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Introduction
The Bible contains multiple accounts of hospitality and its role in interpersonal and inter-group connections. In Genesis 18-19 and Judges 19-21, the issues of hospitality and sin are addressed to provide a multifaceted justification of the Lord’s punishment for the sins in Sodom and Gomorrah and his mercy on those acting in the name of duty and as a sacrifice. This essay will address the issues of hospitality by comparing them in Genesis 18-19, comparing and contrasting Genesis 18-19 and Judges 19-21, and explaining why these stories were included in the Old Testament.
Hospitality and Nomads in Genesis 18-19
The nomadic lifestyle implies significant dangers for a person living in an ancient world. In particular, one might assume that travelers might face such threats as thirst, hunger, illness, injuries, attacks from wild animals, and wrongdoing of people. The resource that would be required to assist nomads in hospitality includes food, water, and a place to rest, refresh, and heal. Therefore, the hospitality of inhabitants of towns and cities is an essential element for nomads’ survival since, after a long and dangerous road, they rely on the hospitality of others to obtain food and shelter.
As for the portrayal of hospitality in the Bible, one might notice that it differs throughout Genesis 18-19. Indeed, Abraham’s hospitality is sincere and welcoming; he is honored to help the nomad. He offers water so that the traveler can wash his “feet and rest under this tree; let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way” (Genesis 18:3-4). Similarly, Lot’s hospitality helps the traveling angels survive the inhospitality of Sodom and Gomorrah’s citizens who threaten the angels. Thus, in Genesis 18-19, hospitality is illustrated as both a threat to nomads and their survival.
Comparison of Genesis 18-19 and Judges 19-21
The stories portrayed in Genesis 18-19 and Judges 19-21 are similar in content and even language. They both present wicked citizens’ inhospitality as contrasted to the protection of the welcoming individuals. According to Krisel (2021), Judges 19-21 contain intentional allusions to Genesis 18-19 to emphasize the importance of the story. Apart from the situations’ similarities in the two stories, they share the same phrases. For example, the wicked men of Sodom and Gomorrah ask Lot, “where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them” (Genesis 18:5). Similarly, the men of Gibeah shouted to the owner of the house “bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him” (Judges 19:22). The responses of the owners were also similar since they bot protected the male nomads but offered women instead to be raped. However, the endings of the stories were different since Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God in Genesis, and Gibeah was attacked by Israelis in Judges.
Reasons for Including the Stories in the Bible
These two stories are included in the Scripture because they teach Christians about the problematic nature of violence and the wickedness of human actions. In both these narratives, people sin and obtain punishment. Furthermore, the Bible contains important messages in the analyzed verses pertaining to the extent to which people might be involved in sins and violence (Pierce, 2020). The citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah were punished for their sins by destruction, while the wrongdoings of Gibeah’s men led to a wave of violence from Israelis. Thus, these stories reveal the scope of human evil and teach to minimize suffering.
Conclusion
In summation, through the analysis of the similarities and differences between the two stories in the Bible, one might state that the intertextuality allows for emphasizing the importance of instilling the message about atrocities of violence. The stories demonstrate how inhospitality reflects the wickedness of people, which is contrasted with the kindness of some individuals. Thus, using these verses, the Scripture teaches to eliminate violence to minimize suffering as an adverse implication of human evil.
References
Krisel, W. (2021). The phenomenon of intertextuality in Judges 19–21. In Judges 19-21 and the “Othering” of Benjamin (pp. 127-147). Brill.
Pierce, Z. (2020). Violation and annihilation at Sodom and Gomorrah: Revisiting the sexual and divine ethics of Gen 19: 1–11. Practical Matters Journal, 13, 1-16.
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