Judges 17-20: The Saddest Story

Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the LORD. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD. And the Israelites inquired of the LORD. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, ministering before it.) They asked, “Shall we go up again to battle with Benjamin our brother, or not?” The LORD responded, “Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.” - Judges 19:26-28 NIV

This is the ending of one of the saddest stories in the Old Testament; sad not only because all of the other tribes of Israel had to face the difficult decision to go to war against their fellow tribe of Benjamin, but even more sad because of the depths to which some of the Israelites had fallen.  The writer keeps repeating the phrase, "In those days there was no king, everyone did as he saw fit."  That was aptly illustrated by the story of the Levite and his concubine.  The men of the town of  Gibeah in Benjamin were so degenerate that when they could not abuse the Levite who had taken shelter in their town for the night, they raped his concubine to death.  Even more appalling was the response of the Benjamites who saw no problem and refused to punish the men of that city responsible for these vile actions.

Even then, although their ire had been raised, all of the rest of the tribes of Israel were unable to wreck revenge on the tribe of Benjamin for allowing such egregious acts to take place without  repercussions.  They were defeated by the Benjamites twice when they met in battle.  It wasn't until they fell prostrate before the Lord that God gave them victory and they were able to punish the tribe of Benjamin for allowing such sin to remain in their midst.  Just being appalled by sin is not enough, God requires contrite hearts before he is willing to work on our behalf.