Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Judges 19

Introduction

1  A Levite goes to Beth-lehem to fetch home his concubine.
16  An old man entertains him at Gibeah.
22  The Gibeonites abuse his concubine to death.
29  He divides her into twelve pieces, and sends them to the twelve tribes.
Verse 1

And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.
when there
17:6, 18:1, 21:25
mount
17:1,8, Joshua 24:30,33
a concubine
Heb. a woman, a concubine, or, a wife, a concubine.
Genesis 22:24, 25:6, 2 Samuel 3:7, 5:13, 16:22, 19:5, 20:3, 1 Kings 11:3, 2 Chronicles 11:21, Esther 2:14, Song of Solomon 6:8,9, Daniel 5:3, Malachi 2:15
Beth-lehem-judah
17:8, Genesis 35:19, Matthew 2:6
Verse 2

And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.
played
Leviticus 21:9, Deuteronomy 22:21, Ezekiel 16:28
four whole months
or, a year and four months. Heb. days, four months.
Verse 3

And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
went
15:1
speak
Genesis 50:21, Leviticus 19:17, 20:10, Hosea 2:14, Matthew 1:19, John 8:4,5,11, Galatians 6:1
friendly unto her
Heb. to her heart.
Genesis 34:3
to bring
Jeremiah 3:1
his servant
Numbers 22:22
Verse 5

And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.
Comfort
Heb. Srengthen.
8, Genesis 18:5, 1 Samuel 14:27-29, 30:12, 1 Kings 13:7, Psalms 104:15, John 4:34, Acts 9:19
with a morsel
Verse 6

And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
let thine heart
9,21, 9:27, 16:25, Ruth 3:7, 1 Samuel 25:36, Esther 1:10, Psalms 104:15, Luke 12:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:3, Revelation 11:10,13
until afternoon
Heb. till the day declined. Merely that they might avoid the heat of the day, which would have been very inconvenient in travelling.
Verse 9

And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
the day
Luke 24:29
draweth, etc
Heb. is weak. the day groweth to an end. Heb. it is the pitching time of the day, Jer 6:4. That is, it was near the time in which travellers ordinarily pitched their tents, to take up their lodging for the night. In the latter part of the afternoon, eastern travellers begin to look out for a place for this purpose. So Dr. Shaw observes, "Our constant practice was to rise at break of day, set forward with the sun, and travel to the middle of the afternoon; at which time we began to look out for encampments of Arabs; who, to prevent such parties as ours from living at free charges upon them, take care to pitch in woods, valleys, or places the least conspicuous."
to morrow
Proverbs 27:1, James 4:13,14
home
Heb. to thy tent.
Verse 10

But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.
over against
Heb. to over against. Jebus.
1:8, Joshua 15:8,63, 18:28, 2 Samuel 5:6
Verse 11

And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
the Jebusites
10, 1:21, Genesis 10:16, Joshua 15:63, 2 Samuel 5:6
Verse 12

And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
Gibeah
Gibeah, a city of Benjamin, and the birth-place of Saul, was situated near Rama and Gibeon, according to Josephus, thirty furlongs north from Jerusalem; or, according to Jerome, about two leagues.
Verse 13

And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
Gibeah
Joshua 18:25,26,28, 1 Samuel 10:26, Isaiah 10:29, Hosea 5:8
Verse 15

And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.
no man
There was probably no inn, or house of public entertainment in this place; and therefore they could not have a lodging unless furnished by mere hospitality. But these Benjamites seem to have added to their other vices, avarice and inhospitality, like the inhabitants of Akoura in mount Lebanon, mentioned by Burckhardt.
18, Genesis 18:2-8, 19:2,3, Matthew 25:35,43, Hebrews 13:2
Verse 16

And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.
his work
Genesis 3:19, Psalms 104:23, 128:2, Proverbs 13:11, 14:23, 24:27, Ecclesiastes 1:13, 5:12, Ephesians 4:28, 1 Thessalonians 4:11,12, 2 Thessalonians 3:10
Verse 17

And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
whither
Genesis 16:8, 32:17
Verse 18

And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
I am now
The LXX. read, [eis ton oikon mou ego poreuomai:] "I am going to my own house;" which is probably the true reading, as we find (ver. 29) that he really went home; yet he might have gone previously to Shiloh, or to "the house of the Lord," because that was also in mount Ephraim.
the house
18:31, 20:18, Joshua 18:1, 1 Samuel 1:3,7
receiveth
Heb. gathereth.
5, Psalms 26:9, John 15:6
Verse 19

Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
straw and provender
In those countries principally devoted to pasturage, they made little or no hay: but as they raised corn, they took great care of their straw for cattle, which by their mode of threshing was chopped very small. See note on Ge 24:32.
Verse 20

And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
Peace be
6:23, Genesis 43:23,24, 1 Samuel 25:6, 1 Chronicles 12:18, Luke 10:5,6, John 14:27, 1 Corinthians 1:3
let all thy wants
Here was genuine hospitality: "Keep your bread and wine for yourselves, and your straw and provender for your asses; you may need them before you finish your journey: I will supply all your wants for this night; only do not lodge in the street."
Romans 12:13, Galatians 6:6, Hebrews 13:2, James 2:15,16, 1 Peter 4:9, 1 John 3:18
lodge not
Genesis 19:2,3, 24:31-33
Verse 21

So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
So he brought
Genesis 24:32, 43:24
they washed
Genesis 18:4, 1 Samuel 25:41, 2 Samuel 11:8, Luke 7:44, John 13:4,5,14,15, 1 Timothy 5:10
Verse 22

Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.
they were
6,7, 16:25
the men
20:5, Genesis 19:4, Hosea 9:9, 10:9
sons of Belial
Deuteronomy 13:13, 1 Samuel 1:16, 2:12, 10:27, 25:25, 2 Samuel 23:6,7, 2 Corinthians 6:15
Bring forth
Genesis 19:5, Romans 1:26,27, 1 Corinthians 6:9, Jude 1:7
Verse 23

And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.
the man
Genesis 19:6,7
do not this folly
20:6, Genesis 34:7, Joshua 7:15, 2 Samuel 13:12
Verse 24

Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
Behold
The rites of hospitality are regarded as sacred and inviolable in the East: and a man who has admitted a stranger under his roof, is bound to protect him even at the expense of his life. On these high notions only, the influence of which an Asiatic mind alone can appreciate, can the present transaction be either excused or palliated.
them
Genesis 19:8, Romans 3:8
humble ye
Genesis 34:2; *marg:; Deuteronomy 21:14
so vile a thing
Heb. the matter of this folly.
Verse 25

But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.
knew her
Genesis 4:1
and abused
Jeremiah 5:7,8, Hosea 7:4-7, 9:9, 10:9, Ephesians 4:19
Verse 26

Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
her lord was
3,27, Genesis 18:12, 1 Peter 3:6
Verse 28

And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.
But none
20:5, 1 Kings 18:29
Verse 29

And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.
divided her
It is probable, that with the pieces he sent to each tribe a circumstantial account of the barbarity of the men of Gibeah; and that they considered each of the pieces as expressing an execration. That a similar custom prevailed in ancient times is evident from 1 SA 11:7. It had an inhuman appearance, thus to mangle the corpse of this unhappy woman; but it was intended to excite a keener resentment against so horrible a crime, which called for a punishment proportionally severe.
20:6,7, Romans 10:2
with her bones
Deuteronomy 21:22,23
Verse 30

And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.
consider
20:7, Proverbs 11:14, 13:10, 15:22, 20:18, 24:6

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