Judges 19:13-23

13 He said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gevah, or in Ramah.

14 So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near to Gevah, which belongs to Binyamin.

15 They turned aside there, to go in to lodge in Gevah: and he went in, and sat him down in the street of the city; for there was no man who took them into his house to lodge.

16 Behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even: now the man was of the hill-country of Efrayim, and he sojourned in Gevah; but the men of the place were Binyamini.

17 He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, Where go you? and whence come you?

18 He said to him, We are passing from Beit-Lechem-Yehudah to the farther side of the hill-country of Efrayim; from there am I, and I went to Beit-Lechem-Yehudah: and I am [now] going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man who takes me into his house.

19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your handmaid, and for the young man who is with your servants: there is no want of anything.

20 The old man said, Shalom be to you; howsoever let all your wants lie on me; only don't lodge in the street.

21 So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder; and they washed their feet, and ate and drink.

22 As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man who came into your house, that we may know him.

23 The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brothers, please don't act so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, don't do this folly.

Judges 19:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 19

This chapter gives an account of a sad affair of a Levite and his concubine, and of the bad consequence of it, how that she played the whore, and went away from him to her father's house, whither he followed her, and where he was kindly entertained by her father several days, Jud 19:1-9 and then set out on his journey to his own country; and passing by Jebus or Jerusalem, he came to Gibeah, and could get no lodging, Jud 19:10-15, but at length was taken in by an old man, an Ephraimite, Jud 19:16-21 when the house where he was beset by some wicked men in Gibeah, with the same intent as the men of Sodom beset the house of Lot, Jud 19:22-24 and after some expostulation of the old man with them, the concubine was brought out to them and abused by them even unto death, Jud 19:25-28 upon which the Levite her husband cut her into twelve pieces, and sent them into all the coasts of Israel, which was shocking and surprising, Jud 19:29,30 the consequence of which is related in the next chapter.