1And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning in the remote areas of the mountains of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself, a woman from Bethlehem in Judah. 2But his concubine committed adultery against him, and went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there four months of days. 3And her husband rose up and went after her, to speak to her heart, to bring her back, having his servant and a couple of donkeys with him. So she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the young woman saw him, he was glad to meet him. 4And his father-in-law, the young woman's father, detained him; and he stayed with him three days. So they ate and drank and lodged there. 5And it came to pass on the fourth day that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart; but the young woman's father said to his son-in-law, Sustain your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way. 6So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the young woman's father said to the man, Please accept my invitation to stay the night, and let your heart be merry. 7And when the man rose up to depart, his father-in-law pressed upon him; so he turned back and lodged there. 8And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart, but the young woman's father said, Please sustain your heart. So they delayed until afternoon; and both of them ate. 9And when the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the young woman's father, said to him, Behold, the day is now drawing toward evening; please spend the night. Behold, the day is coming to an end; lodge here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow go your way early, so that you may go to your tent. 10However, the man was not willing to spend that night; so he rose up and departed, and came to a place opposite Jebus (which is, Jerusalem). With him were the two saddled donkeys; his concubine was also with him. 11They were near Jebus, and the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, Come, please, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and lodge in it. 12But his master said to him, We will not turn aside here into a city of foreigners, who are not of the children of Israel; we will go on to Gibeah. 13And he said to his servant, Come, let us draw near to one of these places, and lodge in Gibeah or in Ramah. 14And they passed by and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. 15And they turned aside there to go in to lodge in Gibeah. And when he went in, he sat down in the open place of the city, for no one received them into his house to lodge. 16And behold, an old man came in from his work in the field at evening, who also was from the mountains of Ephraim; he was sojourning in Gibeah, whereas the men of the place were Benjamites. 17And when he lifted up his eyes, he saw the traveling man in the open place of the city; and the old man said, Where are you going, and where do you come from? 18And he said to him, We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah toward the remote areas of the mountains of Ephraim; I am from there. I went to Bethlehem in Judah; now I am going to the house of Jehovah. But no one is receiving me into his house, 19even though we have both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and bread and wine for myself, for your handmaid, and for the young man who is with your servant; there is no lack of anything. 20And the old man said, Peace to you! However, let all your needs be upon me; only do not spend the night in the open place. 21So he brought him into his house, and gave fodder to the donkeys. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank. 22Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, certain men of the city, sons of wickedness surrounded the house and beat on the door. They spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring out the man who has come to your house, that we may know him. 23And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, No, my brethren! I beg you, do not act so wickedly! Seeing this man has come into my house, do not do this disgraceful folly. 24Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine; let me bring them out now. Humble them, and do with them whatever seems good to your eyes; but to this man do not do such a disgraceful thing! 25But the men would not heed him. So the man took his concubine and brought her out to them. And they knew her and abused her wantonly all night until morning; and when the day began to break, they let her go. 26Then the woman came as the day was dawning, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was, till it was light. 27And when her master arose in the morning, and opened the doors of the house and went out to go his way, behold the woman, his concubine, fallen at the door of the house with her hands on the threshold. 28And he said to her, Get up and let us be going. But there was no answer. So the man lifted her onto the donkey; and the man rose up and went to his place. 29And when he entered his house he took a knife, laid hold of his concubine, and divided her into twelve pieces with her bones, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. 30And so it was that all who saw it said, No such deed has been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day. Determine, take counsel, and speak up!
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 A LEVITE GOING TO BETHLEHEM TO FETCH HIS WIFE. (
Judg 19:1-
Judg 19:15)
it came to pass in those days--The painfully interesting episode that follows, together with the intestine commotion the report of it produced throughout the country, belongs to the same early period of anarchy and prevailing disorder.
a certain Levite . . . took to him a concubine--The priests under the Mosaic law enjoyed the privilege of marrying as well as other classes of the people. It was no disreputable connection this Levite had formed; for a nuptial engagement with a concubine wife (though, as wanting in some outward ceremonies, it was reckoned a secondary or inferior relationship) possessed the true essence of marriage; it was not only lawful, but sanctioned by the example of many good men.
2 his concubine . . . went away from him unto her father's house--The cause of the separation assigned in our version rendered it unlawful for her husband to take her back (
Deut 24:4); and according to the uniform style of sentiment and practice in the East, she would have been put to death, had she gone to her father's family. Other versions concur with JOSEPHUS, in representing the reason for the flight from her husband's house to be, that she was disgusted with him, through frequent brawls.
3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her--Hebrew, "speak to her heart," in a kindly and affectionate manner, so as to rekindle her affection. Accompanied by a servant, he arrived at the house of his father-in-law, who rejoiced to meet him, in the hope that a complete reconciliation would be brought about between his daughter and her husband. The Levite, yielding to the hospitable importunities of his father-in-law, prolonged his stay for days.
8 tarried--with reluctance.
until afternoon--literally, "the decline of the day." People in the East, who take little or nothing to eat in the morning, do not breakfast till from ten to twelve A.M., and this meal the hospitable relative had purposely protracted to so late a period as to afford an argument for urging a further stay.
9 the day draweth toward evening--Hebrew, "the pitching time of day." Travellers who set out at daybreak usually halt about the middle of the afternoon the first day, to enjoy rest and refreshment. It was, then, too late a time to commence a journey. But duty, perhaps, obliged the Levite to indulge no further delay.
10 the man . . . departed, and came over against Jebus--The note, "which is Jerusalem," must have been inserted by Ezra or some later hand. Jebus being still, though not entirely (
Judg 1:8) in the possession of the old inhabitants, the Levite resisted the advice of his attendant to enter it and determined rather to press forward to pass the night in Gibeah, which he knew was occupied by Israelites. The distance from Beth-lehem to Jerusalem is about six miles. The event showed that it would have been better to have followed the advice of his attendant--to have trusted themselves among aliens than among their own countrymen.
13 in Gibeah, or in Ramah--The first of these places was five miles northeast, the other from four to five north of Jerusalem.
15 when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city--The towns of Palestine at this remote period could not, it seems, furnish any establishment in the shape of an inn or public lodging-house. Hence we conclude that the custom, which is still frequently witnessed in the cities of the East, was then not uncommon, for travellers who were late in arriving and who had no introduction to a private family, to spread their bedding in the streets, or wrapping themselves up in their cloaks, pass the night in the open air. In the Arab towns and villages, however, the sheik, or some other person, usually comes out and urgently invites the strangers to his house. This was done also in ancient Palestine (
Gen 18:4;
Gen 19:2). That the same hospitality was not shown in Gibeah seems to have been owing to the bad character of the people.
16 AN OLD MAN ENTERTAINS HIM AT GIBEAH. (
Judg 19:16-
Judg 19:21)
there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim--Perhaps his hospitality was quickened by learning the stranger's occupation, and that he was on his return to his duties at Shiloh.
19 there is no want of any thing--In answering the kindly inquiries of the old man, the Levite deemed it right to state that he was under no necessity of being burdensome on anyone, for he possessed all that was required to relieve his wants. Oriental travellers always carry a stock of provisions with them; and knowing that even the khans or lodging-houses they may find on their way afford nothing beyond rest and shelter, they are careful to lay in a supply of food both for themselves and their beasts. Instead of hay, which is seldom met with, they used chopped straw, which, with a mixture of barley, beans, or the like, forms the provender for cattle. The old man, however, in the warmth of a generous heart, refused to listen to any explanation, and bidding the Levite keep his stocks for any emergency that might occur in the remainder of his journey, invited them to accept of the hospitalities of his house for the night.
20 only lodge not in the street--As this is no rare or singular circumstance in the East, the probability is that the old man's earnest dissuasive from such a procedure arose from his acquaintance with the infamous practices of the place.
22 THE GIBEAHITES ABUSE HIS CONCUBINE TO DEATH. (
Judg 19:22-
Judg 19:28)
certain sons of Belial beset the house--The narrative of the horrid outrage that was committed; of the proposal of the old man; the unfeeling, careless, and in many respects, inexplicable conduct of the Levite towards his wife, disclose a state of morality that would have appeared incredible, did it not rest on the testimony of the sacred historian. Both men ought to have protected the women in the house, even though at the expense of their lives, or thrown themselves on God's providence. It should be noted, however, that the guilt of such a foul outrage is not fastened on the general population of Gibeah.
29 divided her . . . into twelve pieces--The want of a regular government warranted an extraordinary step; and certainly no method could have been imagined more certain of rousing universal horror and indignation than this terrible summons of the Levite.