Wesley Corpus

Tell us - They speak to the Levite, and his servant, and his host, who doubtless were present upon this occasion. Slain me - Except I would either submit to their unnatural lust, which I was resolved to withstand even unto death: or deliver up my concubine to them, which I was forced to do. Folly - That is, a lewd folly; most ignominious and impudent wickedness. Ye are - The sons of that holy man, who for one filthy action left an eternal brand upon one of his own sons: a people in covenant with the holy God, whose honour you are obliged to vindicate, and who hath expressly commanded you to punish all such notorious enormities. His tent - That is, his habitation, until we have revenged this injury. According, &c. - That we may punish them as such a wickedness deserves. In Israel - This is added as an aggravation, that they should do that in Israel, or among God's peculiar people, which was esteemed abominable even among the Heathen. All the tribe - They take a wise and a just course, in sending to all the parts of the tribe, to separate the innocent from the guilty, and to give them a fair opportunity of preventing their ruin, by doing what their duty, honour, and interest obliged them to; by delivering up those vile malefactors, whom they could not keep without bringing the curse of God upon themselves. Evil - Both the guilt and the punishment, wherein all Israel will be involved, if they do not punish it. Would not hearken - From the pride of their hearts, which made them scorn to submit to their brethren; from a conceit of their own valour; and from God's just judgment. Were numbered - "How does this agree with the following numbers For all that were slain of Benjamin were twenty - five thousand and one hundred men, ver.35, and there were only six hundred that survived, ver.47, which make only twenty - five thousand and seven hundred." The other thousand men were either left in some of their cities, where they were slain, ver.48, or were cut off in the two first battles, wherein it is unreasonable to think they had an unbloody victory: and as for these twenty - five thousand and one hundred men, they were all slain in the third battle.