Judges 19-21: ...Everyone did as he saw fit.

The last few chapters of Judges keep emphasizing the fact that in those days there was no king, as if that was an excuse for the human condition.  Things had deteriorated so far in Israel, that it was no longer just the aliens who were out of control, but the Israelites as well.  So it is not unusual that the story of the Levite and his concubine occurs. 

This unnamed Levite lived in a remote area of Ephraim.  He took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah, but she ran away to her father's house.  The Levite went to Bethlehem to bring her back to his home, but was forced to spend the night on the road.  Not wanting to stop in the alien town of Jebus, they proceeded on to Gibeath in Benjamin, where an old man invited them to spend the night at his house and:

"they had something to eat and drink. While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, "Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him."  

The owner of the house went outside and said to them, "No, my friends, don't be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don't do this disgraceful thing.  Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But to this man, don't do such a disgraceful thing."

But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.  At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight.

When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold.  He said to her, "Get up; let's go." But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home." - Judges 19:21-28 NIV

The Levite is so angry when he gets home that he cuts his concubine into twelve pieces and sends one to each of the tribes of Israel and they arm themselves to go up against Benjamin.  It finally comes to this, covenant people against covenant people, brother against brother, God's chosen against God's chosen.

And so the book of Judges ends with these words:  In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.