The big picture
A Levite goes to bring back his concubine. Levites belong to a tribe of God's people Israel linked with sacred service. A concubine is a wife with lower standing in the household. She has returned to her father in Beth-lehem-judah, a town in Israel. Their delayed departure leads to a night in Gibeah, another Israelite town. Welcome inside one house gives way to a mob's attack, and the woman receives no protection from the men around her.
In this chapter
- Repeated Hospitality Delays the Return Home Judges 19:1-10
The woman has been unfaithful to the Levite and has stayed with her father for four months.
- A Stranger Offers Shelter in Gibeah Judges 19:11-21
The servant suggests staying in Jebus, but the Levite refuses a town whose people are not Israelites.
- The Woman Is Handed to the Mob Judges 19:22-30
Men surround the house and demand the male guest for rape.
Central truth
A traveller seeks safety among his own people, but a woman's betrayal and abuse expose terrible evil within Israel itself.
Scripture beside the summary
Judges · King James Version · 30Judges 19:1-10
Repeated Hospitality Delays the Return Home
The woman has been unfaithful to the Levite and has stayed with her father for four months. The Levite comes with a servant and donkeys to speak kindly and bring her back. Her father welcomes him warmly. Food, drink and repeated invitations keep him there for several days. On the fifth day, the father again urges him to stay because evening is near. This time he leaves with the woman and servant. They reach the area near Jebus, also called Jerusalem, as the day is ending.
In everyday life
A coach driver accepts one more meal from relatives before starting home. Each friendly delay seems small until the road grows dark and planned stops become uncertain. He checks the route while his passengers watch the fading light. Kind hospitality has changed the conditions of travel. The Levite's late departure leads toward a town where grave violence awaits.
Notice
Judges 19:9 The father urges another night's stay because the day is nearly over. The timing prepares for the urgent search for shelter that follows their departure.
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
A Stranger Offers Shelter in Gibeah
The servant suggests staying in Jebus, but the Levite refuses a town whose people are not Israelites. They continue to Gibeah in Benjamin's land. After sunset, nobody invites them in from the street. An old man returning from field work notices them. He too comes from mount Ephraim, the Levite's home region. The traveller says they have food and supplies but no host. The old man takes them in and insists they must not sleep outside. He feeds their donkeys, and they wash and eat.
In everyday life
The stranded commuter reaches the neighbourhood he expected to trust, but every door stays closed. A resident returning from work notices him and offers a warm room. The welcome comes from one person rather than the wider place he assumed was safe. Familiar identity has not guaranteed care. Gibeah's later violence makes that failed expectation far more severe.
Notice
Judges 19:12 The Levite rejects a foreign town in favour of an Israelite one. His expectation of safety among his own people will be deeply overturned that night.
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 Is Handed to the Mob
Men surround the house and demand the male guest for rape. The host offers his daughter and the concubine instead, treating women as substitutes for his guest's safety. The Levite pushes his concubine outside. The men rape and abuse her through the night. At dawn she falls at the door with her hands on the threshold. He tells her to rise, but she does not answer. He takes her home, cuts her body into twelve pieces and sends them throughout Israel. Those who see demand thought and a response.
In everyday life
A victim advocate sits beside a woman describing how people she trusted failed to protect her. The advocate listens without shifting blame onto her or making excuses for those who left her exposed. Betrayal by protectors adds to the harm. Gibeah's victim is handed to rapists, dies, and has her body divided and sent through Israel.
Notice
Judges 19:27 The woman's hands lie on the threshold of the house that shut her out. That small detail holds attention on her suffering before the Levite acts again.
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.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
