The previous verse was chilling in how ordinary it read when narrating the awful treatment of the concubine by her husband. But this verse includes dialogue to portray callous cruelty that has become unconscionable. Get up, let us be going,
the Levite barks. She does not answer. He does not check her, try to revive her, or utter a word of concern or remorse; he shows no care whatever. It is a picture of the callous state of Israel toward evil, and toward the Lord.
This is the man who went to reconcile with his wife, to speak to her heart. His words here are the first and only of his to her that are quoted. He has written her off; she is a piece of his property. He simply picks her up, puts her on one of his donkeys and sets off for home. She is his property, so he takes her home because apparently he still has some use for her. And it is deplorable.
28 He said to her, “Get up, let us be going.” But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey, and the man rose up and went away to his home.