Judg 19 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Judg 19:1-21:25: 19:1–21:25 This second epilogue (see study note on 17:1–21:25) shifts the focus from individuals to whole tribes. Beginning with the outrage in the Benjamite town of Gibeah (ch 19 ), which led to civil war (ch 20 ) and the decimation of Benjamin, and moving on to the attempt to rescue the tribe from oblivion (ch 21 ), the book concludes with the now-familiar refrain, in those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes . This was perhaps the low point in Israel’s own remembered history; this is “what they did in Gibeah” that Hosea, 400 years later, would liken to the depths to which Ephraim had sunk (Hos 9:9 ; 10:9 ). • The way had been cleared for a transition from charismatic leadership to what might be called “covenant-charismatic kingship,” i.e., kingship that combined living under the Lord’s covenant (Deut 17:14-20 ) with the anointing of the Spirit for the task of ruling, as with Saul and David. 19:1 A concubine was a second-class wife. In a society where polygamy was common, a concubine could be purchased, acquired as repayment of debt, or taken in war. A concubine was sometimes added to make up for a deficiency in a legitimate wife (e.g., Gen 16:1-4 ; 30:3-13 ; 35:22 ), but in the case of the Levite there appears to have been no other wife.

Summary for Judg 19:1-21:25: 19:1–21:25 ^a This second epilogue (see study note on 17:1–21:25) shifts the focus from individuals to whole tribes. Beginning with the outrage in the Benjamite town of Gibeah (ch 19 ^b), which led to civil war (ch 20 ^c) and the decimation of Benjamin, and moving on to the attempt to rescue the tribe from oblivion (ch 21 ^d), the book concludes with the now-familiar refrain, in those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. This was perhaps the low point in Israel’s own remembered history; this is “what they did in Gibeah” that Hosea, 400 years later, would liken to the depths to which Ephraim had sunk (Hos 9:9 ^e; 10:9 ^f).

• The way had been cleared for a transition from charismatic leadership to what might be called “covenant-charismatic kingship,” i.e., kingship that combined living under the Lord’s covenant (Deut 17:14-20 ^g) with the anointing of the Spirit for the task of ruling, as with Saul and David. 19:1 ^h A concubine was a second-class wife. In a society where polygamy was common, a concubine could be purchased, acquired as repayment of debt, or taken in war. A concubine was sometimes added to make up for a deficiency in a legitimate wife (e.g., Gen 16:1-4 ⁱ; 30:3-13 ^j; 35:22 ^k), but in the case of the Levite there appears to have been no other wife.
19:4 ^l The woman’s father demonstrated typical Near Eastern hospitality, in contrast to what would later transpire in Gibeah (19:14-28 ^m). The scene in Bethlehem offers reconciliation and the promise of a new beginning.
Summary for Judg 19:5-7: 19:5-7 ⁿ Although some have suggested that the delay in leaving was analogous to Samson’s seven-day bridal feast (14:10-20 ^o), the picture may reflect nothing more than the father’s reluctance to bid his daughter farewell.
19:10 ^p Jebus: See study note on 1:21. The city’s old name and its foreign status in Israel persisted until its capture by David (2 Sam 5:6-10 ^q).
19:13 ^r The two Benjamite towns of Gibeah and Ramah have a prominent place in Israelite history, connected as they are with judges (Deborah, 4:5 ^s), priests (Eleazar, Josh 24:33 ^t), prophets (Samuel, 1 Sam 8:4 ^u), and kings (Saul, 1 Sam 10:26 ^v). The account of Gibeah’s noble history compounds the tragedy of the events that followed.
19:15 ^w The normal rules of hospitality in Israel and the rest of the Near East obligated a citizen of the town to take them in (cp. Isa 58:7 ^x; Luke 14:13-14 ^y; Rom 12:13 ^z; 1 Tim 3:2 ^aa; 5:10 ^ab; Heb 13:2 ^ac; 1 Pet 4:9 ^ad). The Levite had funds and provisions (Judg 19:19 ^ae), so there was even less excuse. This erosion of common civility is yet another evidence of social dysfunction at the time of Judges.
19:16 ^af The old man was from the hill country of Ephraim rather than the territory of Benjamin. The natives of Gibeah were all unwilling to help.
19:18 ^ag now I’m returning home: The Levite said nothing about his own status, or about why he was traveling.
19:20 ^ah The note of urgency in the old man’s response foreshadowed the coming trouble (cp. Gen 19:2-3 ^ai).
19:22 ^aj troublemakers: Hebrew sons of Belial; see study notes on 1 Kgs 21:10; 1 Sam 1:16; 2 Cor 6:15. Their goal was homosexual rape. Cp. Gen 19:4-5 ^ak.
19:23 ^al For this man is a guest in my house: It was shameful to be inhospitable to a visitor, but the evil demands of the crowd went beyond lack of hospitality. They intended violence against the visitor (see 20:5 ^am).
19:24 ^an The old man attempted to preserve the social obligation of hospitality at the cost of handing over the vulnerable to be harmed (cp. Jas 1:27 ^ao). There is no way, for our age or theirs, to soften the horror of what followed. The period of the judges was coming to an end in deepest depravity. Something was fundamentally amiss.
19:25 ^ap Contrast the instruction to husbands in Eph 5:25-28 ^aq.
Summary for Judg 19:28-29: 19:28-29 ^ar The Levite’s actions exemplify the horror of a corrupt culture.