Judges 19:1-2 WEB

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 19:1-15

The domestic affairs of this Levite would not have been related thus largely but to make way for the following story of the injuries done him, in which the whole nation interested themselves. Bishop Hall's first remark upon this story is, That there is no complain of a public ordered state but there is a Levite at one end of it, either as an agent or as a patient. In Micah's idolatry a Levite was active; in the wickedness of Gibeah a Levite was passive; no tribe shall sooner feel the want of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 19:1

And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel ,.... The same is observed in Judges 17:6 and refers to the same times, the times before the judges, between them and the death of Joshua, during which time there was no supreme magistrate or ruler in Israel, which is meant; and this is observed, as before, to account for wickedness being committed with impunity, such as adultery, sodomy, murder, &c.; afterwards related: that there was a certain Levite sojourning on... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 19:2

And his concubine played the whore against him ,.... Was unfaithful to him and his bed, and broke the covenant and agreement between them; or "with him" F9 עליו "apud eum", Pagninus, Piscator; "cum eo", Junius & Tremellius. , while she was with him in the house; or "before him" F11 "Conspectu ejus", Vatablus; "coram eo", Drusius. , of which he had knowledge and proof; though some think this is not to be understood of whoredom or adultery, but of her ill usage of him, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:1

There was no king in Israel - All sorts of disorders are attributed to the want of civil government; justice, right, truth, and humanity, had fallen in the streets. Took to him a concubine - We have already seen that the concubine was a sort of secondary wife; and that such connections were not disreputable, being according to the general custom of those times. The word פילגש pilegesh , concubine, is supposed by Mr. Parkhurst to be compounded of פלג palag , "to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:2

Played the whore - Neither the Vulgate, Septuagint, Targum, nor Josephus, understand this word as implying any act of conjugal infidelity on the woman's part. They merely state that the parties disagreed, and the woman returned to her father's house. Indeed all the circumstances of the case vindicate this view of the subject. If she had been a whore, or adulteress, it is not very likely that her husband would have gone after her to speak friendly, literally, to speak to her heart, and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 19:1

A concubine - See the margin. The name does not imply any moral reproach. A concubine was as much the man’s wife as the woman so called, though she had not the same rights. See Judges 19:3-4. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 19:2

Played the whore against him - Perhaps only meaning that she ran away from him, and left him, for she returned to her father’s house. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 19:1

Judges 19:1. Who took him a concubine Hebrew, a wife, a concubine, that is, such a concubine as was also his wife: called a concubine only because she was not endowed. Perhaps he had nothing to endow her with, being himself only a sojourner. “Women of this sort differed little from the wife, except in some outward ceremonies and stipulations, but agreed with her in all the true essentials of marriage, and gave themselves up to the husband, (for so he is called in the next chapter, Judges... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 19:2-3

Judges 19:2-3. Played the whore against him Against her faith given to him. Went away Either for fear of punishment, or because her heart was alienated from him; wherein not only she sinned, but her father, by connivance at her sin, and neglect of just endeavours for her reconciliation to her husband. Her husband went to speak friendly unto her To offer her pardon and reconciliation. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 19:1-30

The war with Benjamin (19:1-21:25)A Levite whose concubine had run away from him came to Judah looking for her. When they were reunited, her father was so pleased he did not want them to leave. They therefore stayed with him a few days, then set out to return to the Levite’s home in Ephraim (19:1-9).The route back to Ephraim took the couple through the tribal territory of Benjamin. Looking for somewhere to sleep the night, they preferred not to stay in Jerusalem, which was inhabited by... read more