‏ Judges 19

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.

‏ Judges 20

20:1  ^as This was not the Mizpah east of the Jordan associated with Jephthah (10:17  ^at; 11:11  ^au, 29  ^av, 34  ^aw), but a place in central Israel. This common name means “watchtower.”
20:3  ^ax The tribe of Benjamin had probably received the summons (19:29  ^ay), so they knew that trouble was brewing.
20:5  ^az The “troublemakers” (19:22  ^ba) were leading citizens (literally lords).

• planning to kill me: The death of his concubine convinced the Levite that the men of Gibeah intended his death.
20:9  ^bb The lots may have been the Urim and Thummim on the priest’s breastplate (Exod 28:30  ^bc; cp. Josh 14:2  ^bd; 1 Sam 14:41  ^be; Ezra 2:63  ^bf).
Summary for Judg 20:12-13: 20:12-13  ^bg Israel recognized corporate responsibility. The leading citizens of Gibeah were guilty (20:5  ^bh), and all of Gibeah became an accessory to their crimes by failing to discipline them. The tribe of Benjamin, in turn, had a responsibility to bring Gibeah to justice; failing that, they all shared the guilt. Had Israel not done something about Benjamin’s sin, the guilt would then have extended to the entire nation.
Summary for Judg 20:13-17: 20:13-17  ^bi Benjamin’s response was consistent with its independent and warlike character (cp. Gen 49:27  ^bj). The tribe had justifiable confidence in the warriors for which it was famous (Judg 3:12-30  ^bk; 1 Chr 12:2  ^bl). Though outnumbered almost three to one, they defeated the rest of Israel twice and inflicted heavy casualties (Judg 20:18-24  ^bm).
20:16  ^bn left-handed: See study note on 3:15.

• The sling was of the same type as the one David used to kill Goliath (1 Sam 17:40-51  ^bo). The slinger buried a stone in a small pouch attached to a leather thong, then swung it around his head to gain momentum before releasing one end of the thong to shoot the missile. A slinger had the advantage of distance over a swordsman.
20:18  ^bp To go first means to lead, not necessarily to precede (Gen 49:10  ^bq).
Summary for Judg 20:19-21: 20:19-21  ^br The three battles took place around the guilty city. Despite superior numbers and having asked the Lord for guidance, the Israelite troops facing the defenders behind their walls were soundly beaten back the first day.
Summary for Judg 20:22-23: 20:22-23  ^bs Following a time of weeping and probably confession (cp. Josh 7  ^bt) the Israelite troops received divine guidance and regained confidence.
Summary for Judg 20:24-25: 20:24-25  ^bu A second debacle shook the confidence of the Israelites (20:26-28  ^bv).
Summary for Judg 20:26-28: 20:26-28  ^bw The pressure was building to admit defeat and go home. The activities in the presence of the Lord increased in intensity as the Israelites sought the Lord’s direction.
Summary for Judg 20:29-44: 20:29-44  ^bx The third day’s battle followed the same strategies of deception and ambush that were used to conquer Ai (Josh 8:1-29  ^by).
20:33  ^bz Baal-tamar is an unidentified town.
Summary for Judg 20:36-48: 20:36-48  ^ca This section gives a second account of the battle.
20:43  ^cb finally overtaking them east of Gibeah: The geography is complicated, with a further problem of possible confusion between Gibeah and nearby Geba (1 Sam 13:3–14:5  ^cc; see also 1 Kgs 15:22  ^cd).
20:47  ^ce the rock of Rimmon: “Rimmon” was a Benjamite personal name (2 Sam 4:2  ^cf), and the place was about four miles east of Bethel. It was a stronghold, probably a cliff dwelling that protected fugitives by its inaccessibility.

‏ Judges 21

21:1  ^cg For the second time in Judges, an unwise vow put its makers in a difficult position (see study note on 11:31).
21:3  ^ch The concept of a twelve-tribe league was deeply rooted in Israel, having survived the separation of Levi from the secular tribes, the virtual disappearance of Simeon and Asher, and the division of Joseph into two (Manasseh and Ephraim). The loss of one tribe would have suggested that God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was coming unglued.
Summary for Judg 21:8-9: 21:8-9  ^ci Jabesh-gilead was an important town east of the Jordan whose failure to participate in the war against Benjamin made a grievous break in solidarity (see 21:5  ^cj).
21:11  ^ck Completely destroy: See Lev 27:28-29  ^cl.
Summary for Judg 21:15-17: 21:15-17  ^cm The people felt sorry for Benjamin: Israel was concerned about the brokenness of the nation.

• The gap in Israel was an act of the Lord, because the war against Benjamin had been a response to the Lord’s covenant.
21:19  ^cn The annual grape harvest festival ... in Shiloh may originally have been a Canaanite feast.
21:23  ^co Their own land was the land allotted to the tribe of Benjamin by the Lord’s covenant (2:6  ^cp).
21:24  ^cq The people of Israel pulled through despite the lack of inspired leadership (chs 17–18  ^cr) and the failure of the tribal league (chs 19–21  ^cs). Tribes and families were intact; Israel and all its tribes would survive.
21:25  ^ct The conclusion of chs 17–21  ^cu gives the reason for the social disorder of the time. Following the period of the judges, God would make a new covenant with Israel involving King David (2 Sam 7  ^cv) and the promise of messianic rule. The fulfillment of that promise would go far beyond anything that could be imagined in the time when Israel had no king.