Judges 20:6 Meaning and Explanation
“And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The Levite explains the grim message he sent through the land and names the crime as lewdness and folly in Israel.
What Does Judges 20:6 Mean?
The Levite accounts for the shocking act that summoned the nation: he divided his concubine's body and sent the pieces throughout Israel's inheritance. It was a desperate, terrible summons, meant to force every tribe to confront what had happened. He names the deed of Gibeah with two heavy words, 'lewdness and folly,' the language Israel reserved for sin that tears the fabric of the covenant community.
The phrase 'folly in Israel' carries weight beyond mere foolishness; it marks an outrage against the holy calling of God's people. Such a thing should be unthinkable among those who bear the LORD's name. The verse confronts us with how sin in one place defiles the whole, and how evil ignored becomes evil multiplied. God's people are bound together; the wound of one is meant to grieve all, and to move them not to vengeance only but to repentance.
Judges 20:6 in the Original Language
nebalah (נְבָלָה), 'folly' -- not mere foolishness but a grave moral outrage that violates the order of God's covenant people.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 20:6
What does Judges 20:6 mean?
The Levite explains the grim message he sent through the land and names the crime as lewdness and folly in Israel.