CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Judges 19
Chapter 19 of 21
Chapter Overview
What happens in Judges 19
This chapter records one of the darkest events in Israel's history. A Levite and his concubine travel through the territory of Benjamin. In the town of Gibeah, the townspeople commit a terrible crime against the concubine, leading to her death and sparking a national crisis.
Scripture
Judges 19
The Levite and His Concubine
Study note
A Levite from the hill country of Ephraim had a concubine from Bethlehem. She left him and returned to her father's house for four months. The Levite went to bring her back. His father-in-law warmly welcomed him and kept persuading him to stay another day. The extended hospitality delayed their departure until late in the fifth day, setting up the tragic events to follow.
1 During the time when Israel had no king, a man from the tribe of Levi was living in the remote hill country of Ephraim. He took a woman from Bethlehem in Judah to be his concubine. And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.
2 But she was unfaithful to him. She left and returned to her father's house in Bethlehem. She stayed there for four months. And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there four whole months.
3 Her husband decided to go after her and talk her into coming home. He brought along his servant and a pair of donkeys. When he got to her father's house, her father was delighted to welcome him. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4 His father-in-law begged him to stay, and so he remained as a guest for three days. They spent the time eating, drinking, and sleeping there. And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
5 On the morning of the fourth day, they got up early to leave. But the woman's father said to his son-in-law, "Eat something first to keep your energy up. Then you can be on your way." And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.
6 So the two of them sat down together for a meal and some drinks. Then the woman's father suggested, "Why not stay one more night and enjoy yourself?" And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
7 The man stood up to go, but his father-in-law talked him into staying yet another night. And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
8 On the fifth morning, the man got up to leave. But the father said again, "Come on, eat something first." So they sat and ate together until the afternoon had arrived. And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
9 When the man, his concubine, and his servant stood up to go, the father-in-law said, "Look, the day is almost over. Stay one more night and have a good time. You can leave first thing in the morning and head home." And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
No Hospitality in Gibeah
Study note
The Levite chose to bypass Jebus (Jerusalem), a non-Israelite city, and press on to Gibeah, a town belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. Ironically, the Israelite town would prove far more dangerous than the foreign city. No one in Gibeah offered them lodging until an old man from Ephraim, a foreigner in the town, took them in. The lack of hospitality was a serious violation of ancient Near Eastern customs and a sign of the town's moral decay.
10 But this time the man put his foot down and refused to stay. He loaded up his two donkeys, and he and his concubine set off. They traveled as far as Jebus, the city we now call Jerusalem. 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 saddled, his concubine also was with him.
11 By the time they got near Jebus, the day was nearly over. The servant suggested to his master, "Why not stop here for the night in this Jebusite town?" 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 into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
12 His master said, "No, I do not want to stay in a city of foreigners where no Israelites live. We will keep going until we reach Gibeah." And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
13 He told his servant, "Let us push on and try to make it to Gibeah or Ramah. We can spend the night in one of those places." And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
14 They kept traveling. The sun was setting as they came near Gibeah, which was in the territory belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
15 They turned off the road to spend the night in Gibeah. The man sat down in the town square, but nobody offered to take them in for the night. And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.
16 That evening, an elderly man was coming in from working in his fields. He was originally from the hill country of Ephraim but was now living in Gibeah, where the local residents were Benjaminites. And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.
17 The old man looked up and saw the traveler sitting in the town square. He asked him, "Where are you headed? And where did you start from?" And when he had lifted 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?
18 The Levite answered, "We are passing through on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to my home in the remote hill country of Ephraim. I traveled to Bethlehem, and now I am heading to the house of the Lord. But nobody here has offered us a place to sleep." And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Beth-lehem-judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
19 "We have plenty of straw and feed for the donkeys, and we have bread and wine for ourselves. We truly do not need anything at all." 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.
20 The old man said warmly, "You are welcome to stay at my home. I will take care of everything you need. Whatever you do, do not spend the night out here in the square." And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
21 The old man brought them to his house and fed their donkeys. The travelers washed up, and then they sat down and enjoyed a meal together. So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
The Crime at Gibeah
Study note
While they were enjoying the old man's hospitality, wicked men of the city surrounded the house and demanded the Levite be sent out so they could assault him, echoing the infamous story of Sodom from Genesis 19. In a horrifying turn, the Levite's concubine was sent outside and was abused by the mob all night long. She was found dead at the doorstep in the morning. The Levite cut her body into twelve pieces and sent them to all the tribes of Israel to demand justice. All who heard about it said nothing like this had ever happened since Israel came out of Egypt.
22 While they were relaxing and having a good time, a mob of wicked men from the city surrounded the house. They pounded on the door and shouted to the old man, "Bring out the man who is staying with you! We want to have our way with him!" Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, 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.
23 The owner of the house went outside and pleaded with them, "No, my friends, please do not do this horrible thing. This man is a guest under my roof. Do not commit such an outrageous act." 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, do not this folly.
24 "Look, my daughter who has never been with a man and this man's concubine are here. Let me bring them out to you instead. Do what you want with them, but do not commit this disgusting act against this man." Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
25 But the men refused to listen. So the Levite grabbed his concubine and pushed her outside to them. They brutalized her all through the night, not letting her go until dawn. But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, 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.
26 As the first light of morning appeared, the woman stumbled back and collapsed at the doorway of the house where her master was staying. She lay there motionless until daylight. Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
27 Her master woke up and opened the door. He was ready to leave. But his woman lay at the doorstep. Her hands reached toward the door. 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.
28 He said to her, "Get up. We need to go." But she did not respond. He lifted her onto one of the donkeys and headed for home. And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.
29 Once he was home, he took a knife and cut his concubine's body into twelve separate pieces. Then he sent one piece to each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 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, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.
30 Every person who saw it said the same thing: "Nothing this terrible has ever happened since the day Israel came out of Egypt! We need to think long and hard about this, talk it through, and figure out what to do." And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed 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.
Key Themes
Themes in Judges 19
The depths of moral depravity without God's authorityThe failure of hospitality and basic human decencyThe horrifying consequences of a lawless societyA national crisis demanding justice
Apply This Today
Living Judges 19
This is one of the most disturbing chapters in the Bible, and intentionally so. It shows what happens when a society abandons God's moral standards. The parallels to Sodom and Gomorrah are deliberate, showing that Israel had become as corrupt as the cities God destroyed. Sin unchecked leads to unimaginable darkness.
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