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 1 when there Judges 17:6, 18:1, 21:25 mount 17:1, 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 2:6 Reciprocal Genesis 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 2 played Leviticus 21:9; Deuteronomy 22:21; Ezekiel 16:28 four whole monthsor, a year and four months, Heb. days, four monthsReciprocal Genesis 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 3 went Judges 15:1 speak Genesis 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 bring Jeremiah 3:1 his servant Numbers 22:22 Reciprocal Judges 19:26 - her lord was; Ruth 2:13 - friendly; 1 Corinthians 7:11 - or Verse 4 Reciprocal Genesis 25:6 - concubines Verse 5 ComfortHeb. 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 morsel Judges 19:22 Reciprocal 19:18 - receiveth Verse 6 let thine heart Judges 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.Reciprocal Judges 19:22 - they were; 2 Samuel 13:28 - heart is merry; 2 Kings 6:3 - Be content Verse 7 Reciprocal Judges 19:22 - they were; 2 Samuel 13:25 - pressed Verse 8 Reciprocal Judges 19:5 - Comfort Verse 9 the day Luke 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 morrow Proverbs 27:1; James 4:13, 4:14 homeHeb. to thy tentReciprocal Exodus 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 10 over againstHeb. to over againstJebus Judges 1:8; Joshua 15:8, 15:63, 18:28; 2 Samuel 5:6 Reciprocal Joshua 18:16 - Jebusi; Judges 1:21 - General; 19:11 - the Jebusites; 1 Chronicles 11:4 - Jebus Verse 11 the Jebusites Judges 19:10, 1:21; Genesis 10:16; Joshua 15:63; 2 Samuel 5:6 Reciprocal 24:16 - the Jebusite; 1 Chronicles 1:14 - Jebusite Verse 12 GibeahGibeah, 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 19:12 Reciprocal Joshua 18:28 - Gibeath; 1 Samuel 10:26 - Gibeah; 13:2 - in Gibeah; Isaiah 10:29 - Gibeah; Hosea 5:8 - Gibeah Verse 13 Gibeah Joshua 18:25, 18:26, 18:28; 1 Samuel 10:26; Isaiah 10:29; Hosea 5:8 Reciprocal Judges 20:31 - the house of God Verse 14 Reciprocal Judges 20:31 - the house of God; 2 Chronicles 13:2 - Gibeah Verse 15 no 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 3:1 Reciprocal Judges 20:4 - I came; Job 31:32 - The stranger Verse 16 his work Genesis 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 3:10 Reciprocal 2 Chronicles 13:2 - Gibeah; Matthew 10:11 - inquire Verse 17 whither Genesis 16:8, 32:17 Reciprocal 19:2 - Nay; Jeremiah 14:8 - a wayfaring Verse 18 I 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 house 18:31, 20:18; Joshua 18:1; 1 Samuel 1:3, 1:7 receivethHeb. gathereth, Judges 19:5; Psalm 26:9; John 15:6 Reciprocal Judges 18:2 - mount; 19:15 - no man; Proverbs 25:17 - Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's Verse 19 straw 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.Reciprocal 24:25 - General; Exodus 5:7 - straw; Acts 10:23 - and lodged; 16:15 - come Verse 20 Peace be Judges 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 not Genesis 19:2, 19:3, 24:31-33 Reciprocal 2 Kings 4:8 - she constrained him; Job 31:32 - The stranger; Isaiah 58:7 - bring; Acts 16:15 - come Verse 21 So he brought Genesis 24:32, 43:24 they washed 18:4; 1 Samuel 25:41; 2 Samuel 11:8; Luke 7:44; John 13:4, 13:5, 13:14, 13:15; 1 Timothy 5:10 Reciprocal Judges 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 22 they were Judges 19:6, 19:7, 16:25 the men 20:5; Genesis 19:4; Hosea 9:9, 10:9 sons of Belial Deuteronomy 13:13; 1 Samuel 1:16, 2:12, 10:27, 25:25; 2 Samuel 23:6, 23:7; 2 Corinthians 6:15 Bring forth Genesis 19:5; Romans 1:26, 1:27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Jude 1:7 Reciprocal Genesis 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 23 the man Genesis 19:6, 19:7 do not this folly Judges 20:6; Genesis 34:7; Joshua 7:15; 2 Samuel 13:12 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 30:23 - my brethren Verse 24 BeholdThe 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.them Genesis 19:8; Romans 3:8 humble ye Genesis 34:2 *marg. Deuteronomy 21:14 so vile a thingHeb. the matter of this follyReciprocal 2 Samuel 13:13 - Now therefore Verse 25 knew her Genesis 4:1 and abused Jeremiah 5:7, 5:8; Hosea 7:4-7, 9:9, 10:9; Ephesians 4:19 Reciprocal Genesis 34:2 - defiled her; Judges 20:5 - and my concubine Verse 26 her lord was Judges 19:3, 19:27; Genesis 18:12; 1 Peter 3:6 Reciprocal Judges 20:5 - and my concubine Verse 27 Reciprocal Judges 19:26 - her lord was Verse 28 But none Judges 20:5; 1 Kings 18:29 Reciprocal Judges 4:14 - Up; 1 Samuel 9:26 - Up Verse 29 divided 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 bones Deuteronomy 21:22, 21:23 Reciprocal Judges 19:18 - I am now; Proverbs 6:34 - General Verse 30 consider Judges 20:7; Proverbs 11:14, 13:10, 15:22, 20:18, 24:6 Reciprocal Job 34:4 - choose; Proverbs 6:34 - General; Jeremiah 2:10 - and see