INTRODUCTION TO Judges 19 This chapter gives an account of a sad affair of a Levite and his concubine, and of the bad consequence of it, how that she played the whore, and went away from him to her father's house, whither he followed her, and where he was kindly entertained by her father several days, Judges 19:1 and then set out on his journey to...
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel,.... The same is observed in Judges 17:6 and refers to the same times, the times before the judges, between them and the death of Joshua, during which time there was no supreme magistrate or ruler in Israel, which is meant; and this is observed, as before, to account for...
The three remaining chapters of this book contain a most tragical story of the wickedness of the men of Gibeah, patronised by the tribe of Benjamin, for which that tribe was severely chastised and almost entirely cut off by the rest of the tribes. This seems to have been done not long after the death of Joshua, for it was when there was no king,...
And his concubine played the whore against him,.... Was unfaithful to him and his bed, and broke the covenant and agreement between them; or "with him" (i), while she was with him in the house; or "before him" (k), of which he had knowledge and proof; though some think this is not to be understood of whoredom or adultery, but of her ill usage of...
And her husband arose,.... From the place where he lived: and went after her; to Bethlehemjudah, where her father lived: to speak comfortably to her "or to her heart" (l); having heard perhaps that she repented of her sin, or if it was only upon a quarrel between them, his anger might cool and subside, and therefore sought for a reconciliation;...
And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him,.... Prevailed upon him to stay some time with him: and he abode with him three days; it seems as if he agreed to stay with him so long, and that time he stayed contentedly: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there; the Levite and his servant were very handsomely entertained, and had...
And it came to pass on the fourth day,.... The time the Levite had agreed to stay being up: when they arose early in the morning the Levite, his concubine and servant, in order to set out on their journey: that he arose to depart; the Levite rose up from his seat to take his leave of his father-in-law, and depart from his house, and proceed on his...
And they sat down,.... Not only sat down upon their seats again, the Levite having rose up in order to go away, but sat down at table: and did eat and drink both of them together; both the Levite and his father-in-law; and it appears by this, and what follows, that the Levite did not take only a short repast, or breakfast with him, but stayed and...
And when the man rose up to depart,.... Rose up from table, having ate and drank sufficiently, in order to depart the house, and proceed on his journey: his father in law urged him; with much entreaty, and earnest solicitations, that he would stay all night with him: therefore he lodged there again; another night, being prevailed upon through his...
And he rose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart,.... With a full intention to take his leave of his father, and be gone: and the damsel's father said, comfort thine heart, I pray thee; with a meal's meat, with a breakfast, before he set out on his journey, that he might be heartier and stronger for it: and they tarried until afternoon;...
And when the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine, and his servant,.... Rose up from table, having comfortably refreshed themselves: his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, behold, now the day draweth towards evening; or is "remiss", or "weak" (n); that is, the heat, light, and strength of the sun abated, and became weaker...
But the man would not tarry that night,.... He was determined upon his journey; he perceived there was no end of the solicitations of his father-in-law, and did not know how long he intended to detain him, and therefore was resolved not to hearken to him any longer: but he rose up and departed; rose up from his seat, took his leave of his...
And when they were by Jebus the day was far spent,.... Or "was gone down very much" (q), the sun was going down apace, and near setting: and the servant said unto his master, come, I pray thee: he proposed it to him in a submissive manner, and might use some entreaty for his master's good and safety: and let us turn in unto this city of the...
And his master said unto him, we will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger,.... A city of the children of the Gentiles, as the Targum, as the Jebusites were, being one of the seven nations of the land of Canaan, who were to be dispossessed and destroyed; and which, one would think, he would not have so called, had it been inhabited,...
And he said to his servant, come, and let us draw near,.... And get on as fast as we can: to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah; which were both in the tribe of Benjamin, and he left it to his servant to go to either, to that which was most convenient, because of the time of the day, it being near sun setting; now, as...
And they passed on, and went their way,.... Proceeded on in their journey from Jebus or Jerusalem, near to which they were: and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin; which is added, to distinguish it from another Gibeah in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:57 when they were come pretty near to this place,...
And they turned aside thither to go in and lodge in Gibeah,.... Instead of going right forward, and passing by Gibeah, over against which they were, they turned out of their road, and went into the city to seek a lodging in it: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city; to see whether any person would invite him into any of...
And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even,.... Which is the time that men come from their labour, and take their rest; and this man, though a man in years, and of some substance, as appears by what follows, yet attended the business of his calling, which was very commendable in him: which was also of Mount Ephraim;...
And when he had lifted up his eyes,.... For it may be, as he came out of the field, he was musing and meditating with his eyes downwards directed, but coming into the city looked up: he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city; whom he supposed to be a traveller and a stranger by his dress, and other circumstances, having never seen him...
And he said unto him, we are passing from Bethlehemjudah,.... He answers to his last question first, for this was the place from whence they came: towards the side of Mount Ephraim: thither they were going, which is an answer to the first question: and then adds, which is more than what was requested, from thence am I; that is, he was an...