Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Judges Chapter 19 mean?

The writer of Judges gives another example of the depth of Israel’s wickedness in the days before the nation had kings (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 21:25). The central figure in this story is a Levite, but not the same person mentioned in the previous chapters (Judges 17:7; 18:15).

This man lived in a remote area controlled by tribe of Ephraim. He arranged to take a woman from Bethlehem, in the territory of the tribe of Judah, as a concubine. In most ancient contexts, a ” concubine ” was some combination of a servant and a lesser wife. Typical concubines were women from families with little wealth or status. They would be supported and cared for, but not given the same rights as a “full” spouse. Kings, on the other hand, often took numerous concubines for purely sexual purposes (Judges 19:1).

The concubine is said to have been unfaithful to her husband. Scripture does not specify exactly what happened. However, it uses the Hebrew word zanah, which most often implies sexual immorality or adultery. Either in addition to adultery, or separate from it, she abandoned the Levite and went home to her father in Bethlehem. The Levite waited four months and then went to persuade her to return to Ephraim with him. He appears to be gracious and forgiving. She responds well, as does her father (Judges 19:2–3).

In keeping with the cultural laws of hospitality, the Levite’s father-in-law entertains the man with food and drink. He urges the Levite to extend his stay for several days. Striving to be polite, the Levite remains longer than he wishes. Finally, he insists on leaving late one afternoon with his concubine, his servant, and their donkeys. As it’s late, the sun is already low in the sky when they approach the city of Jebus (Judges 1:21). At that time, the city later named “Jerusalem” was under Gentile control. The servant suggests they stop there rather than travel at night (Judges 19:4–11).

However, the Levite refuses to stay in a city occupied by non-Israelites. Instead, the group pushes on a few more hours to Gibeah, controlled by Israelites of the tribe of Benjamin. Rather than finding hospitality and safety, they find a cold and unwelcome environment. Nobody offers to take them in for the night. So, the small group prepares to sleep outside, in the city square (Judges 19:12–15).

What happens next is a tragic, deliberate echo of Lot’s experience in the city of Sodom (Genesis 19:2–7). An elderly worker, who is not a native of Gibeah, sees the small group in the square. Though they have ample supplies, he is adamant they cannot stay in the open. He demands they come to his home, offering to meet all their needs. As did Lot, this man likely knows that unsecured visitors to the city are in grave danger (Judges 19:16–21).

While the group is eating and drinking together, a mob surrounds the old man’s house. The men are described using a Hebrew term which literally means “sons of wickedness.” They violently demand the Levite be sent out to be raped. The old man pleads with them not to do something so heinous. In desperation, he offers them his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine, inviting the mob to violate them (Judges 19:22–24).

The throng of depraved men completely ignores this request. They continue to demand access to the Levite. Finally, in an act of shocking cruelty, the Levite physically forces his concubine outside and into the hands of the mob. They rape and beat her, releasing her only shortly before the sun rises. She makes it to the door of the old man’s house and collapses on the threshold, unable to enter. Whether locked out or simply ignored, she dies on the doorstep (Judges 19:25–26).

The Levite, portrayed here as oddly cold towards his concubine, opens the door in the morning and demands she get moving. She does not answer, having died from her injuries. The Levite picks up her corpse and puts it on a donkey. Then he returns, with the body, to his home in Ephraim. There, he further dishonors the concubine by dismembering her body and sending it in twelve separate pieces, presumably to each of the twelve tribes and with a messenger (Judges 19:27–29).

Israel reacts with stunned surprise. They indicate that such heinous things have not been seen since the people left Egypt. This, itself, connects the deep depravity of Israel with cities such as Sodom, which was destroyed in the time of Abraham. If the Levite’s intent was to get the attention of his countrymen—to warn them and call them to respond—he is successful (Judges 19:30).

In the next chapter, the Levite will further explain what happened. Israel will rally to punish those responsible, but the tribe of Benjamin will refuse to hand over the guilty men. This sparks a bloody, chaotic civil war which nearly obliterates an entire tribe of Israel (Judges 20).

Chapter Context
This chapter’s stomach-turning depravity provides another example of the great wickedness in Israel, in an era when everyone did whatever they wanted to without regard for law or God (Judges 21:25). A mob of rapists murders a Levite man’s concubine. He sends pieces of her body throughout the nation. This shocks the people into demanding justice. In the following chapters, the tribe of Benjamin refuses to hand over their guilty members. Israel is plunged into civil war.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.

This is the third chapter in a row to mention that there was no king in Israel during that era (Judges 17:6; 18:1). This may be an editorial comment to establish the time in Israel’s history when these events occurred. Yet most commentators suggest the writer is making a greater point. Israel does not yet have a centralized government, or a single ruler. Yet the nation is also deeply sinful; they not only lack a political king, but they are also ignoring their Heavenly King.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Israel was meant to regard Yahweh, the Lord God, as their King. If they had done so by obeying all of Yahweh’s commands, none of the chaos, injustice, and disorder of the last chapters of the book of Judges would have taken place. No centralized government would have been needed. Yet the Israelites will not submit to God’s will. Eventually, He will allow kings to rule over them (1 Samuel 8:19–22).

This story also involves a Levite living in the hill country of Ephraim. This is not the same man as the young Levite from the previous two chapters (Judges 17:7; 18:15), although he lived in Ephraim for a time, as well.

A Levite is someone belonging to the tribe of Levi, one of twelve in Israel. God assigned the Levites to provide priests for the worship of the Lord. They were not given their own territory in Israel, as were all the other tribes. Instead, they were assigned specific Levite cities within the territories of the other tribes. Levites were also allowed by the law to live outside of those cites, if so led by the Lord.

Though this Levite man lived in Ephraim, he took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. The role of a “concubine” in the Old Testament varies by era and region. In most instances, a concubine held some, but not all, of the privileges and rights of a wife. She was legally bound to a specific man, though in the context of a servant rather than as a spouse. Yet she could expect to be supported and cared for by the husband. Any children she bore may not have had the same inheritance rights as children born to wives. This dynamic is seen in the lives of men such as Abimelech (Judges 8:30–31). In other cases, a woman may have become a concubine if the woman’s family could not afford a dowry, or for the purpose of bearing children, as a sort of surrogate (Genesis 30:4). Some of Israel’s kings took extensive numbers of concubines, for purely sexual reasons.

In this case, no mention is made of the Levite man having a wife; he is only referred to as his concubine’s husband.

Context Summary
Judges 19:1–10 describes a Levite’s journey to retrieve his runaway concubine. For reasons not given, she leaves him and goes back to her father. Months later, the Levite arrives to retrieve her, seemingly with complete forgiveness. The woman and her father are glad, and the father pressures them to stay for several days. Finally, the Levite insists on leaving. He refuses to stay in the then-Gentile-controlled city of Jebus. Instead, they will continue after dark to Gibeah. Ironically, this will lead them into shocking danger.

Verse 2. And his concubine was unfaithful to him, and she went away from him to her father ‘s house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there some four months.

This story of the Levite and his concubine begins awkwardly and only becomes more tragic. This unnamed Levite man took a concubine: a woman he slept with and could have children with, but to whom he did not give the full rights and privileges of a wife (Judges 19:1). The Levite had brought this woman to live with him in Ephraim. While there, something happened between them.

Commentators disagree about how best to read the Hebrew text in this context. The Hebrew root word used to describe her action is zanah, typically associated with prostitution and fornication (Exodus 34:15; Leviticus 19:29; Hosea 4:10). The Septuagint, a Greek translation made by ancient Jewish scholars, says she was “angry with him.” It’s most likely she was sexually unfaithful, either habitually or by having an affair. Other interpreters suggest she was “unfaithful” only in the sense that she ran away and went back to her father’s house. As far as this passage is concerned, the exact nature of their falling out is not important.

For his part, the woman’s father allowed her to stay with him again. Four months passed before the woman’s husband, the Levite man, came to take her back home.

Verse 3. Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly to her and bring her back. He had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into her father ‘s house. And when the girl ‘s father saw him, he came with joy to meet him.

Four months have passed since a Levite’s concubine left him in Ephraim and returned to her family in Bethlehem (Judges 19:1–2). She had been unfaithful to him, most likely in the sense of adultery, but perhaps simply in the sense of running away. Given the customary role of concubines in that era, she may have been much younger than him.

It’s possible she made no announcement as to where she was going, so the Levite didn’t immediately realize she had abandoned him. Perhaps he waited for her to return on her own. Perhaps he had other duties—even other wives and concubines—and was in no hurry to retrieve her. Whatever the reason, the Levite arrives at her father’s home after a long delay. He comes with a servant and two donkeys. He intends to speak kindly to her, put the past behind them, and bring her back home.

The passage makes it appear the Levite’s intentions are good; he seems loving and accepting of the concubine. The young woman seems glad to see her husband. She invites him into her father’s house, and her father is clearly glad the Levite has come back. Both the concubine and her father may have worried that the Levite would not want her back after she had run away from him.

Verse 4. And his father-in-law, the girl ‘s father, made him stay, and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and spent the night there.

The Levite man and his concubine have been reunited (Judges 19:1–3), which her father seems glad to see. Whatever happened to cause their split appears forgiven and resolved.

Before returning to the Levite’s home in Ephraim, the Levite’s father-in-law insists the couple stay with him for three days. He is either expressing the infamously extravagant hospitality of the ancient middle east, or he simply wants to spend time with the pair. The Levite receives this graciously, eating and drinking with his father-in-law for three days.

After this time, the situation becomes more complex.

Verse 5. And on the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to go, but the girl ‘s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go.”

The story of a Levite and his concubine takes on an almost comedic, socially awkward tone (Judges 19:1–4). Later, it will spiral into a gruesome tragedy. The young woman’s father simply does not want his daughter and her husband to leave and keeps finding ways to prolong their departure.

The couple wakes up early on their fourth day in Bethlehem, expecting to get on the road back to Ephraim. Yet the father-in-law says something akin to, “You’ll travel better after a good breakfast. Stay and eat!” Not wanting to be rude, the man and his concubine agree to stay.

Verse 6. So the two of them sat and ate and drank together. And the girl ‘s father said to the man, “Be pleased to spend the night, and let your heart be merry.”

Those who travel to see family sometimes experience what’s happening to the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19:1–5). Her father seems committed to finding some excuse to keep them longer. The man just does not want to let his daughter and son-in-law leave. Perhaps the Levite man is hesitating, as well. It’s possible he isn’t sure how to firmly decline without seeming ungrateful. The bounds of customary hospitality in the ancient middle east were taken very seriously. The Levite clearly has no good exit strategy.

The father urged the Levite man to have a quick “morsel of bread” before leaving early in the morning. Now it seems that morsel turned into a leisurely morning of eating and drinking together. Finally, the father said to the Levite, you might as well stay another night and enjoy yourself.

Verse 7. And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, till he spent the night there again.

A man’s attempt to pick up his runaway concubine (Judges 19:1–4) has turned into a kind of social comedy revolving around manners. The Levite came to his unfaithful concubine’s family home with every intention to be kind to her. His goal was to take her back to his home in Ephraim. Both she and her father have seemed happy that he has come.

They couple has stayed for three days and enjoyed her father’s hospitality. The Levite woke up early on the fourth day to get on the road back home, but the woman’s father insisted he have a quick bite before leaving (Judges 19:5–6). That brief meal turned into eating and drinking for a while until the father said, “Why don’t you stay another night and leave tomorrow?”

The Levite now tries to refuse. He is ready to go. He gets up to leave. He cannot, though, resist his father-in-law’s insistence that he stay just one more day and night. So, the Levite and his concubine stay another night.

Verse 8. And on the fifth day he arose early in the morning to depart. And the girl ‘s father said, “Strengthen your heart and wait until the day declines.” So they ate, both of them.

It is now the morning of the fifth day since a Levite man arrived in Bethlehem to retrieve his unfaithful concubine (Judges 19:1–4). The Levite’s arrival at his father-in-law’s home resolved tension about whether the situation would be hostile or friendly. The Levite was kind and forgiving, and the daughter was not resistant. The father seemed glad the Levite had come and would willingly take the girl back. The Levite, perhaps relieved, agreed to stay for three days to receive his father-in-law’s hospitality.

Now a new tension has come up. The man’s father-in-law does not want to let the couple leave. The Levite has given in to repeated requests not to leave on the fourth day, as he had planned. Now again, on the fifth day, the Levite attempts to leave first thing in the morning. Again, his father-in-law insists the man strengthen his heart with food until the day “declines,” perhaps meaning they should wait for the heat of the day to pass (Judges 19:5–8).

The awkwardness of the situation can easily be lost on a modern audience. It’s more serious when viewed through the lens of that culture. Ancient middle eastern society invested extreme importance into hospitality. Hosts were expected to urgently insist on giving more food, drink, and time than was reasonable to their guests. Guests were expected to receive everything offered with grace, honor, and gratitude. In simple terms, hosts were expected to make outlandish offers of care, and guests were expected to respond with profuse thanks. Modern readers may be tempted to view the father-in-law as annoyingly lonely for company. Ancient readers would have been more likely to see him as a model of classic hospitality, but even they would have sensed the tension beginning to build.

Verse 9. And when the man and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart, his father-in-law, the girl ‘s father, said to him, “Behold, now the day has waned toward evening. Please, spend the night. Behold, the day draws to its close. Lodge here and let your heart be merry, and tomorrow you shall arise early in the morning for your journey, and go home.”

The moment has finally come when the Levite man feels he can appropriately resist his father-in-law’s aggressive pleas for him to stay another night (Judges 19:1–8). The man and his servant and his concubine stand up to leave the house and get on the road toward Ephraim. The girl’s father once more asks them to stay just one more night. He’s done this several times already, and what started out as a short trip has turned into a five-day stay.

This time, the father-in-law makes a practical point. It is late in the day, almost evening. Why set out now when it will soon be growing dark? Enjoy yourself here for one more night, then get up early tomorrow and head home. After so many delays, the Levite probably thinks if he doesn’t leave now he’ll be caught in the same cycle for another day. And so, he will politely refuse, though he may eventually wish he hadn’t.

Verse 10. But the man would not spend the night. He rose up and departed and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him a couple of saddled donkeys, and his concubine was with him.

The Levite man who came to Bethlehem to collect his runaway concubine has reached the end of his patience. He has graciously accepted his father-in-law’s hospitality, as expected by the strict rule of ancient middle eastern culture. This meant an initial stay of three days and then another day and night at the father-in-law’s insistence. Now he has stayed for most of the fifth day, and his concubine’s father is asking them to stay yet another night.

Finally, the Levite stands firm and refuses to remain overnight. He will not stay any longer even though it is nearly evening time already. He may have felt that if he did not leave at once, he’d never find a way to escape. He is urgent to get on the road back to Ephraim, though he knows his company of three people and two donkeys will have to stay the night somewhere.

With that reasoning, the group heads out. The road leads them near Jebus, the city later renamed Jerusalem, in Judah. At the time of these events, non-Israelites controlled the city (Judges 1:21; 19:12). The light is fading, so they are faced with another decision: whether to stay in Jebus for the night or continue after dark to find a Jewish town in which to rest.

Verse 11. When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, “Come now, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.”

A man seeking to reconcile with his concubine (Judges 19:1–3) has finally broken free from his father-in-law’s hospitality (Judges 19:4–11). He is on the road north toward his home in Ephraim. However, the man, his servant, his concubine, and the two donkeys have left late in the day. Since it’s close to sundown, they won’t get far before having to stop for the night.

The road leads them past the city of Jebus, which will later be renamed “Jerusalem” (Judges 1:21). With daylight quickly fading, the Levite’s servant makes a reasonable suggestion: find somewhere in Jebus to stay for the night. Continuing to travel on the dark road or camping alongside of it would not be a safe option.

Context Summary
Judges 19:11–21 explains how the Levite, his concubine, and his servant came to stay in the Israeli town of Gibeah. The man refuses to stop in the city of Jebus. Instead, they continue after dark to Gibeah. Oddly, no one there is willing to take them in. An older migrant worker sees the group and insists they avoid the square overnight. This parallels the comments Lot made to a pair of angels he encountered in Sodom (Genesis 19:2–7), and for good reason (Judges 19:22). What happens next is one of the most stomach-turning incidents in the entire Bible.

Verse 12. And his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners, who do not belong to the people of Israel, but we will pass on to Gibeah.”

Daylight is fading quickly, and the Levite is still on the road (Judges 19:4–11). He travels with his concubine, servant, and donkeys (Judges 19:1–3). As the road takes them past the city of Jebus, the servant suggests they find a place in the city to stay for the night. Traveling on foot in the dark is risky, and this was a particularly lawless era in that region (Judges 21:25). It would be much safer to find a home to stay at overnight.

The Levite refuses, because Jebus is a city of non-Israelites. The city at the time was occupied by the Jebusites. The tribe of Benjamin had famously failed to drive the Jebusites out of the city during the time of Joshua (Judges 1:21). Eventually, the city will be absorbed into Israel and renamed “Jerusalem.”

Instead of stopping, the man decides to continue a few more hours to the Israelite town of Gibeah. It’s likely the Levite assumes the Jebusites will not welcome three Israelite travelers for the night, or that they will not be safe there. Tragically, the attempt to seek safety leads the group into a horrific act of violence (Judges 19:22).

Verse 13. And he said to his young man, “Come and let us draw near to one of these places and spend the night at Gibeah or at Ramah.”

A Levite man traveling with his concubine and a servant (Judges 19:9–12) is on the road as daylight fades. He has decided not to stop in Jebus—later called “Jerusalem” (Judges 1:21)— because it is not an Israelite town. Instead, he tells his servant they will continue another few hours to the north and stop in Gibeah or Ramah for the night. Both were Israelite towns of the tribe of Benjamin.

The Levite apparently thought either of these Israeli settlements would be safer than a city of foreigners. Gibeah was closer, but perhaps he hoped to be able to make it as far as Ramah. This truth is ironically, tragically the opposite: what happens in Gibeah is so gruesome it sparks a civil war within Israel (Judges 19:22; 20:8–10).

Verse 14. So they passed on and went their way. And the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin,

Through a series of decisions, a Levite man and his traveling group find themselves arriving in the town of Gibeah after sundown. The man decided to set out from his father-in-law’s house, only a few hours behind them, late in the day (Judges 19:9–10). He decided not to stay for the night in Jebus, because at that time (Judges 1:21) it was occupied by non-Israelites (Judges 19:11–13). He decided to keep moving until after the sun set, forcing them to choose the town nearest them at the time.

Gibeah was occupied by Israelites of the tribe of Benjamin. It should have been a safe place for fellow Israelites to spend nighttime hours. Yet this was an especially lawless, depraved time in Israel’s history (Judges 17:6; 19:1; 21:25). Stories such as this are recorded to point out that problem. Rather than finding safety, the Levite and his companions will experience violence so appalling (Judges 19:22) that it leads to a minor civil war (Judges 20:8–10).

Verse 15. and they turned aside there, to go in and spend the night at Gibeah. And he went in and sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.

The sun has already set as the Levite, with his servant and concubine and two donkeys, arrives in Gibeah to spend the night. They are on their way from Bethlehem to Ephraim and plan to be gone in the morning (Judges 19:9–14). The Levite decided not to stop for the night in Jebus, which at that time was controlled by non-Israelis (Judges 1:21). Either he felt hospitality would not be offered, or that they would be in real danger. It’s also possible the Levite simply objected to staying with Gentiles.

Instead, he continued a few more hours, after dark, to a town populated by fellow Israelites. As it happens, nobody in Gibeah offered these strangers any hospitality, at all, even though they are also Israelites. This is a subtle, chilling warning that Gibeah is not as safe a place as the Levite had assumed it to be.

The Levite and his party give up and sit down in the city square, which would have been located just inside the gates of the city. Spending the night in the city square would have been both uncomfortable and unsafe. Travelers would be exposed to the weather, as well as to those with criminal motives. It would be less dangerous than camping in open terrain, however.

Verse 16. And behold, an old man was coming from his work in the field at evening. The man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah. The men of the place were Benjaminites.

A traveling Levite (Judges 19:13–15) has been forced to hunker down in the city square of Gibeah. With him are his concubine and servant (Judges 19:10). Nobody in the town offered the customary hospitality expected in that culture, even though these travelers are also Israelites.

Finally, an old man working in the fields comes through the gate of the city. He is from Ephraim and only temporarily living in Gibeah. Unlike other men of the town, he is not of the tribe of Benjamin. Perhaps the old man had moved to Gibeah for seasonal employment. He will see the travelers and offer them kindness.

As it happens, the man’s kindness is more than a formality. He will insist the group not sleep out in the square (Judges 19:20). The old man likely knows Gibeah is more than inhospitable; it’s evil (Judges 19:22).

Verse 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?”

The sun has set, and the Levite finds himself sitting in the city square of the town of Gibeah. He has arrived to spend the night with his concubine and servant and two donkeys (Judges 19:10–14). The man insisted they come here, despite it being dark, rather than staying in a Gentile city. Strangely, none of the town’s Israelite people, of the tribe of Benjamin, have offered the Levite the customary hospitality expected in this time. This is the first grim hint that all is not well, or safe, in Gibeah.

Now an old man has come back into the city late in the evening. He has been working in the fields. He is an Ephraimite and not from Gibeah. He sees the Levite and his travelling companions in the city square and asks about their journey They don’t know it, yet, but he has reason to be concerned for their welfare. He will insist they avoid the square overnight. This is a close parallel to Lot’s plea to the angels he met in Sodom (Genesis 19:2–7), and this old man likely has the same concern in mind (Judges 19:22).

Verse 18. And he said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, from which I come. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of the Lord, but no one has taken me into his house.

A Levite man, along with his concubine and servant, are sitting in the city square of the town of Gibeah after dark. They are Israelite travelers and this is an Israelite town of the tribe of Benjamin. They’d expected someone to show them hospitality, but no one has (Judges 19:14–17). An old man who had been working in the fields comes into the city and asks about their journey. The Levite tells him the basics, probably recounting how they came to leave Bethlehem and arrive in Gibeah after dark (Judges 19:1–13).

Commentators suggest that “house of the LORD” could be a flowery way of referring to the Levite’s own home. Or, that he serves as one of the Levites at the shrine in the town of Shiloh where the ark of the covenant is kept.

The Levite concludes by noting that nobody in town has offered to house them for the night, contrary to the normal custom of the culture. He notes that he’s not asking for any handouts—he can feed himself and his group (Judges 19:19)—so all he needs is a safe place to sleep.

Verse 19. We have straw and feed for our donkeys, with bread and wine for me and your female servant and the young man with your servants. There is no lack of anything.”

While sitting in the town square of Gibeah, after dark, a Levite has explained to a kind old man their recent history (Judges 19:14–18). They are travelers on their way to Ephraim. Nobody in this town of the Israelite tribe of Benjamin has offered them a place to stay overnight.

The Levite adds that they need no provisions. They have straw and feed for the two donkeys with them and bread and wine for themselves. He refers to his concubine (Judges 19:10) as “your female servant.” He and she can stay together, and his young servant can stay with the old man’s servants. The Levite is perhaps offering, even, to share their provisions with the old man. They only need a safe place to sleep.

Safety was a likely reason the Levite refused to stop in a Gentile city earlier that day (Judges 19:11–12). As it happens, Gibeah is not safe, and this elderly worker knows it. He will insist—strongly—that they not spend the night in the town square (Judges 19:20).

Verse 20. And the old man said, “Peace be to you; I will care for all your wants. Only, do not spend the night in the square.”

The Levite (Judges 19:10) has explained his circumstances to an old man who has asked how he and his companions came to be sitting in the city square of Gibeah after dark (Judges 19:11–17). They need only a place to sleep for the night, but nobody has offered them the customary hospitality of the times (Judges 19:18–19). This is a subtle, early sign that Gibeah is not as safe as the Levite expected it to be.

The old man greets them with the words “peace be to you,” officially welcoming them to the town. Despite the group having more than enough provisions, the old man offers to care for all their needs. He seems insistent that they do not remain out in the square into the night. While he does not say so, the man likely knows exactly why nobody in town offered a place to stay. He may be the only hope they have to pass the night in safety.

His appeal parallels that of Lot, who probably recognized similar danger and wanted to help a pair of travelers he met in Sodom (Genesis 19:2–7). What happens in Gibeah, tragically, will parallel that event (Judges 19:22). This further reflects how far into sin and lawlessness God’s people had sunk during their earliest years in the Promised Land (Judges 2:16–19; 21:25).

Verse 21. So he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys feed. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

For now, an elderly traveling worker has saved the reputation of the town of Gibeah. In that culture, it would reflect poorly on the town that not a single person offered overnight shelter to the Levite and his two traveling companions (Judges 19:14–17). What the small group (Judges 19:10) likely doesn’t realize is that the old man is not from Gibeah, nor is he of the tribe of Benjamin like the others in town. He is an outsider, and he seems to know how dangerous a night in the open will be for the Levite.

To avoid that, the old man has offered to allow the Levite and his companions to stay in his home. In fact, he seems to have insisted on it. Though they have plenty of supplies, the man offers to meet all their needs, if they don’t stay out in the open. His pleas echo those of Lot, who also begged travelers not to stay in the open in Sodom (Genesis 19:2–7). Tragically, the same danger exists in Gibeah (Judges 19:22).

The old man takes the travelers to his home and gives food to the donkeys. They wash the dust and grime of the road from their feet, and they sit with the old man and eat and drink together. Unfortunately, this is not the end of their story. What happens next is so gruesome it sparks a minor civil war (Judges 20:8–10).

Verse 22. As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they said to the old man, the master of the house, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him.”

The story of the Levite’s night in the town of Gibeah (Judges 19:14–21) takes a dramatic and violent turn. This tragically echoes an earlier event in Scripture.

The Levite and his companions are reclining at the table of an old man who has offered them a place to stay for the night. They are eating and drinking, probably relaxed and may have been having wine. Suddenly, there is a pounding at the old man’s door. The source of the interruption is described using the Hebrew phrase bēn beliya’al, which most literally means “sons of wickedness.” The outlaws and hooligans associated with Abimelech (Judges 9:4) and Jephthah (Judges 11:3) were associated with the word reyq, implying moral emptiness. The men of Gibeah are depicted as something worse. These are not “empty” people, but those “filled” with deep depravity and evil.

Now, that crowd of degenerate men surround the old man’s home, shouting demands to hand over the visiting Levite. They say this is so they can “know” him. This terminology is used in sexual situations—and the reaction of everyone involved proves this is exactly their intent. The throng wants the Levite traveler sent out so the men of Gibeah can rape him.

This terrible moment sounds familiar, because it is almost exactly what happened in the city of Sodom many years earlier. Two angels encountered Abraham’s nephew, Lot. As did the old man in Gibeah, Lot insisted these visitors not spend the night in an unsecured location. That night, the men of Sodom had also gathered to demand Lot send out guests so they could “know” them (Genesis 19:2–7).

The nearly step-by-step repetition of what happened in Sodom shows how far into immorality and perversity Israel had fallen under the influence of the Canaanites, as predicted (Deuteronomy 12:29–32). Unfortunately, there are no angels present in this situation, so the outcome will be much different (Genesis 19:11).

Context Summary
Judges 19:22–30 finds a Levite traveler and his concubine spending the night in the home of an old man in the Israelite town of Gibeah. Suddenly, the house is surrounded by a mob of men demanding the Levite be handed over so they can rape him. In desperation, the Levite sends out his concubine to save himself. The mob violates and beats her until morning, after which she is found dead. The Levite carries her body home and sends a graphic message to all of Israel: cutting her into twelve pieces and sending them throughout the tribes. This sparks outrage against Gibeah leading to a civil war (Judges 20:8–10), and infamy (Hosea 9:9)

Verse 23. And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not do this vile thing.

Judges ends by describing its era as one in which everyone in Israel did whatever they wanted to do, without regard for law or for God (Judges 21:25). In other words, the people stopped following God’s commands about what was right and what was evil. They defined right and wrong as they went along, based on what seemed good to them in the moment. This was exactly what God warned would happen if they took on the depraved evils of the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 12:29–32). The events of this story tragically parallel those of Lot in Sodom (Genesis 19:2–7).

An old man, not a native of Gibeah, brought a traveling Levite and his concubine into his home for the night (Judges 19:16–21). His intent was obviously to protect them. He was not from Gibeah, but he knew what the men of his town were like. Just as he feared, a mob from the town surrounded his home. They demand he send out the Levite to be raped (Judges 19:22).

The elderly worker appeals to the crowd’s sense of morality and hospitality. He calls them “brothers,” referring to what they propose as heinous evil. He appeals to their shared culture’s deep commitment to caring for visitors. The man has taken responsibility for this traveler and is now obligated to protect him. It would be a vile thing to violate his role as host to this man. This swarm of evil men was described using a Hebrew phrase which literally means “sons of wickedness.” The men of Gibeah have decided to define right and wrong according to their own preferences, rather than God’s law or the “law” of hospitality.

For his part, the old man suggests a compromise which seems unbelievably cruel and horrifying to a modern reader (Judges 19:24). Fearing for his life, and the life of everyone in the home, he will try to barter with the mob.

Verse 24. Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine. Let me bring them out now. Violate them and do with them what seems good to you, but against this man do not do this outrageous thing.”

Full context for this verse means piling outrage upon outrage. None of this should be happening among the people of God (Deuteronomy 12:29–32). Upon hearing there is a traveler in town, a throng of men in Gibeah storm the home where he is staying. They demand the stranger be sent out to be raped (Judges 19:18–22). The host has denounced their attempt as horribly evil (Judges 19:23), and now suggests something just as cruel.

Even small details of this situation add to its horrific moral failure. The event closely mirrors what happened in Sodom just before God annihilated the city for their evil (Genesis 19:2–7). The target is a stranger, whom ancient tradition demanded be protected. Further, the man is a Levite (Numbers 3:5–10), so the mob is targeting one of God’s representatives to the people of Israel. The proposed solution is to trade innocence for innocence (Proverbs 6:16–19).

Commentators are split on how to judge this older worker (Judges 19:16–17). On one hand, he likely fears for his life, as well as the lives of everyone in the home. He might see this as the only way to avoid everyone in the house from being killed or attacked. On the other hand, he also seems to think it less depraved for the crowd of men to rape a virgin girl and a concubine, instead of a man. That said, disagreement over the man’s actions are all shades of the same basic conclusion: every part of this story is repulsive. That is the very point of this story’s inclusion in the book of Judges.

The men in this story demonstrate that their commitment to cultural hospitality and self-preservation is greater than their godly calling as fathers and protectors. Incredibly, the men outside the home are even worse; their actions will so shock Israel that it leads to a civil war (Judges 20:8–10).

Verse 25. But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and made her go out to them. And they knew her and abused her all night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go.

Once again, this story resembles what took place in Sodom during the time of Abraham and Lot (Genesis 19:2–7). Lot, too, was a non-native resident (Judges 19:16) facing down a mob that wanted to rape his male guests (Judges 19:20–23). Lot also offered women to the crowd (Judges 19:24; Genesis 19:8). In the case of Sodom, God carried out His plan to destroy the city before the night was over (Genesis 19:11, 23–25). By including this story, the writer of Judges is showing that the people of Israel had sunk to the level of those ancient cities God had destroyed for their wickedness (Deuteronomy 12:29–32).

An old man has brought travelers into his home to protect them from his neighbors. Those “worthless men”—literally “sons of wickedness” in Hebrew—have come to his door demanding the male guest be handed over to be raped. Likely fearing for his life, the old man offered his daughter and the man’s concubine, instead. The mob ignores this request.

In a moment of horribly selfish desperation, the Levite man physically forces his concubine out the door, handing her over to the mob. The repulsive strategy works: the men of Gibeah violate and abuse her until dawn, sparing those hiding inside the home.

Verse 26. And as morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man ‘s house where her master was, until it was light.

A woman, the concubine of a Levite (Judges 19:1, 10) has been unspeakably violated by a depraved mob in Gibeah (Judges 19:22–25). She is pictured here stumbling or dragging herself back to the home of her host (Judges 19:16–21), knowing her husband, her master, is inside. She seems to be locked out. Also, she is either unable to cry for help, or her cries are ignored. She lays there as the sun rises. Her abuse was so severe that, when the door finally opens, she will have died from her injuries (Judges 19:28).

In any era of humanity, this should have been considered a crime scene. Such evil would warrant swift justice in most times and places throughout history. The people of Israel, too, will demand justice. It will not be easily won. The concubine’s husband is not literally guilty of the rape, itself. Yet he is depicted as uncaring and cold towards her (Judges 19:25). Yet his response to her death shocks Israel into demanding justice against the men of Gibeah (Judges 19:29–30). That will lead to terrible consequences (Judges 20:8–10).

Verse 27. And her master rose up in the morning, and when he opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, behold, there was his concubine lying at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.

Ancient literature is famously short on details, as compared to modern writing. This can make it more difficult to gauge the author’s intent or opinion on a subject. In this case, even with brief descriptions, it’s clear the writer of the book of Judges feels a level of repulsion for the Levite master. The narrative makes the point of noting that he forced her out into a mob of rapists (Judges 19:25). Then, he seemingly makes no effort to find her until he is ready to leave—the use of the word “behold” indicates surprise. Next, he will callously tell her to “get up” so they can move along.

A “concubine” during this era was most often thought of as either a servant, slave, or a second-tier wife. A man might take on a woman from a poor family without status as a concubine, in exchange for supporting her. She would not hold the full rights and privileges of a regular wife. Even within that cultural expectation, however, the writer of Judges portrays this man harshly. This concubine had run away from him and back to her home (Judges 19:1–2). Her husband-master had come to collect her, spending several days at the home of her kind and hospitable father (Judges 19:3–10). Still, he has sacrificed her to save himself.

Now he opens the door of the old man’s home (Judges 19:15–21) to continue his journey and finds his concubine lying in front of the house with her hands on the threshold. The text of the story does not address any of the questions we might wish were resolved. Was he going to leave her behind if he didn’t find her there? Was he not going to look for her? Did he assume she had been killed during the night? Is she simply ruined property to him and not a person, at all?

What the man does in the next verses indicates a level of fury and indignation. His acts are shocking (Judges 19:29–30), but they serve to rally Israel to seek retribution on the men of Gibeah (Judges 20:8–10). Yet it remains unclear what sense of responsibility he felt for her as a person.

Verse 28. He said to her, “Get up, let us be going.” But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey, and the man rose up and went away to his home.

Context from the surrounding verses indicates the woman lying on the doorstep of a home in Gibeah is already dead. During the night, her husband-master had sacrificed her—his concubine (Judges 19:10)—to a ravenous crowd of men to save himself from being raped. The men violated and beat her all night before releasing her. She made it as far as the door of the home her master was staying in before collapsing (Judges 19:22–27). The prior verse hints that he was surprised to find her there.

Now the Levite callously tells her to “get up.” She doesn’t answer, and he would have quickly realized that she’s been murdered by the men in town. He picks up her corpse and takes it home. What he does next is gruesome and profane, but it serves its purpose. The people of Israel will hear about her fate and be inspired to retaliate against Gibeah (Judges 19:29–30).

Verse 29. And when he entered his house, he took a knife, and taking hold of his concubine he divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.

The horror of the previous night continues. The Levite’s concubine (Judges 19:10) has been raped, abused, and left to die by a mob of rapist brutes in the city of Gibeah (Judges 19:22–26). The Levite himself is the one who gave her to them, to save himself from the same fate. While not explicitly stated, context from this passage makes it clear she was dead by the time her master opened the door and found her on the threshold (Judges 19:27–28). He’s taken her corpse back to his home.

Adding further indignity to the woman’s fate, the Levite chooses a gruesome way to rally Israel against the men who murdered her. Rather than burying her, he dismembers the body into twelve pieces. He sends the pieces to various places, most likely dispatching one to each of the tribes in their respective territories. This was almost certainly accompanied by a message explaining what had happened.

The natural question one asks is why the Levite would do such a thing. The following verses, leading into chapter 20, provide useful context. He clearly intends his fellow Israelites to understand what wickedness is going on in Gibeah. By extension, this shows how deeply depraved and dangerous the region has become. The Levite seems to want a reaction from the nation of Israel, so this is how he seeks to get it. Whether from shock or grief or holy indignation, the man wants to rally Israel against those who have done this.

Israel’s initial reaction will be shock (Judges 19:30), followed by a brutal, low-level civil war (Judges 20:8–10).

Verse 30. And all who saw it said, “Such a thing has never happened or been seen from the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak.”

When trapped by a mob, a traveling Levite coldly forced his concubine outside, where she was brutally raped to death (Judges 19:25–28). His response to her death is outrageous (Judges 19:29), but it achieves his desired effect. He has dismembered the corpse of the murdered woman, cutting it into twelve pieces. He has sent those pieces, likely by messenger, throughout Israel. Perhaps a piece was sent to each of the twelve tribes. His symbolic action seemed a call to all of Israel to hold the men of Gibeah responsible for the blood of this woman. Perhaps, as a Levite meant to represent the Lord (Numbers 3:5–10), he meant to rouse his people to stand against all the outrageous, evil practices of their fellow Israelites (Deuteronomy 12:29–32).

Throughout Israel, everyone who saw a part of the woman’s body was indeed shocked. The writer of Judges records something to the effect of “we haven’t seen this kind of evil since we left Egypt.” That context is important, since what happened to the concubine closely parallels Lot’s experience in Sodom just before God destroyed it (Genesis 19:2–7). The corrupted depravity of the men of Gibeah is like that of Sodom in the days of Abraham. The people resolve that something must be done.

While it’s good that the people are seeking justice in response to a crime, it’s important to note what’s not said. The name of Yahweh—the Lord God of Israel—has not been mentioned in any of this. The people will eventually begin to consult Him in the following chapter. The Levite, though responsible for sparking this reaction, is not shown to be especially wise or compassionate. Nor is he said to speak on behalf of God.

End of Judges 19

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