THE BOOK OF
JUDGES

Judges 19

1A Levite of mount Ephraim goeth to Bethlehem to fetch home his concubine, and on his return cometh to Gibeah in the evening. 16An old man entertaineth him. 22The men of the city beset the house with a vile intent; to prevent which the man yieldeth up his concubine, who is abused by them to death. 29He divideth her into twelve parts, which he sendeth to the twelve tribes of Israel.


1AND it came to pass in those days, whenathere was 1no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning 2on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a 3concubine out of 4Beth-lehem-judah.

a Judges 17:6; 18:1; 21:25.

1 That is, no lawful supreme authority or magistrate, that punished malefactors. See Judges 17 on verse 6. Hence arose also the looseness of the Levite’s concubine, (who was neither punished in Ephraim, nor in Judah) and the subsequent abominable fact of the inhabitants of Gibeah.

2 That is, at one of the sides. See Judges 12 on verse 7.

3 See Gen. 22 on verse 24.

4 See Gen. 35 on verse 19; Judges 12 on verse 8.

2And his concubine played the whore 5against him, and 6went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was 7there four whole months.

5 Or, above him; that is, she committed adultery with others against the faithfulness of marriage, which she had promised him. For, although the concubines in the Old Testament were not held in that honor and esteem as the uppermost wives and mothers of the family, yet they were accounted legitimate wives, and their children reputed legitimate children. See Judges 20:4.

6 Through fear of her husband, or out of some dislike or distaste that she had taken against him.

7 Other, a year and four months. Or, the days of four months, that is, four complete months. Hebr. days, four months.

3And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak 8friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and 9she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

8 Or, to speak to, upon, at her heart, that is, to move her with friendly speeches, which might work upon her heart to repent and to return to him again, desiring rather to be reconciled to her, then to forsake her, if it were possible. See of this phrase Gen. 34 on verse 3.

9 His concubine.

4And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.

5¶And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that 10he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, 11Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.

10 The Levite.

11 That is, take a little breakfast, and then depart. See Gen. 18 on verse 5; 1 Kings 13:7.

6And 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 12merry.

12 Hebr. good, that is, merry, of good things. See Judges 16 on verse 25. Also below on verses 9, 22.

7And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there 13again.

13 Hebr. returned and stayed overnight there.

8And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until 14afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

14 That is, until the sun began to go down, and it was near towards evening.

9And 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: 15behold, 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 16home.

15 Hebr. behold, the camping of the day, that is, the day declines, draws to an end; or, about this time of the day, the traveling people are wont to camp themselves, and (as if he would say) would you now begin to travel? Other, camp thy self to day or this day, that is, let your camping place be here today.

16 That is, to your dwelling place.

10But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is 17Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses 18saddled, his concubine also was with him.

17 Afterward so called, at this time inhabited by the Jebusites. See the two following verses, and Joshua 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:6.

18 Or, bound up, and also laden, as may be gathered from verse 19.

11And 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 19Jebusites, and lodge in it.

19 See Gen. 10 on verse 16.

12And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the 20city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.

20 Or, a strange city, that is, some city of the heathen, who were estranged from God and His people. Hence may be gathered, that Jerusalem, at the time when this happened, was not inhabited of the Israelites, or at least not so, that they were masters of the city. Compare Joshua 15:63; Judges 1 on verses 8, 21; 2 Sam. 5 on verse 6. It is possible that the Israelites, now and then provoking God, did as well lose Jerusalem as other places again, although it was given them of the Lord by inheritance, and made choice of by Him to set His Name there; as afterwards happened in the time of David, Solomon, etc.

13And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in 21Gibeah, or in Ramah.

21 Both these cities were situated on mountains not far from Jerusalem northwards, on the way towards mount Ephraim, where this Levite dwelled at that time. See verse 1.

14And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to 22Benjamin.

22 That is, pertaining to the tribe of Benjamin, and situated in it.

15And 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 23took them into his house to lodging.

23 Hebr. gathered, assembled, or (as we say) took them up, took them in; also verse 18. See further concerning the use of the Hebrew word, Psalm 26 on verse 9.

16¶And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of 24mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men 25of the place were 26Benjamites.

24 Where this Levite sojourned, verse 1.

25 Namely, Gibeah.

26 Or, children of Jemini, that is, of the tribe of Benjamin. See Gen. 35:18; Judges 3:15; 2 Sam. 16:11, etc.

17And when 27he had lifted up his eyes, he saw 28a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?

27 The old man.

28 The Levite.

18And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Beth-lehem-judah, but I am now going to the 29house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.

29 Which was at that time in Shiloh, in Benjamin, nor far distant from mount Ephraim, as may be gathered from Joshua 18:1; Judges 18:31; 1 Sam. 1:3.

19Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there 30is bread and wine also for me, and for thy 31handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy 32servants: there is 33no want of any thing.

30 Meaning: with us, which we have taken along with us for our journey. Or thus, There is also bread and wine with thy servants, for me, and for thine handmaid, and for the youth.

31 Meaning: his concubine.

32 That is, with us, I and my concubine.

33 Save lodging.

20And the old man said, Peace be with thee; 34howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

34 Hebr. all thy want is upon, with or over me; that is, whosoever might be wanting unto you, let it be, or lie upon me, or I take upon or over me, or is with me.

21So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their 35feet, and did eat and drink.

35 See Gen. 18 on verse 4.

22Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certainb36sons 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 37know him.

b Gen. 19:4, etc.; Hosea 9:9; 10:9.

36 See Deut. 13 on verse 13.

37 See Gen. 19 on verse 5.

23And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my 38brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine 39house, do not this 40folly.

38 See Gen. 19 on verse 7.

39 See Gen. 19 on verse 8.

40 See Gen. 34 on verse 7.

24Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and 41his concubine; them I will bring out now, 42and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth 43good unto you: but unto this man do not so 44vile a thing.

41 Of the Levite.

42 Compare this ugly inconsiderateness with Gen. 19 on verse 8.

43 That is, as it seems good unto you or pleases you. See also Gen. 19 on verse 8.

44 Hebr. a matter or thing or fact of this folly.

25But the men would not hearken to him: so the 45man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they 46knew her, and 47abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring,c they let her go.

45 The Levite.

46 See Gen. 4 on verse 1.

47 Or, ill-treated her.

c dawn*

26Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and 48fell down at the door of the man's house where her 49lord was, 50till it was light.

48 Hebr. fell or lay there, that is, being fallen lay there. See concerning such use of some words Gen. 12 on verse 15.

49 Understand: her husband. See Gen. 18:12, 27; 1 Peter 3:6.

50 Hebr. until the light.

27And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.

28And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none 51answered. Then the man 52took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.

51 For she was dead, see Judges 20:5.

52 That is, he took her and laid her upon the ass. Compare on verse 26.

29¶And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and 53divided her, together with 54her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the 55coasts of Israel.

53 Hebr. as if one would say: pierced her into twelve pieces, parted her into twelve parts.

54 Or, through her bones, that is, cutting the body through in the joining together of the bones.

55 Because there was at that time no king (that is, no lawful, higher authority) in Israel, to whom he might make his complaint, verse 1. This act is by no means to be commended, for it was a shameful thing to deal thus with the dead body of his wife.

30And 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 56it, 57take advice, and 58speak your minds.

56 The meaning is: take it to heart, regard it. It might else be slightly taken thus; Lay yourselves upon it, as we also speak so in our own language.

57 Or, give counsel, advice.

58 Namely, one with another, or tell us your judgment, what you think of it, what is to be done in this case, to put away such an evil from Israel, as Judges 20:13.