Judges 19:1

“And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, etc.] The same is observed in (<071706>Judges 17:6 18:1) 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, etc. afterwards related: that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of Mount Ephraim; in a city that was on one side of that mountain; it seems not to have been a Levitical city, because he was only a sojourner in it; perhaps he chose to reside there, as…”

“A LEVITE GOING TO BETHLEHEM TO FETCH HIS WIFE. (Jdg 19:1-15) it came to pass in those days--The painfully interesting episode that follows, together with the intestine commotion the report of it produced throughout the country, belongs to the same early period of anarchy and prevailing disorder. a certain Levite . . . took to him a concubine--The priests under the Mosaic law enjoyed the privilege of marrying as well as other classes of the people. It was no disreputable connection this Levite had formed; for a nuptial engagement with a concubine wife (though, as wanting in some outward ceremonies, it was reckoned a secondary or inferior relationship) possessed the true essence of marriage;…”

“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. return to 'Top of Page'”

“A. concubine - Heb. 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. Judges 19:2”

“when there: Jdg 17:6, Jdg 18:1, Jdg 21:25 mount: Jdg 17:1, Jdg 17:8; Jos 24:30, Jos 24:33 a concubine: Heb. a woman or, a wife. Gen 22:24, Gen 25:6; Sa2 3:7, Sa2 5:13, Sa2 16:22, Sa2 19:5, Sa2 20:3; Kg1 11:3; Ch2 11:21; Est 2:14; Sol 6:8, Sol 6:9; Dan 5:3; Mal 2:15, Beth-lehem-judah, Jdg 17:8; Gen 35:19; Mat 2:6 Judges 19:2”

“Infamous Crime of the Inhabitants of Gibeah. - Jdg 19:1-14. At the time when there was no king in Israel, a Levite, who sojourned (i.e., lived outside a Levitical town) in the more remote parts of the mountains of Ephraim, took to himself a concubine out of Bethlehem in Judah, who proved unfaithful to him, and then returned to her father's house. הר־אפרים ירכּתי, the hinder or outermost parts of the mountains of Ephraim, are the northern extremity of these mountains; according to Jdg 19:18, probably the neighbourhood of Shiloh. עליו תּזנה, "she played the harlot out beyond him," i.e., was unfaithful to her husband, and then went away from him," back to her father's house. Judges 19:3”