THE LEVITE AND HIS CONCUBINE AND THE DECIMATION OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN (JUDGES 19-21). Judges 19. The Levite and His Concubine. This chapter gives an account of the sad story of a Levite and his concubine, and of the evil consequences following it. It describes how she played the whore, and wen... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19 . THE LEVITE AND HIS CONCUBINE. This chapter gives an account of the sad story of a Levite and his concubine, and of the evil consequences following it. It describes how she played the whore, and went away from him to her father's house, to which he followed her. There he was hospitably e... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:2 a ‘And his concubine played the harlot against him.' That is, she was unfaithful to him (compare Deuteronomy Genesis 38:24; Genesis 22:21; Hosea 2:5 etc). This may well have been connected with her religious ideas and she may have offered herself as a cult prostitute to Baal. But whate... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And 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 ' The welcome was a clear sign of friendship and willingness to maintain the contract. He prevailed on him to stay some time with him. “AND HE ABODE WITH HIM TH... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:5 a ‘And it happened on the fourth day that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart.' The necessary time for fulfilling all the formalities had now passed. Seemingly it was agreed that his wife should return with him. There was nothing to keep them further. “THAT THEY A... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So they sat down, and did eat and drink, both of them together. And the damsel's father said to the man, “Be content, I pray you, and stay all night, and let your heart be merry.” ' And the man rose up to depart. But his father-in-law urged him and he lodged there again ' There was no friction bet... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And he rose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart. And the damsel's father said, “Comfort your heart, I pray you, stay until the day declines.” And they did eat, both of them ' This time he definitely intended to take leave of his father-in-law. But the father-in-law wanted to keep him... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:9 a ‘And when the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine, and his servant.' Interestingly this is the first indication that we know that the concubine had agreed to go back with him, although the hospitality shown did suggest it. Night was now approaching and he wanted to be on his... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:10 a ‘But the man would not linger that night. But he rose up and departed ' This time he was determined on his journey. He saw that this could go on for ever, and realised that his father-in-law would continue to seek to keep him there. It definitely seemed as though his wife was very r... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And when they were by Jebus the day was far spent. And the servant said to his master, “Come, I pray you, and let us turn in to this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.' “WAS FAR SPENT.” Literally ‘was gone down very much.' The sun was low in the sky and night was almost on them. The servant... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And his master said to him, we will not turn aside into the city of a stranger, who are not of the children of Israel, but we will pass over to Gibeah.' The Levite was a patriotic and religious man and preferred not to depend on or trust foreigners if he could help it. The Jebusites were one of t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And he said to his servant, ‘come, and let us draw near to one of these places, and we will lodge in Gibeah or in Ramah.' So he decided to set off to one of the nearby Israelite towns, either Gibeah or Ramah, which were close to each other, about two miles apart. Fatally Gibeah was the nearest.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So they passed on, and went their way, and the sun went down on them when they were by Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.' The choice was made for them by the time of day when they reached Gibeah, for the sun set, and night came on.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And they turned aside there to go in to lodge in Gibeah. And he went in and sat himself down in the square of the city, for there was no man who took them into his house to lodge.' ' Instead of going forward, and passing by Gibeah to make for Ramah, they turned off the road, and went into the cit... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:16 a ‘And behold, there came an old man from his work, from the country in the evening. Now the man was of the hill country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah.' As it happened an old man was returning from his fields out in the country. He was coming back late from working in them, p... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the city square, and the old man said, ‘Where are you going to, and where have you come from?' Lifting up the eyes is merely a phrase indicating ‘turning the attention on'. On doing this he saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And he said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem-judah to the far side of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there. And I went to Bethleham-judah, and I am now going to the house of Yahweh. And there is no man who takes me into his house.” ' He answered his last question first, giving the s... [ Continue Reading ]
“ Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses, and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your handmaid, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything.” There was no reason for the lack of hospitality for they had all their provisions with them. All the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And the old man said, “peace be to you. However, let all your wants lie on me. Only do not lodge in the square ” “PEACE BE TO YOU.” A regular polite greeting between two people, denoting acceptance, still regularly offered today (Genesis 43:23; Judges 6:23; 1 Samuel 25:6; Daniel 10:19). “However,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So he brought him into his house, and gave the asses fodder, and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.' With some relief and gratitude they accepted the old man's offer and he led them to his house, where every provision was made for them. Note that the animals' needs were met first as befit... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:22 a ‘And as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, beating at the door --.' “MAKING -- MERRY.” With food and wine and good conversation. A traveller was often especially welcome because he could bring news o... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And the man, the master of the house, went out to them. And he said to them, “No, my brothers, I pray you, do not behave so wickedly, seeing that this man has come to my house. Do not do this folly.” ' Bravely the old man opened the door and went out to speak with the men. He hoped to appeal to t... [ Continue Reading ]
“ Look, here is my daughter, a maiden, and his concubine. I will bring them out now and you may humble them and do with them what seems good to you. But do not any such folly to this man.” It may seem incomprehensible to us that he should offer his own daughter, presumably a virgin, to their evil l... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:25 a ‘But the men would not listen to him, so the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her out to them.' Nothing would at this point divert them from their purpose. They continued beating at the door in their dreadful lust. “SO THE MAN LAID HOLD ON HIS CONCUBINE, AND BROUGHT HER... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ 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, until it was light.' The woman struggled back to the house but it would seem that she had been so maltreated that she collapsed there and had no strength to knock. And there she lay un... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:27 a ‘And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way.' Once he was satisfied that the crowd had gone, and unaware of what had happened to his wife, but realising that her non-return probably meant that he would never see her again, the... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:28 a ‘And he said to her, “Up, and let us be going.” But there was no answer.' He thought that she was sleeping and spoke to her to wake her and let her know that they were leaving this dreadful place. But the callousness of his words are probably intended to remind us of her position. O... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And when he was come into his house he took a knife and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her according to her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.' Determined to have justice the Levite decided on a dreadful thing. No doubt his mind was temporarily... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 19:30 a ‘And it was so, that all who saw it, said, ‘there was no such deed done nor seen, from the day that the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, to this day.' The pieces would be delivered by messenger. The Levite may indeed have gone to the central sanctuary and arranged f... [ Continue Reading ]