Judg 19:1 | 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.

a19:1–21:25►

b19►

c20►

d21►

eHos 9:9►

f10:9►

gDeut 17:14-20►

h19:1►

iGen 16:1-4►

j30:3-13►

k35:22►

‏ Judges 19:1

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.