halloween in that regard.)
And just as God judged the Israelites for their hardness of heart, I fully believe He is judging the American church for its failure to love like Jesus. I think He is turning on the light to reveal the darkness, that we can be cleansed of it, if we are willing. There is so much wrong in our church, but I hope in God’s faithfulness.
Aimee, I found your interpretation a bit ambiguous. I couldn’t tell whether you were saying that when the Levite “spoke to her heart” he was being honestly caring, or manipulative. My presentation on The Levite’s Concubine has been disdained by the vast majority of advocates. I don’t know why. Maybe because it’s about domestic abuse as well as sexual abuse. For the love of God, please watch it.
I am saying that it doesn't look like he spoke to her heart at all, but maybe it just wasn't recorded in the story. If he did, then it was manipulative and disingenuous, as any private expression of care doesn't matter when there is such individual and collective actions of harm.
I believe he did speak to her and his speech was intentionally manipulative to get her to think he had repented of his bad behaviours and attitudes that caused her to leave him in the first place.
Robert Alter’s translation of Judges 19:3 could support the idea that when the Levite “spoke to her heart” he was intending to covertly manipulate her for evil ends in order to entice her back under his control. Robert Alter renders it, “And her husband arose and went after her to speak to her heart to bring her back.”
Far too many Christian commentators assume that the Levite was being kind, godly and had benevolent intentions when he “spoke to her heart”. I dispute their interpretation. Such commentators do not understand the dynamics of domestic abuse, nor do they understand the cunning malevolence of the abuser.
I agree. Phyllis Trible's chapter on it in Texts of Terror is also very good.
I’ve read Trible’s article. Read it years ago as part of my background research for what eventually became my video presentation on The Levites Concubine.
Terribly beautiful. To read this today, of all days. Reformation Day. And I also wrote today about the witness of Mary Magdalen to the symbolic absence of the Body of Christ. This is not Christ. This is not church. Praying for seeing eyes and hearing ears.
Great piece Aaron, read it this morning!
Wow. Just, wow. The connection you’ve made between the Levite’s concubine and the women continually victimized and silenced by the SBC is powerful.
Her story haunts me. There's so much in it, revealing to us today.
wow. I have nothing to offer but tears. Maybe i do have something to offer. I am Pastor and this must not happen with me or under my watch.
Thank you for this! In all my years of preaching why have i never read a more nuanced translation? O wait, i think I know the answer!
I weep over this -- both the ancient story, which I haven't read since I was a kid too young to understand what was happening, and the modern travesty, which breaks my heart and makes me want to punch something. (Preferably a smug man in SBC leadership with an amicus brief behind his back.)
Thank you so much for this article.
This whole mess with the SBC makes me sad, nauseous, and angry - as it should! Thank you, Aimee, for shedding light and biblical truth, connecting some dots that, admittedly, I would have missed.
I'm sorry that I started my day reading this, even before reading my Bible. No, not sorry. This post will haunt me. May it be for good, Lord Jesus. May it be for good.
I know, it's so dark. But we need to turn on the lights.
The light hurts my eyes . . . but I need to see.
My complementarian Old Testament professor in seminary said something very similar regarding this passage: The spiritual state of the Israelites in Judges is directly tied to their treatment of women.
I love your twist on it.
(Also, I really, really hate this passage. I avoid reading it. But sometimes, we need our faces rubbed in it to see the horror and remind ourselves what we can become if we aren't careful. Perfect choice for Halloween in that regard.)
And just as God judged the Israelites for their hardness of heart, I fully believe He is judging the American church for its failure to love like Jesus. I think He is turning on the light to reveal the darkness, that we can be cleansed of it, if we are willing. There is so much wrong in our church, but I hope in God’s faithfulness.
Aimee, I found your interpretation a bit ambiguous. I couldn’t tell whether you were saying that when the Levite “spoke to her heart” he was being honestly caring, or manipulative. My presentation on The Levite’s Concubine has been disdained by the vast majority of advocates. I don’t know why. Maybe because it’s about domestic abuse as well as sexual abuse. For the love of God, please watch it.
https://youtu.be/lcrkUsq69lk?si=qSDEVu9-KSMabQYu.
I am saying that it doesn't look like he spoke to her heart at all, but maybe it just wasn't recorded in the story. If he did, then it was manipulative and disingenuous, as any private expression of care doesn't matter when there is such individual and collective actions of harm.
Thanks for clarifying what you meant, Aimee.
I believe he did speak to her and his speech was intentionally manipulative to get her to think he had repented of his bad behaviours and attitudes that caused her to leave him in the first place.