Judges 19

AND it came to pass in those days Of which see on Iudg. 17. 1.... and when there was no king in Israel that there was a certain Levite... journing on the side Heb. in the sides, i. e. in one of the sides, as Verse 18. of mount Ephraim, who... k to him a concubine Heb. a Wi... e, a Concubine, i. e. such a Concubine as was also his Wife, as appears from v. 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 26, 27. and Iudg. 20. 4. See of these Gen. 22. 24. and 25. 1. out of Bethlehem-Judah.

And his concubine played the whore against him i. e. Against her Faith given to him, or to his wrong; or, with him, i. e. in his House, or whilest she lived with him, which is opposed to her going away, which here follows., and went away from him Either for fear of his severe rebukes or punishment; or, because her heart was alienated from him. unto her fathers house to Bethlehem-Judah, and was there four whole months Heb. some days, to wit, four months; or, a year (so days commonly signifie) and four months; wherein not only she sinned, but her Father by some indulgence and connivence at her Sin, and neglect of just endeavours for her reconciliation to her Husband, the ill effects whereof he speedily felt, in the loss of his Daughter in so dreadful a manner..

And her husband arose, and went after her to speak friendly unto her Or, to speak to her heart, i. e. kindly and comfortably, as that phrase is taken, Gen. 50. 21. Hos. 2. 14. to offer her pardon, and reconciliation, and restitution to her former state., and to bring her again To wit, to his own House., having his servant with him, and a couple of asses Partly, for himself or his Wife to ride upon, as there was occasion; and partly, for carrying their Provision, as appears from v. 19: and she brought him into her fathers house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him Hoping the breach would be made up by this means..

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

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

And they sate down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsels father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.

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

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

And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsels father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth towards evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end l, lodg here that thine heart may be merry, and to morrow get ye early on your way, that thou mayest go home. Heb. It is the encamping time of the day, i. e. the Evening, when Armies having marched in the day, begin to pitch their Camp; or, when the Sun that makes the day, begins to encamp himself, and go toward rest; so it is a Poetical expression taken from hence, That the Sun when he sets, seems to vulgar eyes to go to rest.

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

And 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 unto this city of the Jebusites, and lodg in it.

And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger i. e. Of a strange Nation, which the Canaanites posses; for though the City Ierusalem had been taken by Caleb, Iudg. 1. yet the strong Fort of Zion was still in their hands, 2 Sam. 5. 6, 7. whence it is likely they did much molest, and afterwords by Gods permission, and for the punishment of their Sin, drive out the Israelites who dwelt there. that is not of the children of Israel: we will pass over to Gibeah.

And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodg all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah Both which places lay in Benjamin's Portion, a little Northward from Ierusalem, and in the Road from Bethlehem-Iudah to Gibeah..

And they passed on, and went their way, and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin This is added to difference it from another Gibeah in Iudah, Ios. 15. 57. Possibly this is that which was called Gibeah of Saul, 1 Sam. 11. 4..

And they turned aside thither to go in, and to lodg in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sate him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging Though they were soft and effeminate in other respects, yet they were hard-hearted towards Strangers or indigent persons. Either there were no publick Houses to receive and entertain Travellers, as may be gathered from Gen. 28. and 42. and 45. and Ios. 9. &c. or, if there were such an one here, they might perceive it to be a very wicked House, as being in so lewd a place, and therefore might decline it, and expect that some private person would exercise Hospitality to them, as persons of any worth used to do, as Gen. 18. 1, 2, 3, 4. and 19. 1, 2. Heb. 13. 2..

¶ And behold, there came an old man from his work, out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim Whence also the Levite was, which obliged and enclined him to show the more kindness to his Countrey-man., and he sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites This was indeed one of the Cities belonging to the Priests, Ios. 21. 1 Chron. 6. but you must consider that the Cities which were given to the Priests, and whereof they were Possessors and Owners, were not inhabited by the Priests or Levites only, especially at this time when they were but few in number, but by many other persons of differing Professions and Callings, which was necessary for their conveniency..

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

And he said unto him, We are passing from Berhlehem-Judah, toward the side of mount Ephraim, from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehem-Judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD Which was in Shilo, Ios. 18. 1. and 22. 12. Thither he went, either because he lived there, for that was in the Tribe of Ephraim; or, rather, because he would there offer Prayers, and Praises, and Sacrifices unto God, for his Mercy in reconciling him and his Wife together, and for his Blessing upon them again, and to make atonement for his Wise., and there is no man that receiveth me to house.

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

And the old man said, Peace be with thee: howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me It matters not whether thou wantest nothing or every thing, I will take care to supply all thy wants., only lodg not in the street.

So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet As they used to do to Travellers in those hot Countreys, Gen. 18. 4. and 19. 2. and 24. 32, &c., and did eat and drink.

¶ Now as they were making their hearts merry i. e. Refreshing themselves with the Provisions set before them., behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial Wicked and Licentious men; see Deut. 13. 13., 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 know him An ambiguous expression; whereby they pretended only a desire to know and see what person he had brought among them, and yet carry on their Wicked design of knowing him Carnally. Compare Gen. 19. 5. where the same phrase is used in that sense upon a like occasion. But though they name only the man; yet it is plain from the following relation, that their Design was principally upon the Woman, and therefore under the name of the man, they comprehend those that belong to him..

And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you do not so wickedly, seeing that this man is come into mine house And therefore I am obliged to protect him by the Laws of Hospitality. Compare Gen. 19. 7, 8., do not this folly.

Behold, here is my daughter, a maiden, and his concubine, them I will bring out now He offers this to avoid a greater and more unnatural Sin, which he thought they designed; but it seems they did not, their abuse being confined to the Woman, and not extended to the Man, who also was in their power, if they had lusted after him. But this offer was Sinful, because he offered that which was not in his, nor in the Mans power to dispose of, even the Chastity of his Daughter, and the Mans Wife; and because no Man must do any evil, though never so small, for the prevention of any evil of Sin or Misery, or for the procuring of the greatest good, Rom. 3. 8. though his Sin was much mitigated by his Ignorance, by his honest and generous Intention of protecting a stranger; by the force which was in some sort put upon him, and by the suddenness and violence of the Temptation., and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine Being willing to expose her, rather than the Daughter of his Host, who had expressed such a singular care and affection for him., and brought her forth unto them, and they knew her, and abused her all the night, until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.

Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down To wit, dead, as the following words show, and as that word is oft used, as Exod. 19. 21. Psal. 82. 7. and 91. 7. Hos. 5. 5. killed, partly with grief of heart, and partly with excessive abuse of her Body, of which there have been divers instances. Thus the Sin she formerly chose, v. 2. is now her Destruction; and though her husband pardoned her, God would punish her, at least as to this life. at the door of the mans house, where her lord, till it was light. e So he is called, either because he was her husband; for which cause Sarah called Abraham Lord, 1 Pet. 3. 6. or because she had been his maid-servant, as Concubines oftentimes were; as Gen. 30. 3, 9.

And 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 The posture either of one that had fallen down; or of one that was layed down to sleep, her hands or arms (for the Hebrew word signifies both) leaning upon the threshold, and being put under her head: and therefore he thought to awake her, and raise her up..

And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered For she was dead, as is said, Iudg. 20. 5.: then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him into his place.

¶ And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones Or, according to her bones, according to the joints of her Body, for there he made the division. This might seem to be a Barbarous and inhuman act in it self; but may seem excusable if it be considered, that the sadness of the Spectacle did highly contribute to stir up the zeal of all the Israelites to avenge his Concubines death, and to execute Justice upon such profligate Offenders; and was necessary, especially in this time of Anarchy and general Corruption, Iudg. 17. 6. to awaken them out of that Lethargy, in which all the Tribes lay., into twelve pieces That one piece might be sent to every Tribe; whereof none to Levi, because they would meet with it in every Tribe, being dispersed among them; but one to Benjamin; for he might well presume, that they would as much abhor so villanous an Action, though done by some of their own Tribe, as any of the rest., and sent her into all the coasts of Israel By several messengers, by whom also he sent a particular Relation of the Fact..

And it was so, that all that saw it, said, There was no such deed So wicked and abominable. done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt, unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds Let us meet together, and seriously consider, and every one freely speak what is to be done in this case.