Judg 19 | TSK | STEP | A Levite goes to Beth-lehem to fetch home his concubine. An old man entertains him at Gibeah. The Gibeonites abuse his concubine to death. He divides her into twelve pieces, and sends them to the twelve tribes. when there. mount. a concubine. Heb. a woman, a concubine, or, a wife, aconcubine. Beth-lehem-judah.

draweth, etc. Heb. is weak. the day groweth to an end. Heb.it is the pitching time of the day, Jer 6:4. That is, it was near the time in which travellers ordinarily pitched their tents, to take up their lodging for the night. In the latter part of the afternoon, eastern travellers begin to look out for a place for this purpose. So Dr. Shaw observes, "Our constant practice was to rise at break of day, set forward with the sun, and travel to the middle of the afternoon; at which time we began to look out for encampments of Arabs; who, to prevent such parties as ours from living at free charges upon them, take care to pitch in woods, valleys, or places the least conspicuous."

to morrow.

Pr 27:1; Jas 4:13,14

home. Heb. to thy tent.

over against. Heb. to over against. Jebus.

1:8; Jos 15:8,63; 18:28; 2Sa 5:6

the Jebusites.

10; 1:21; Ge 10:16; Jos 15:63; 2Sa 5:6

Gibeah.Gibeah, a city of Benjamin, and the birth-place of Saul, was situated near Rama and Gibeon, according to Josephus, thirty furlongs north from Jerusalem; or, according to Jerome, about two leagues.

Gibeah.

Jos 18:25,26,28; 1Sa 10:26; Isa 10:29; Ho 5:8

no man.There was probably no inn, or house of public entertainment in this place; and therefore they could not have a lodging unless furnished by mere hospitality. But these Benjamites seem to have added to their other vices, avarice and inhospitality, like the inhabitants of Akoura in mount Lebanon, mentioned by Burckhardt.

18; Ge 18:2-8; 19:2,3; Mt 25:35,43; Heb 13:2

his work.

Ge 3:19; Ps 104:23; 128:2; Pr 13:11; 14:23; 24:27; Ec 1:13; 5:12

Eph 4:28; 1Th 4:11,12; 2Th 3:10

whither.

Ge 16:8; 32:17

I am now.The LXX. read, [eis ton oikon mou ego poreuomai:] "I am going to my own house;" which is probably the true reading, as we find (ver. 29) that he really went home; yet he might have gone previously to Shiloh, or to "the house of the Lord," because that was also in mount Ephraim.

the house.

18:31; 20:18; Jos 18:1; 1Sa 1:3,7

receiveth. Heb. gathereth.

5; Ps 26:9; Joh 15:6

straw and provender.In those countries principally devoted to pasturage, they made little or no hay: but as they raised corn, they took great care of their straw for cattle, which by their mode of threshing was chopped very small. See note on Ge 24:32.

Peace be.

6:23; Ge 43:23,24; 1Sa 25:6; 1Ch 12:18; Lu 10:5,6; Joh 14:27

1Co 1:3

let all thy wants.Here was genuine hospitality: "Keep your bread and wine for yourselves, and your straw and provender for your asses; you may need them before you finish your journey: I will supply all your wants for this night; only do not lodge in the street."

Ro 12:13; Ga 6:6; Heb 13:2; Jas 2:15,16; 1Pe 4:9; 1Jo 3:18

lodge not.

Ge 19:2,3; 24:31-33

So he brought.

Ge 24:32; 43:24

they washed.

Ge 18:4; 1Sa 25:41; 2Sa 11:8; Lu 7:44; Joh 13:4,5,14,15; 1Ti 5:10

they were.

6,7; 16:25

the men.

20:5; Ge 19:4; Ho 9:9; 10:9

sons of Belial.

De 13:13; 1Sa 1:16; 2:12; 10:27; 25:25; 2Sa 23:6,7; 2Co 6:15

Bring forth.

Ge 19:5; Ro 1:26,27; 1Co 6:9; Jude 1:7

the man.

Ge 19:6,7

do not this folly.

20:6; Ge 34:7; Jos 7:15; 2Sa 13:12

Behold.The rites of hospitality are regarded as sacred and inviolable in the East: and a man who has admitted a stranger under his roof, is bound to protect him even at the expense of his life. On these high notions only, the influence of which an Asiatic mind alone can appreciate, can the present transaction be either excused or palliated.

them.

Ge 19:8; Ro 3:8

humble ye.

Ge 34:2; *marg:

De 21:14

so vile a thing. Heb. the matter of this folly.

knew her.

Ge 4:1

and abused.

Jer 5:7,8; Ho 7:4-7; 9:9; 10:9; Eph 4:19

her lord was.

3,27; Ge 18:12; 1Pe 3:6

But none.

20:5; 1Ki 18:29

divided her.It is probable, that with the pieces he sent to each tribe a circumstantial account of the barbarity of the men of Gibeah; and that they considered each of the pieces as expressing an execration. That a similar custom prevailed in ancient times is evident from 1 SA 11:7. It had an inhuman appearance, thus to mangle the corpse of this unhappy woman; but it was intended to excite a keener resentment against so horrible a crime, which called for a punishment proportionally severe.

20:6,7; Ro 10:2

with her bones.

De 21:22,23

consider.

20:7; Pr 11:14; 13:10; 15:22; 20:18; 24:6