Judges 19 Commentary

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Identification & Location of the Judges
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Levite and the Concubine
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Judges 19:1 Now it came about in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah.

NOW IT CAME ABOUT IN THOSE DAYS WHEN THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL: This section relates one of the most shocking episodes of Israel's history. One commentator labels this chapter "The Death of Morality". This event appears to have occurred early in the period of the judges, because Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, was still ministering as high priest (Jdg 20:28; cf. Nu25:7, 11), and because the tribes were still able to function as a unit (cf. Jos 22:9-34). There is also no mention of the Philistines, who would have suppressed such action during the latter part of the judges’ period. There is also a need for a long time span between the disgraceful behavior of the tribe of Benjamin and the choice of a Benjamite as king in the 11th century. Saul was in fact from the same town of Gibeah (cf. 1Sa10:26)!

Cundall (p193) probably correctly observes that the reference from Dan even to Beer-sheba (Jdg 20:1) was probably added later by an editor to explain the entirety of the land.

When evil isn't dealt with properly, it has a tendency to grow. Paul rhetorically asked

"Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?" (1Co5:6).

Sin in the city of Gibeah eventually infected the tribe of Benjamin and led to war in the land of Israel. It would be wrong to think that morality is a stabilizing factor only for the believer. Righteousness is something that “works” for the believer and unbeliever alike.

The Book of Proverbs has a few sage words reminding us that...

'“Righteousness exalts a nation; but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Pr14:34).

There are many such observations in Proverbs.

“The unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity” (Pr11:3).

“The wicked shall fall by his own wickedness” (Pr11:5).

“The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right” (Pr21:7).

"Where there is no vision (word from God), the people are unrestrained (run wild as we see in Judges 19), but happy is he who keeps the law." (Pr 29:18)

In a moral universe, there are certain fixed moral laws which when violated bring destruction as a natural consequence. Tragically, history is full of illustrations of this fact.

THAT THERE WAS A CERTAIN LEVITE STAYING IN THE REMOTE PART OF THE HILL COUNTRY OF EPHRAIM: If you thought that the Jonathan in Judges 17-18 was a reprobate, then you'll probably conclude that this unnamed Levite was an scoundrel of the basest sort. He spent most of his time partying (19:4, 6, 8, 22), walked in darkness and jeopardized his life and the lives of those with him (vv. 9-14), treated his concubine in the most shocking manner, while she was alive and after she was dead and what he did to her precipitated a civil war in Israel.

As in the story of chap17-18, the major characters come from the hill country of Ephraim and from Bethlehem Judah (v1). This time it was the Levite who lived in Ephraim and had a concubine from Bethlehem. Evidently she was unhappy with her status as a secondary wife; for she committed adultery and then returned to the refuge of her father's home in Bethlehem rather than face an angry husband (v2).

WHO TOOK A CONCUBINE FOR HIMSELF FROM BETHLEHEM IN JUDAH: A concubine was a lawful wife who was guaranteed only food, clothing, and marital privileges (Ex 21:7-11; Dt 21:10-14). Any children she bore would be considered legitimate; but because of her second-class status, they wouldn't necessarily share in the family inheritance (Ge25:1-6). If a man's wife was barren, he sometimes took a concubine so he could establish a family. Though the law controlled concubinage the Lord did not approve or encourage it. Several of the patriarchs had children with concubines including Abraham with Hagar (Ge16); Jacob with Bilhah and Zilpah (Ge 30:4-13) Several other OT men had concubines, including Gideon, Saul, David, and Solomon. It should be noted however that although a concubine was, in a sense, a legal mistress, we never see such a family life blessed by God!

Evangelical Commentary:

"Chp17-18 relate the breakdown of religious life; chapters 19-21 show that the breakdown of religious life may bring further disastrous consequences, that the resulting immorality can threaten the very existence of a political unit. Society is a unity; its depravity cannot be contained within narrow, watertight compartments. Depravity and breakdown in one area of society, if uncorrected, will lead to deterioration and breakdown in other areas and, finally, even to the destruction of society itself The writer of Judges maintains that these events occurred because there were no qualified leaders to effect God’s purposes. Though the judges could engineer brief periods of peace, there was no established godly leadership capable of permanently halting the evils described in these chapters. “Israel had no king” expresses both the writer’s diagnosis of the disease in Israel and his indication of the cure."

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Judges 19:1
F B Meyer
Our Daily Homily

And it came to pass in those days when there was no king in Israel.

It will be sufficient to ponder these words, which occur four times in this book, without reading further in this terrible chapter, which shows the depths of depravity to which man may sink apart from the grace of God. Where Christ is not enthroned as King, drunkenness, impurity, cruelty, selfishness, are supreme, and pursue their ravages unchecked. How different where He reigns in righteousness, and where his will is done as it is done in heaven!

The Book of Judges depicts the state of the heart which has not admitted the Kingship of our Savior. Where there is no recognition of this, and a man does as he likes, then the heart breeds all manner of uncleanness; and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.

In connection with the present marvellous movement afoot in our colleges, five hundred, Japanese students met recently under the motto, “Make Jesus King.” Oh that this might be our life-motto! We must crown Him lord of all.

Let young men and women, who may read these words, specially ponder this suggestion. Perpetual failure in life indicates failure in consecration. If you are continually broken in upon by raids of evil, it is certain that you have never enthroned the Son of God. He is never Savior in the fulness of his power till He is acknowledged King. Directly the coronation has taken place, He assumes the responsibility of putting down all rule, authority, and power; overcoming the evils that had held sway; and bringing every thought into captivity. Such are the warnings and appeals of this chapter and the next. “Make Jesus King.”

Judges 19:2 But his concubine played the harlot against him, and she went away from him to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah, and was there for a period of four months.

BUT HIS CONCUBINE PLAYED THE HARLOT AGAINST HIM: She should have been killed as the law required and could have been if there was a devotion to holiness and obedience to Scripture. Leviticus records that...

'If there is a man who commits adultery with another man's wife, one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. (Lev 20:10).

A priest was not allowed to marry a harlot...

"A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by harlotry, these he (the priest) may not take; but rather he is to marry a virgin of his own people (Lev 21:14)

Clearly this Levite's ministry was greatly compromised from the beginning. Not surprisingly (especially as you read the following lines) that he made little of her sin and separation and sought her back sympathetically as explained in the next verse.

Preacher's Commentary writes that...

The Levite and his girlfriend had already dismissed God’s commandment against adultery, which reflects God’s commitment in loving faithfulness to His people. That is not an arbitrary restriction, but an expression of the nature of true love, which is grounded in God’s own character. Because human beings are made in God’s image, we can only function properly and find true fulfillment and security when we obey His ground rules. Once these are set aside we become depersonalized and less than truly human. All our sin is a self-inflicted attack on our true humanness. It is, therefore, no surprise to find that in a society where God’s moral law of love is rejected, the gift of sex—designed by Him to enrich and deepen the exclusive relationship of one man and one woman as an expression of their total self-giving to one another—is reduced to becoming an end in itself. Love then becomes equated with sex. The physical dominates everything, and human beings are reduced to pleasure machines. No wonder it is easy to walk away from one “machine” when its attractions begin to pall, and go on to the next. But human beings are not infinitely plastic. God has not made us that way. No one can walk away from the deepest act of physical union between two people totally unchanged by it. That is why we see so many people, who drift in and out of relationships, who are ultimately unable to give themselves to any lasting relationship of trust and commitment at all. There is a price to pay for jettisoning God’s laws—emotionally, psychologically, and physically. (Jackman, D., & Ogilvie, L. J. Vol. 7: The Preacher's Commentary Series, Judges, Ruth. Page 276. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc)

AND SHE WENT AWAY FROM HIM TO HER FATHER'S HOUSE IN BETHLEHEM IN JUDAH, AND WAS THERE FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS: This particular concubine was unfaithful to her husband and fled to her father's house in Bethlehem. The longer she was gone, the more the Levite apparently missed her; so he traveled to Bethlehem. He and his father-in-law spent five days eating, drinking, and making merry.

Judges 19:3 Then her husband arose and went after her to speak tenderly to her in order to bring her back, taking with him his servant and a pair of donkeys. So she brought him into her father's house, and when the girl's father saw him, he was glad to meet him.

THEN HER HUSBAND AROSE AND WENT AFTER HER TO SPEAK TENDERLY TO HER: LIke Shechem seeking to comfort Dinah whom he wished to marry (after he had raped her)...

"And he was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her." (Genesis 34:3)

Joseph (Ge50:21) and Boaz (Ru2:13) also spoke words of encouragement.

IN ORDER TO BRING HER BACK, TAKING WITH HIM HIS SERVANT AND A PAIR OF DONKEYS. SO SHE BROUGHT HIM INTO HER FATHER'S HOUSE, AND WHEN THE GIRL'S FATHER SAW HIM, HE WAS GLAD TO MEET HIM:

This Levite illustrates the careless attitude of many believers today. They are children of the day, but they act like children of the night (1Th 5:1-8). Judgment is around the corner, but these people think of nothing but enjoying life. When his nation was so far from God, how could this Levite waste his time eating, drinking, and making merry?

"Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness" (Ja4:9).Yes, there's "a time to laugh" (Ecclesiastes 3:4)

God wants us to enjoy His gifts, Paul exhorting Timothy to...

"Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy." (1 Timothy 6:17)

Sadly for many Christians, the time to enjoy is gifts is all the time! In too many churches, the laughter of "religious entertainment" has replaced the holy hush of worship. The sanctuary has become a veritable theater. When the saints get together, the most important thing is to "have fun." In order to salve our consciences, we have a "short devotional" before the fun time ends; and we piously thank God that we've had such a good time.

Judges 19:4 And his father-in-law, the girl's father, detained him; and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and lodged there.

AND HIS FATHER-IN-LAW, THE GIRL'S FATHER, DETAINED HIM: Anxious to please his son-in-law, the father insisted that the Levite stay in Bethlehem a few days (v4). In the East such an offer of hospitality was a common occurrence (cf. Ge24:55). As a matter of fact, the laws of hospitality play an extremely important role as the story unfolds (cf. 4:17-23)

Judges 19:5 Now it came about on the fourth day that they got up early in the morning, and he prepared to go; and the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Sustain yourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go."

SUSTAIN YOURSELF: literally "sustain your heart."

Judges 19:6 So both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl's father said to the man, "Please be willing to spend the night, and let your heart be merry."

SO BOTH OF THEM SAT DOWN AND ATE AND DRANK TOGETHER: The concubine was apparently not present during the meals, for "the two of them" (vv. 6, 8) refers to the Levite and the father. She is ignored through most of the narrative, and there is no indication that she even wanted to rejoin her husband.

Judges 19:7 Then the man arose to go, but his father-in-law urged him so that he spent the night there again.

Judges 19:8 And on the fifth day he arose to go early in the morning, and the girl's father said, "Please sustain yourself, and wait until afternoon"; so both of them ate.

AND ON THE FIFTH DAY HE AROSE TO GO EARLY IN THE MORNING: The delay on the fifth day proved to be as dangerous as Lot's hesitation in [Ge19:16].

AND THE GIRL'S FATHER SAID, "PLEASE SUSTAIN YOURSELF AND WAIT UNTIL AFTERNOON: The father's speech is full of Bedouin terminology. "Afternoon" is literally "the pitching [natah] of the day," as one would pitch a tent for the night. In v9 he spoke of the "camping" (chanah) of the day and described the Levite's home as a 'ohel = "tent".

Judges 19:9 When the man arose to go along with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl's father, said to him, "Behold now, the day has drawn to a close; please spend the night. Lo, the day is coming to an end; spend the night here that your heart may be merry. Then tomorrow you may arise early for your journey so that you may go home."

Judges 19:10 But the man was not willing to spend the night, so he arose and departed and came to a place opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). And there were with him a pair of saddled donkeys; his concubine also was with him.

BUT THE MAN WAS NOT WILLING TO SPEND THE NIGHT, SO HE AROSE AND DEPARTED AND CAME TO A PLACE OPPOSITE JEBUS (THAT IS, JERUSALEM) (Jos15:63): See 1:21; Ge 10:16. Jebus = early title for Jerusalem because of Jebusite control (Jdg1:21) until David wrested it away to become his capital (2Sa5:6-9). Another early name for the city was Salem (Ge14:18; cf. Ps76:2).

Judges 19:11 When they were near Jebus, the day was almost gone; and the servant said to his master, "Please come, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it."

WHEN THEY WERE NEAR JEBUS, THE DAY WAS ALMOST GONE; AND THE SERVANT SAID TO HIS MASTER, "PLEASE COME, AND LET US TURN ASIDE INTO THIS CITY OF THE JEBUSITES AND SPEND THE NIGHT IN IT: During the period of the Judges, it was dangerous to travel in the daytime (5:6) and even more so at night. The Levite didn't want to stay in Jerusalem because it was in the hands of the pagan Jebusites. Thus he pressed on four miles to Gibeah so he could be with his own people. But the men of Gibeah turned out to be as wicked as the heathen around them!

Judges 19:12 However, his master said to him, "We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners who are not of the sons of Israel; but we will go on as far as Gibeah."

HOWEVER, HIS MASTER SAID TO HIM, "WE WILL NOT TURN ASIDE INTO THE CITY OF FOREIGNERS WHO ARE NOT OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL; BUT WE WILL GO ON AS FAR AS GIBEAH:

Bethlehem their site of origin was about six miles south of ancient Jerusalem; and Gibeah, their destination, about five miles north so they had made only about a 10 mile journey that afternoon, indicating that their departure could not have been much earlier than 3:00 P.M. Ramah, mentioned as an alternate stop, was yet two miles further north. However, the little group found no place to lodge in Gibeah, the city that would become the birthplace and subsequent capital of Saul (1Sa10:26).

Judges 19:13 And he said to his servant, "Come and let us approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah."

AND HE SAID TO HIS SERVANT, "COME AND LET US APPROACH ONE OF THESE PLACES; AND WE WILL SPEND THE NIGHT IN GIBEAH OR RAMAH: The Levite didn't want to stay in Jerusalem because it was in the hands of the pagan Jebusites. Thus he pressed on four miles to Gibeah so he could be with his own people. But the men of Gibeah turned out to be as wicked as the heathen around them! Up to that time apparently the Benjamites' immorality was not well known, or else the news simply had not reached the Levite's "remote" home area (cf. v1).

Judges 19:14 So they passed along and went their way, and the sun set on them near Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin.

Judges 19:15 And they turned aside there in order to enter and lodge in Gibeah. When they entered, they sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.

THEY SAT DOWN IN THE OPEN SQUARE OF THE CITY: The city square was an open area just inside the city gate, and it was the logical place for visitors to wait. Since there were no "Holiday Inns" in the Middle East, travelers would come into the square and could generally expect an invitation to stay the night. But then these were the days of the Judges (lovers of self seems to describe these days 2Ti3:1,2). They would have had to spend the night there if no invitation was forthcoming. After the hospitality of Bethlehem, it must have seemed strange that no one offered them lodging. But it was too late to venture out onto the dark roads.

God commanded hospitality among the people of God writing...

'When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 'The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." (Lv19:33-34)

This should have been a warning that something was wrong since hospitality was lacking.

Judges 19:16 Then behold, an old man was coming out of the field from his work at evening. Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was staying in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.

THEN BEHOLD, AN OLD MAN WAS COMING OUT OF THE FIELD FROM HIS WORK AT EVENING:

In a culture where inns or hostels were nonexistent, it was incredible that anyone would refuse hospitality to a stranger. Yet the Levite and his party were ignored till an old man from the same tribal area as the Levite came on the scene. Instead of being received by the Benjamites of the city, the group was offered lodging by another Ephraimite, also a stranger in the city. This Ephraimite was residing in Gibeah on a temporary basis, somewhat as Lot had been living in Sodom. Like Lot, the old man did not share the morals of the townspeople.

Hospitality is one of the sacred laws of the East, and no stranger was to be neglected; but only one man in the city showed any concern, and he was an Ephraimite. He not only took them into his home but also used his own provisions to feed them and their animals.

Judges 19:17 And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city; and the old man said, "Where are you going, and where do you come from?"

Judges 19:18 And he said to him, "We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, for I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to my house, and no man will take me into his house.

I AM NOW GOING TO MY HOUSE (KJV = "to the house of the LORD"): Several translations (including NIV & NKJV) have as in the Hebrew text "house of the Lord" but meaning is unclear. One possibility is that the Levite was going to visit the Tabernacle at Shiloh but we cannot be definitive.

Judges 19:19 "Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, your maidservant, and the young man who is with your servants; there is no lack of anything."

Judges 19:20 And the old man said, "Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the open square."

Judges 19:21 So he took him into his house and gave the donkeys fodder, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.

Judges 19:22 While they were making merry, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him."

CERTAIN WORTHLESS FELLOWS: The "wicked men" are literally "sons of Belial" worthless scoundrels bent on evil. They were active homosexuals engaging in practices plainly condemned in Scripture (Lv18:22; 20:13). Ps18:4,v5 clearly implies a relationship between Belial and Sheol; thus, the term was idiomatic for “sons of hell.”

"Belial" ="wicked" & may mean "without profit." Later, this word (Belial in Hebrew) was used as a name for Satan (2Co6:15), who is the personification of wickedness and lawlessness. Elsewhere the expression is associated with idolatry (Dt13:13), drunkenness (1Sa1:16) and rebellion (1Sa 2:12). Here the reference is to homosexuality.

POUNDING THE DOOR: verb form of "pounding" on the door indicates that there was an increasingly loud pounding on the door; this was in no way a polite or casual request.

"BRING OUT THE MAN WHO CAME INTO YOUR HOUSE: A similar request was made by the men of Sodom wo ...

"called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them." (Ge19:5)

The desire of these worthless fellows is clear. Homosexuality was common among the Canaanites but then these are not Canaanites but Benjaminites! Israel God's peculiar, chosen people had become as wicked and abominable as Sodom and Gomorrah!

If this story is indeed early in the period of Judges (as allusion to Phinehas in Jdg20:28 suggests), it emphasizes how incredibly quickly men who do not know God or the mighty deeds of God (Jdg 2:10) and who fail to drive out the Canaanite enemies (Jdg1:21) of their flesh can plunge to such moral depravity. This section of Scripture should cause us all to be so wary of the power of the flesh when it is given full reign.

THAT WE MAY (yada in Hebrew = "may know him") HAVE RELATIONS WITH HIM: same expression is found in [Ge19:5].

Gibeah had become like Sodom, a city so wicked that God wiped it off the face of the earth (Ge19). The men of the city were indulging in immoral practices that were contrary to nature and the laws of God. The word "know" (Yada) means "to have sexual experience with." These sinners were excited because a new man was in town, and they wanted to enjoy him!

It is difficult to believe that the depravity of Gibeah is a complete secret. Certainly the Ephraimite host knows that something is wrong. Likely there have been hints all along; but the easy toleration of evil generally seen in these chapters causes any such hints to be disregarded. An entire community has chosen a congenial toleration of evil rather than confronting and judging it.

Arthur Cundall comments on their conduct as follows:

In his concern for the accepted conventions of hospitality the old man was willing to shatter a code which, to the modern reader, appears of infinitely more importance, namely, the care and protection of the weak and helpless. Womanhood was but lightly esteemed in the ancient world; indeed it is largely due to the precepts of the Jewish faith, and particularly the enlightenment which has come through the Christian faith, that women enjoy their present position. The old man was willing to sacrifice his own virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine to the distorted lusts of the besiegers, rather than allow any harm to befall his principal guest.

Judges 19:23 Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, "No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not commit this act of folly.

DO NOT COMMIT THIS ACT OF FOLLY: An expression of outrage at the willful perversion of what is right and natural The host courageously and correctly described their desires as wickedness and folly (v. 23) and a vile thing (v. 24), and he tried to prevent them from raping his guest.

Judges 19:24 "Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man."

HERE IS MY VIRGIN DAUGHTER AND HIS CONCUBINE: Lot had been willing to commit his daughters to a similar fate (Ge19:8), but the angels had rescued them. In those days the place of a woman was often very lowly, and the "disgraceful thing" was to molest the man. Nevertheless, the Israelites normally considered the rape of a woman disgraceful (Ge34:7), and women who were promiscuous were also condemned to death for their behavior (Dt22:21). In each of these passages the same word (nebalah = vile deed emanating from moral perversity) is used.

Nevertheless, the fact that the Levite and his host would offer the women to the men in lieu of a homosexual relationship was far from a godly choice. Either sexual sin is equally wrong; however, the reaction of these spiritually impoverished people shows that even in a time when sexual immorality was prevalent, homosexuality was still regarded as the worst possible form of sexual abuse!

How a father could offer his own daughter as a sacrifice to the lusts of a mob is difficult to understand. Yet many parents today allow their sons' and daughters' minds and hearts to be violated by what they see and hear in movies, on television, and at rock concerts. Chastity of mind and heart is essential for chastity of the body.

AND DO TO THEM WHATEVER YOU WISH: The tragedy of this story lies not only in the decadence of Gibeah, but also in the callous selfishness of men who would betray defenseless women to be brutally violated for a whole night. When there is no king (in Israel) LIFE BECOMES CHEAP!

The Preacher's Commentary writes that...

A society that reduces love to lust will not long have any residual respect for human life. Other people become mere objects. Human life is expendable and cheap, so a baby in the womb becomes “the fetus”; “it,” not he or she. And a woman has a right to choose to do away with it if it is inconvenient. If old people increase in number and become a drain on the state, then let the state’s medically approved agents “put them out of their misery.” Abortions and euthanasia “on demand” are symptoms of the same disease that surfaces in rape, crimes of violence, and the mental cruelty, petty tyrannies, and personal violence that characterize so many homes. We must not be surprised to find child abuse, incest, robbery with violence, and murders increasing. “If God is dead,” said Nietzsche, “then everything is permitted.” It’s all perfectly logical. So the Christian response which simply wrings its hands in despair, or washes them in resignation, is unworthy of followers of Christ. We have grown far too sentimental about evil in our cozy Christian ghettoes. Cushioned from its effects through the Christian heritage and capital on which the church in the West has lived for decades, we have somehow imagined ourselves and our churches to be immune from sin’s ravages. We have believed the liberal humanists, who tell us that man is getting better and kinder, without reminding us that all such advances have had Christian foundations and impetus. We often seem surprised, if not overwhelmed, when we encounter evil head-on, because we do not really believe the Bible’s teaching about human depravity and about our own hearts. (Jackman, D., & Ogilvie, L. J. Vol. 7: The Preacher's Commentary Series, Judges, Ruth. Formerly The Communicator's Commentary. Page 277. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc)

Judges 19:25 But the men would not listen to him, so the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them. And they raped her and abused her all night until morning, then let her go at the approach of dawn.

BUT THE MEN WOULD NOT LISTEN TO HIM, SO THE MAN SEIZED ("became powerful" pix of taking by force) HIS CONCUBINE AND BROUGHT HER OUT TO THEM: This is unthinkable weakness and cowardice for any man, especially one who is to be wholly given (Nu 8:16) to God. The Levite himself brought her forth unto them and surrendered the concubine to their immoral sexual desires in an attempt to protect himself! This is the very one he had "spoken tenderly to"! Words are cheap when there is no king in authority. One can easily see why the concubine had left her husband in the first place! She ended up being essentially sacrificed to save his skin as the men sexually "abused" her all night.

When bringing out the fullness of the original Hebrew, Adam Clarke, due to modesty, will not even translate into English - he leaves it in Latin so only the learned will be able to understand the full implications of their crime

Judges 19:26 As the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man's house where her master was, until full daylight.

The Levite had not anticipated the mass assault his concubine had succumbed to, but his words in v28 seem callous nonetheless. Should he not have shown concern for her long before daybreak? And did he really expect her to be in any condition to travel? It is little wonder that he is called impersonally her "master" rather than "husband" in v26, 27 (cf. v11).

Judges 19:27 When her master arose in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, then behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold.

WHEN HER MASTER AROSE IN THE MORNING: implying that he had slept that evening while she was undergoing such a terrible fate. His attitude (he seems to have gotten a "good night's sleep") and his actions (seemingly oblivious to the night of horror & ready to go on his journey) speak of his selfishness, his callousness ("Get up & let's go" v28!) and his disrespect for human life. To this Levite the concubine seems to have been little more than chattel, to be treated as one would a piece of property when in fact she was a being created in the image of God. These were indeed dark days for God's chosen people. How far might any of us slide down into the stench of the corruption that is catalyzed by the lusts of our wicked flesh, if we did not have the King reigning in our life!!?

Judges 19:28 And he said to her, "Get up and let us go," but there was no answer. Then he placed her on the donkey; and the man arose and went to his home.

The night of horror made a powerful impact on the nation, and centuries later the prophet Hosea recalled the depth of Gibeah's corruption centuries later writing...

They have gone deep in depravity As in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their iniquity, He will punish their sins...9 From the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel; There they stand! Will not the battle against the sons of iniquity overtake them in Gibeah? (Hosea 9:9; 10:9).

Judges 19:29 When he entered his house, he took a knife and laid hold of his concubine and cut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel.

AND CUT HER IN TWELVE PIECES, LIMB BY LIMB: His concubine had been sacrificed to the lust of the men of Gibeah. He cut up her body as one divides the carcass of a sacrificial animal and then sent a part of her body to each of the Twelve Tribes, including the leaders of the offending tribe, Benjamin. It is ironic that the one who issued such a call was himself so selfish and insensitive.

Apparently the recipients of this gruesome parcel were expected to respond to the appeal or else risk being struck with the sword themselves. The same technique was used at Gibeah by King Saul, who cut up oxen and circulated them throughout Israel to raise an army (1Sa11:7).

Had the Levite gone to Shiloh where the tabernacle stood (18:31), and had he consulted with the high priest, he could have dealt with the matter according to the Law of God and avoided causing a great deal of trouble. Once tempers were heated in Israel, however, it was difficult to stop the fire from spreading.

Judges 19:30 And it came about that all who saw it said, "Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, take counsel and speak up!"

AND IT CAME ABOUT THAT ALL WHO SAW IT SAID: tribe of Benjamin was included in the summons, but refused, thus identifying themselves with the action of the men of Gibeah.

NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED OR BEEN SEEN FROM THE DAY WHEN THE SONS OF ISRAEL CAME UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT TO THIS DAY: The shock of seeing the girl’s dismembered body and undoubtedly hearing the story of this undeniable outrage against the law of God caused Israel to consider this the greatest atrocity of the nation’s early history. It brought a tremendous reprisal.

CONSIDER IT, TAKE COUNSEL AND SPEAK UP: The verbs which close the chapter are perfects of consequence, expressing the results which the Levite expected from this action (see Keil and Delitzsch).

The response to this crime is typical. Men tend to disregard and tolerate evil until it becomes so blatant that it can be tolerated no further. Then they go to the opposite extreme and feel great surprise, horror, and shock at the logical consequences of the very evils they have been complacently tolerating.

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Judges 19.30
G Campbell Morgan

Consider of it; take counsel, and speak. Judges 19.30

This, and the next two chapters, tell the story of a Levite, and in them again a clear mirror is held up to the times, revealing the most startling moral conditions, and showing how good and evil conflicted during the period. These particular words reveal the effect produced upon the people by the terrible message conveyed by the portions of this dead woman. In the story there are several things we do well to note. First, we must recognize the imperfection of the times as revealed in the practice of polygamy and concubinage among the chosen people. And yet, even in these matters, we see how far they were in advance of the peoples of the land. There is evidenced a moral sense, and an ideal of virtue which stands in striking contrast to the practices of the other nations. The fact that a Levite took to himself a concubine shows a low level of morality, but this must be considered in the light of the times. When this is done, we notice the sacredness which characterized his .thought of his relation to her. This was entirely distinct from the loose conceptions of the Canaanitish people. Then again, the terrible degeneracy of a section of the chosen people is seen in the action of the men of Gibeah, which was nothing less than that of the men of Sodom of long before. And once more, on the other hand, the method of the Levite, drastic and terrible, by which he drew the attention of Israel to the sin of these men, is a revelation of the conscience of the better part of the people concerning purity. All this portrays the results of the loss of the keen sense of the Kingship of God. (Morgan, G. C. Life Applications from Every Chapter of the Bible).

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