It is so characteristic of the abusive way that men treat women in the book.1 Except this is even worse than what prompted the civil war in the first place! What began with the rape of one concubine in Gibeah, under the supervision of the old man and the Levite, has now led to the abduction and effective rape of two hundred innocent virgins in Shiloh, under the direction of the elders.
21 and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and snatch each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.