Sin Against Man: the Man from Ephraim
Judges 19
Judges 19
Judges 19. This chapter exposes the moral corruption of Israel at the beginning of the period of the Judges. It shows the consequences of God being practically excluded from their thoughts. The Levite’s careless course brought him to Gibeah. There, the wickedness among God’s own people had sunk to the level of Sodom. The terrible crime committed there finally awakened Israel’s conscience, but the outrage was only on a human level.
The Levite of Ephraim Comes to Gibeah (19:1-21)
CHAPTER 19
1 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that a certain Levite, sojourning on the further side of mount Ephraim, took him a concubine out of Bethlehem-Judah. 2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-Judah, and was there some time, — four months. 3 And her husband rose up and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again; and his servant was with him, and a couple of asses. And she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the damsel saw him he rejoiced to meet him. 4 And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days; and they ate and drank, and lodged there. 5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart; and the damsel's father said to his son-in-law, Refresh thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterwards ye may go your way. 6 And they sat down, and ate and drank, both of them together. And the damsel's father said to the man, Be content, I pray thee, and pass the night, and let thy heart be glad. 7 And the man rose up to depart, but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again. 8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; but the damsel's father said, Refresh thy heart, I pray thee. And they lingered until the afternoon, and they did eat both of them. 9 And the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant; and his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said to him, Behold now, the day draws toward evening — I pray you stay all night; behold, the day is declining, lodge here, and let thy heart be merry; and to-morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go to thy tent. 10 But the man would not tarry the night; and he rose up and departed, and came opposite to Jebus, that is, Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, and his concubine was with him. DARBY
vv.1-10 A Levite of Ephraim Fetches His Runaway Concubine from Judah. The words “there was no king in Israel” introduce another scene of departure, this time exposing moral rather than religious corruption in Israel. Another Levite comes on the scene, this one from Ephraim. The Levite’s own conduct reflected the apathetic condition of Israel. After his concubine had been unfaithful and returned to her father’s house, he went down to Judah after her and “spoke kindly to her” to bring her back, but there is no indication of repentance or exercise concerning what had taken place. The following days were characterized by eating, drinking, and delay. Finally, after lingering until late in the day, the Levite abruptly determined to leave for home. The whole scene suggests a careless and self-indulgent state, with neither the Word of God nor dependence upon Him directing the Levite’s course. This prepared the way for the terrible circumstances that followed.
11 They were near Jebus, and the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. 12 But his master said to him, We will not turn aside into the city of a stranger, which is not of the children of Israel, but we will pass on to Gibeah. 13 And he said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places, and lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah. 14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. 15 And they turned aside thither, to go in, to lodge in Gibeah. And he went in, and sat down in the open place of the city; and there was no one that received him into his house to pass the night. DARBY
vv.11-15 The Levite comes to Gibeah of Benjamin. As darkness approached, the servant suggested lodging in Jebus, but the Levite refused because it was “the city of a stranger, which is not of the children of Israel.” He preferred Gibeah because it belonged to Benjamin. Being among Israelites should have provided safety. The reality was shocking: when they entered Gibeah, “there was no one that received him into his house.” A city belonging to God’s people would prove morally worse than the Gentile city the Levite had refused to enter.
16 And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even; and the man was of mount Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjaminites. 17 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the open place of the city; and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? 18 And he said to him, We are travelling from Bethlehem-Judah towards the further side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I; and I went to Bethlehem-Judah, and I have to do with the house of Jehovah; and there is no man that receives me into his house. 19 And we have both straw and provender for our asses; and I have bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man with thy servants: there is no lack of anything. 20 Then the old man said, Peace be with thee; only let all thy wants lie on me; but lodge not in the street. 21 And he brought him into his house, and gave the asses provender; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank. DARBY
vv.16-21 The Levite Invited in by an Old Benjamite. At last an old Benjamite returning from his work saw the Levite and received him into his house. Although living in Gibeah, the old man was “of mount Ephraim” and only sojourned there; none of the proper Benjamites had offered hospitality. This is sad considering the word to Israel, “Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite” (Deut. 12:19). The old man’s warning, “only lodge not in the street,” also suggests that he knew the character of the city in which he lived.
The Sin of the Men of Gibeah, and Its Result (19:22-30)
22 They were making their hearts merry, when behold, the men of the city, sons of Belial, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may know him. 23 And the man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brethren, I pray you, do not wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, do not this villany. 24 Behold, my daughter, who is a virgin, and his concubine; let me bring them out, and humble ye them, and do to them as is good in your sight; but to this man do not so vile a thing. 25 But the men would not hearken to him; and the man took his concubine, and brought her forth to them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning; and let her go when the morning-dawn arose. 26 And the woman came at the dawning of the day, and fell down at the entrance of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light. 27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the door of the house, and went out to go his way, and behold, there lay the woman his concubine at the entrance of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. 28 And he said to her, Up, and let us go; but no one answered. And he took her upon the ass; and the man rose up, and went to his place. DARBY
vv.22-28 The Sin of the Men of Gibeah. The events that followed exposed the dreadful moral condition to which Gibeah had fallen. The wickedness of men belonging to Israel had reached the character of Sodom. The old man and the Levite showed how low their own moral judgment had become in their response to it. Sadly, there is no appeal to Jehovah throughout the crisis. The Levite surrendered his concubine to the men, and she died as a result of their abuse. God allows the scene to be recorded without concealing its horror, showing what man is capable of when God is practically excluded from his thoughts.
29 And when he was come into his house, he took the knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, according to her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the borders of Israel. 30 And it came to pass that every one that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came out of Egypt to this day. Think it over, advise, and speak. DARBY
vv.29-30 The Concubine Divided and Distributed. The Levite sent evidence of the terrible crime throughout Israel, forcing the whole nation to confront what had taken place in its midst. The effect was immediate: “There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came out of Egypt to this day.” Israel’s conscience, which had remained largely unmoved by widespread departure from Jehovah, was suddenly awakened by this shocking evil. Yet recognizing and condemning evil in others is not the same as judging its roots in ourselves. That lesson becomes important in the following chapter, where Israel must first be humbled before God before they can rightly deal with Benjamin.