The horror of gendered violence in Judges 19-21 and its connection to Ruth

The story of the rape and dismemberment of the concubine in Judges 19-21 is a horrific example of gendered violence and highlights the silence and gaps within the text. The use of the Hebrew verb 'to cut' in these chapters further emphasizes the violent nature of the story and its connection to sacrificial practices. In contrast, the book of Ruth offers an alternative voice and response to the crisis of lineage presented in Judges, exhibiting acts of courage and risk-taking. The repeated refrain in Judges that there was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in their own eyes serves as a backdrop to the disintegration of leadership and the need for a new path forward, which Ruth provides with her story of faithfulness and the birth of a new lineage.