6 And they sat down, H3427 and did eat H398 and drink H8354 both H8147 of them together: H3162 for the damsel's H5291 father H1 had said H559 unto the man, H376 Be content, H2974 I pray thee, and tarry all night, H3885 and let thine heart H3820 be merry. H3190
And it came to pass, when their hearts H3820 were merry, H2896 that they said, H559 Call H7121 for Samson, H8123 that he may make us sport. H7832 And they called H7121 for Samson H8123 out of the prison H631 house; H1004 and he made them H6440 sport: H6711 and they set H5975 him between the pillars. H5982
And when the man H376 rose up H6965 to depart, H3212 he, and his concubine, H6370 and his servant, H5288 his father in law, H2859 the damsel's H5291 father, H1 said H559 unto him, Behold, now the day H3117 draweth H7503 toward evening, H6150 I pray you tarry all night: H3885 behold, the day H3117 groweth to an end, H2583 lodge H3885 here, that thine heart H3824 may be merry; H3190 and to morrow H4279 get you early H7925 on your way, H1870 that thou mayest go H1980 home. H168
On the seventh H7637 day, H3117 when the heart H3820 of the king H4428 was merry H2896 with wine, H3196 he commanded H559 Mehuman, H4104 Biztha, H968 Harbona, H2726 Bigtha, H903 and Abagtha, H5 Zethar, H2242 and Carcas, H3752 the seven H7651 chamberlains H5631 that served H8334 in the presence H6440 of Ahasuerus H325 the king, H4428
And they went out H3318 into the fields, H7704 and gathered H1219 their vineyards, H3754 and trode H1869 the grapes, and made H6213 merry, H1974 and went H935 into the house H1004 of their god, H430 and did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and cursed H7043 Abimelech. H40
So he brought H935 him into his house, H1004 and gave provender H1101 unto the asses: H2543 and they washed H7364 their feet, H7272 and did eat H398 and drink. H8354 Now as they were making their hearts H3820 merry, H3190 behold, the men H582 of the city, H5892 certain H582 sons H1121 of Belial, H1100 beset H5437 the house H1004 round about, H5437 and beat H1849 at the door, H1817 and spake H559 to the master H1167 of the house, H1004 the old H2205 man, H376 saying, H559 Bring forth H3318 the man H376 that came H935 into thine house, H1004 that we may know H3045 him.
And Abigail H26 came H935 to Nabal; H5037 and, behold, he held a feast H4960 in his house, H1004 like the feast H4960 of a king; H4428 and Nabal's H5037 heart H3820 was merry H2896 within him, for he was very H3966 drunken: H7910 wherefore she told H5046 him nothing, H1697 less H6996 or more, H1419 until the morning H1242 light. H216
For G1063 when G3752 they shall say, G3004 Peace G1515 and G2532 safety; G803 then G5119 sudden G160 destruction G3639 cometh upon G2186 them, G846 as G5618 travail G5604 upon G1722 a woman with child; G1064 G2192 and G2532 they shall G1628 not G3364 escape. G1628
And G2532 they that dwell G2730 upon G1909 the earth G1093 shall rejoice G5463 over G1909 them, G846 and G2532 make merry, G2165 and G2532 shall send G3992 gifts G1435 one to another; G240 because G3754 these G3778 two G1417 prophets G4396 tormented G928 them that dwelt G2730 on G1909 the earth. G1093
And G2532 the same G1722 G1565 hour G5610 was there G1096 a great G3173 earthquake, G4578 and G2532 the tenth part G1182 of the city G4172 fell, G4098 and G2532 in G1722 the earthquake G4578 were slain G615 G3686 of men G444 seven G2033 thousand: G5505 and G2532 the remnant G3062 were G1096 affrighted, G1719 and G2532 gave G1325 glory G1391 to the God G2316 of heaven. G3772
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 19
Commentary on Judges 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
Jud 19:1-15. A Levite Going to Bethlehem to Fetch His Wife.
1. it came to pass in those days—The painfully interesting episode that follows, together with the intestine commotion the report of it produced throughout the country, belongs to the same early period of anarchy and prevailing disorder.
a certain Levite … took to him a concubine—The priests under the Mosaic law enjoyed the privilege of marrying as well as other classes of the people. It was no disreputable connection this Levite had formed; for a nuptial engagement with a concubine wife (though, as wanting in some outward ceremonies, it was reckoned a secondary or inferior relationship) possessed the true essence of marriage; it was not only lawful, but sanctioned by the example of many good men.
2. his concubine … went away from him unto her father's house—The cause of the separation assigned in our version rendered it unlawful for her husband to take her back (De 24:4); and according to the uniform style of sentiment and practice in the East, she would have been put to death, had she gone to her father's family. Other versions concur with Josephus, in representing the reason for the flight from her husband's house to be, that she was disgusted with him, through frequent brawls.
3, 4. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her—Hebrew, "speak to her heart," in a kindly and affectionate manner, so as to rekindle her affection. Accompanied by a servant, he arrived at the house of his father-in-law, who rejoiced to meet him, in the hope that a complete reconciliation would be brought about between his daughter and her husband. The Levite, yielding to the hospitable importunities of his father-in-law, prolonged his stay for days.
8. tarried—with reluctance.
until afternoon—literally, "the decline of the day." People in the East, who take little or nothing to eat in the morning, do not breakfast till from ten to twelve A.M., and this meal the hospitable relative had purposely protracted to so late a period as to afford an argument for urging a further stay.
9. the day draweth toward evening—Hebrew, "the pitching time of day." Travellers who set out at daybreak usually halt about the middle of the afternoon the first day, to enjoy rest and refreshment. It was, then, too late a time to commence a journey. But duty, perhaps, obliged the Levite to indulge no further delay.
10-12. the man … departed, and came over against Jebus—The note, "which is Jerusalem," must have been inserted by Ezra or some later hand. Jebus being still, though not entirely (Jud 1:8) in the possession of the old inhabitants, the Levite resisted the advice of his attendant to enter it and determined rather to press forward to pass the night in Gibeah, which he knew was occupied by Israelites. The distance from Beth-lehem to Jerusalem is about six miles. The event showed that it would have been better to have followed the advice of his attendant—to have trusted themselves among aliens than among their own countrymen.
13. in Gibeah, or in Ramah—The first of these places was five miles northeast, the other from four to five north of Jerusalem.
15. when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city—The towns of Palestine at this remote period could not, it seems, furnish any establishment in the shape of an inn or public lodging-house. Hence we conclude that the custom, which is still frequently witnessed in the cities of the East, was then not uncommon, for travellers who were late in arriving and who had no introduction to a private family, to spread their bedding in the streets, or wrapping themselves up in their cloaks, pass the night in the open air. In the Arab towns and villages, however, the sheik, or some other person, usually comes out and urgently invites the strangers to his house. This was done also in ancient Palestine (Ge 18:4; 19:2). That the same hospitality was not shown in Gibeah seems to have been owing to the bad character of the people.
Jud 19:16-21. An Old Man Entertains Him at Gibeah.
16. there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim—Perhaps his hospitality was quickened by learning the stranger's occupation, and that he was on his return to his duties at Shiloh.
19, 20. there is no want of any thing—In answering the kindly inquiries of the old man, the Levite deemed it right to state that he was under no necessity of being burdensome on anyone, for he possessed all that was required to relieve his wants. Oriental travellers always carry a stock of provisions with them; and knowing that even the khans or lodging-houses they may find on their way afford nothing beyond rest and shelter, they are careful to lay in a supply of food both for themselves and their beasts. Instead of hay, which is seldom met with, they used chopped straw, which, with a mixture of barley, beans, or the like, forms the provender for cattle. The old man, however, in the warmth of a generous heart, refused to listen to any explanation, and bidding the Levite keep his stocks for any emergency that might occur in the remainder of his journey, invited them to accept of the hospitalities of his house for the night.
20. only lodge not in the street—As this is no rare or singular circumstance in the East, the probability is that the old man's earnest dissuasive from such a procedure arose from his acquaintance with the infamous practices of the place.
Jud 19:22-28. The Gibeahites Abuse His Concubine to Death.
22-24. certain sons of Belial beset the house—The narrative of the horrid outrage that was committed; of the proposal of the old man; the unfeeling, careless, and in many respects, inexplicable conduct of the Levite towards his wife, disclose a state of morality that would have appeared incredible, did it not rest on the testimony of the sacred historian. Both men ought to have protected the women in the house, even though at the expense of their lives, or thrown themselves on God's providence. It should be noted, however, that the guilt of such a foul outrage is not fastened on the general population of Gibeah.
29. divided her … into twelve pieces—The want of a regular government warranted an extraordinary step; and certainly no method could have been imagined more certain of rousing universal horror and indignation than this terrible summons of the Levite.