The big picture
A Levite travels to recover his concubine, delays at her father’s house, and chooses an Israelite town over a foreign city. In Gibeah, men surround the host’s house, the woman is surrendered and abused through the night, and the Levite dismembers her body to summon Israel.
Scripture beside the summary
Judges · King James Version · 30Judges 19:1-10
A delayed departure leaves the travelers on the road
The woman returns to her father’s house, and the Levite later comes to speak kindly and bring her back. Her father welcomes him and repeatedly delays the departure with food until the group finally leaves late in the day.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
“And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with…” The line’s distinctive content terms include arose, asses, couple. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
“And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.” The line’s distinctive content terms include depart, father, lodged. Its relationship to verses 6 and 8 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel’s father…” The line’s distinctive content terms include father, concubine, damsel’s. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
“But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
The chapter opens by repeating that Israel has no king, placing the household story inside national disorder. The KJV says the concubine played the whore, while ancient textual witnesses and modern translations differ, with some describing anger or departure. The certain narrative fact is that she returns to her father’s house and the Levite later seeks to bring her back.
Judges 19:1-10
King James Version1And 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.
2And 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.
3And 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.
4And 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.
5And 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.
6And 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.
7And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
8And 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.
9And 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.
10But 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.
Judges 19:11-21
Gibeah offers no welcome until an outsider intervenes
The servant suggests lodging in Jebus, but the Levite insists on an Israelite city and continues to Gibeah. No resident initially receives them, until an old man from Ephraim brings the group into his house and supplies their needs.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“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…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“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…” Naming Gibeah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“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…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid…” Naming Yet keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Judges 19:11-21
King James Version11And 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.
12And 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.
13And 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.
14And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
15And 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.
16And, 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.
17And 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?
18And 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.
19Yet 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.
20And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
21So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
Judges 19:22-30
The woman bears the violence while men protect themselves
Men of Gibeah surround the house and demand the male guest. The host offers women, the Levite sends out his concubine, and the mob abuses her until morning. She collapses at the door, and the Levite later cuts her body into twelve pieces and sends them through Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round…” Naming Belial and Bring keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with…” The line’s distinctive content terms include concubine, daughter, good. Its relationship to verses 23 and 25 shows what work it does in this passage.
“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…” The line’s distinctive content terms include dawning, door, fell. Its relationship to verses 25 and 27 shows what work it does in this passage.
“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…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“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…” Naming Egypt and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
The host’s offer and the Levite’s surrender of the woman are not acts of righteous hospitality. The men inside preserve themselves by exposing women to sexual violence, and the mob commits the central crime. The narrator gives no speech to the victim and records her hands at the threshold. Teaching must not imply consent, blame her, reenact the assault, or turn her suffering into spectacle.
Judges 19:22-30
King James Version22Now 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.
23And 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.
24Behold, 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.
25But 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.
26Then 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.
27And 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.
28And 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.
29And 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.
30And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Judges 19:1 begins with “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…”
Where the chapter turns
Judges 19:17 forms a natural hinge: “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?”
The final note
Judges 19:30 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words house, father, concubine, rose, city, damsel’s help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the narrator emphasize about the rescue?
Mercy amid hesitation and God remembering Abraham, rather than Lot's flawless judgment.
How does the ending resist a simple happy ending?
Fear and abusive choices continue after physical escape.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.