Judges 19
Overview
19:1 A Levite goes to Beth-lehem to fetch home his concubine;
19:16 An old man entertains him at Gibeah;
19:22 The Gibeonites abuse his concubine to death;
19:29 He divides her into twelve pieces, and sends them to the twelve tribes. Verse 1when thereJudges 17:6, 18:1, 21:25 mount17:1, 17:8; Joshua 24:30, 24:33 a concubineHeb. a woman or, a wife. 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 Songs 6:8, 6:9; Daniel 5:3; Malachi 2:15, Beth-lehem-judah, Judges 17:8; Genesis 35:19; Matthew 2:6ReciprocalGenesis 16:3 - his; Judges 3:27 - mountain; 17:7 - General; 18:2 - mount; 18:13 - mount Ephraim; Ruth 1:1 - a famine; 1 Samuel 1:1 - mount; 9:4 - mount; 1 Kings 4:8 - The son of Hur; 2 Chronicles 19:4 - mount Verse 2playedLeviticus 21:9; Deuteronomy 22:21; Ezekiel 16:28 four whole monthsor, a year and four months, Heb. days, four monthsReciprocalGenesis 25:6 - concubines; 38:24 - played the harlot; Judges 17:7 - General; Ruth 1:1 - a famine; Jeremiah 3:1 - but thou hast; 1 Corinthians 7:11 - or Verse 3wentJudges 15:1 speakGenesis 50:21; Leviticus 19:17, 20:10; Hosea 2:14; Matthew 1:19; John 8:4, 8:5, 8:11; Galatians 6:1 friendly unto herHeb. to her heart, Genesis 34:3 to bringJeremiah 3:1 his servantNumbers 22:22ReciprocalJudges 19:26 - her lord was; Ruth 2:13 - friendly; 1 Corinthians 7:11 - or Verse 4ReciprocalGenesis 25:6 - concubines Verse 5ComfortHeb. Srengthen, Judges 19:8; Genesis 18:5; 1 Samuel 14:27-29, 30:12; 1 Kings 13:7; Psalm 104:15; John 4:34; Acts 9:19 with a morselJudges 19:22Reciprocal19:18 - receiveth Verse 6let thine heartJudges 19:9, 19:21, 9:27, 16:25; Ruth 3:7; 1 Samuel 25:36; Esther 1:10; Psalm 104:15; Luke 12:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Revelation 11:10, 11:13, 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.ReciprocalJudges 19:22 - they were; 2 Samuel 13:28 - heart is merry; 2 Kings 6:3 - Be content Verse 7ReciprocalJudges 19:22 - they were; 2 Samuel 13:25 - pressed Verse 8ReciprocalJudges 19:5 - Comfort Verse 9the dayLuke 24:29 drawethetc. Heb. is weakthe day groweth to an endHeb. it is the pitching time of the day, Jeremiah 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 morrowProverbs 27:1; James 4:13, 4:14 homeHeb. to thy tentReciprocalExodus 18:27 - General; Judges 16:25 - their hearts; 19:6 - let thine heart; Ruth 3:7 - his heart; 2 Samuel 13:28 - heart is merry Verse 10over againstHeb. to over againstJebusJudges 1:8; Joshua 15:8, 15:63, 18:28; 2 Samuel 5:6ReciprocalJoshua 18:16 - Jebusi; Judges 1:21 - General; 19:11 - the Jebusites; 1 Chronicles 11:4 - Jebus Verse 11the JebusitesJudges 19:10, 1:21; Genesis 10:16; Joshua 15:63; 2 Samuel 5:6Reciprocal24:16 - the Jebusite; 1 Chronicles 1:14 - Jebusite Verse 12GibeahGibeah, 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. Judges 19:12ReciprocalJoshua 18:28 - Gibeath; 1 Samuel 10:26 - Gibeah; 13:2 - in Gibeah; Isaiah 10:29 - Gibeah; Hosea 5:8 - Gibeah Verse 13GibeahJoshua 18:25, 18:26, 18:28; 1 Samuel 10:26; Isaiah 10:29; Hosea 5:8ReciprocalJudges 20:31 - the house of God Verse 14ReciprocalJudges 20:31 - the house of God; 2 Chronicles 13:2 - Gibeah Verse 15no manThere 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. Judges 19:18; Genesis 18:2-8, 19:2, 19:3; Matthew 25:35, 25:43; Habakkuk 3:1ReciprocalJudges 20:4 - I came; Job 31:32 - The stranger Verse 16his workGenesis 3:19; Psalm 104:23, 128:2; Proverbs 13:11, 14:23, 24:27; Ecclesiastes 1:13, 5:12; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 4:12; 2 Thessalonians 3:10Reciprocal2 Chronicles 13:2 - Gibeah; Matthew 10:11 - inquire Verse 17whitherGenesis 16:8, 32:17Reciprocal19:2 - Nay; Jeremiah 14:8 - a wayfaring Verse 18I am nowThe LXX read, εις τον οικον μου εγω πορευομαι· "I am going to my own house;" which is probably the true reading, as we find - Judges 19:29 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 house18:31, 20:18; Joshua 18:1; 1 Samuel 1:3, 1:7 receivethHeb. gathereth, Judges 19:5; Psalm 26:9; John 15:6ReciprocalJudges 18:2 - mount; 19:15 - no man; Proverbs 25:17 - Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's Verse 19straw and provenderIn 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 Genesis 24:32.Reciprocal24:25 - General; Exodus 5:7 - straw; Acts 10:23 - and lodged; 16:15 - come Verse 20Peace beJudges 6:23; Genesis 43:23, 43:24; 1 Samuel 25:6; 1 Chronicles 12:18; Luke 10:5, 10:6; John 14:27; 1 Corinthians 1:3 let all thy wantsHere 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; Habakkuk 3:1; James 2:15, 2:16; 1 Peter 4:9; 1 John 3:18 lodge notGenesis 19:2, 19:3, 24:31-33Reciprocal2 Kings 4:8 - she constrained him; Job 31:32 - The stranger; Isaiah 58:7 - bring; Acts 16:15 - come Verse 21So he broughtGenesis 24:32, 43:24 they washed18:4; 1 Samuel 25:41; 2 Samuel 11:8; Luke 7:44; John 13:4, 13:5, 13:14, 13:15; 1 Timothy 5:10ReciprocalJudges 19:6 - let thine heart; 1 Kings 13:7 - refresh; Job 31:32 - The stranger; Isaiah 58:7 - bring; Acts 16:15 - And she Verse 22they wereJudges 19:6, 19:7, 16:25 the men20:5; Genesis 19:4; Hosea 9:9, 10:9 sons of BelialDeuteronomy 13:13; 1 Samuel 1:16, 2:12, 10:27, 25:25; 2 Samuel 23:6, 23:7; 2 Corinthians 6:15 Bring forthGenesis 19:5; Romans 1:26, 1:27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Jude 1:7ReciprocalGenesis 34:7 - wrought; Leviticus 18:22 - General; 20:13 - General; Deuteronomy 23:17 - sodomite; Judges 19:5 - with a morsel; 20:3 - how was; 20:13 - children of Belial; Ruth 3:7 - his heart; 1 Samuel 25:17 - a son of Belial; 30:22 - wicked; 2 Samuel 13:28 - heart is merry; 20:1 - a man; 1 Kings 14:24 - And there; 21:10 - sons of Belial; 22:46 - the remnant Verse 23the manGenesis 19:6, 19:7 do not this follyJudges 20:6; Genesis 34:7; Joshua 7:15; 2 Samuel 13:12Reciprocal1 Samuel 30:23 - my brethren Verse 24BeholdThe 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.themGenesis 19:8; Romans 3:8 humble yeGenesis 34:2 *marg. Deuteronomy 21:14 so vile a thingHeb. the matter of this follyReciprocal2 Samuel 13:13 - Now therefore Verse 25knew herGenesis 4:1 and abusedJeremiah 5:7, 5:8; Hosea 7:4-7, 9:9, 10:9; Ephesians 4:19ReciprocalGenesis 34:2 - defiled her; Judges 20:5 - and my concubine Verse 26her lord wasJudges 19:3, 19:27; Genesis 18:12; 1 Peter 3:6ReciprocalJudges 20:5 - and my concubine Verse 27ReciprocalJudges 19:26 - her lord was Verse 28But noneJudges 20:5; 1 Kings 18:29ReciprocalJudges 4:14 - Up; 1 Samuel 9:26 - Up Verse 29divided herIt 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 Samuel 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. Judges 20:6, 20:7; Romans 10:2 with her bonesDeuteronomy 21:22, 21:23ReciprocalJudges 19:18 - I am now; Proverbs 6:34 - General Verse 30considerJudges 20:7; Proverbs 11:14, 13:10, 15:22, 20:18, 24:6ReciprocalJob 34:4 - choose; Proverbs 6:34 - General; Jeremiah 2:10 - and see