Daily Readings (Page 196)

The consequence of making an oath is gradually played out here; how had the Israelites acted on their own?

Why should we not view swearing lightly?  Why are swearing and cursing often associated?  What has swearing to do with making a promise?

The “gathering” was a force to be reckoned with; but what was the outcome of their campaign?

The phrase “Dan to Beersheba” denotes the entirety of the land of Israel, from north to south.  What was the purpose behind this assembly that was gathered at Mizpah?

What a tragic end for this concubine!  Compare this story with that found in Genesis 19; what would you think is the lesson of this story?

Contrasting with the earlier act of hospitality, the Levite did not meet with hospitable reception in a supposedly friendly territory until he met an old man at the city square.  How would this affect the rest of their journey?

The codes and rituals of hospitality played a part in this breakdown of covenantal agreement: good intentions do not necessarily justify the outcome; how may we be careful about using good intentions as excuses for our actions?

Why was this phrase “when there was no king in Israel” repeated again here?

Micah was unable to retrieve the gods and idols of his shrine from the Danites. How did it eventually affect them and their descendants?

By seizing the carved image, household gods and the cast idol for themselves, what does it further show about the Danites? What kind of worshippers were they?