Judges 19
19
Sodom and Gomorrah Revisited
1 In those days Israel had no king. There was a Levite#tn Heb “a man, a Levite.” living temporarily in the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. He acquired a concubine#sn See the note on the word “concubine” in 8:31. from Bethlehem#map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4. in Judah. 2 However, she#tn Heb “and his concubine.” The pronoun (“she”) has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons. got angry at him#tn Or “was unfaithful to him.” Many have understood the Hebrew verb וַתִּזְנֶה (vattizneh) as being from זָנָה (zanah, “to be a prostitute”), but it may be derived from a root meaning “to be angry; to hate” attested in Akkadian (see HALOT 275 s.v. II זנה). and went home#tn Heb “went from him.” to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. When she had been there four months, 3 her husband came#tn Heb “arose and came.” after her, hoping he could convince her to return.#tn Heb “to speak to her heart to bring her back.” He brought with him his servant#tn Or “young man.” and a pair of donkeys. When she brought him into her father’s house and the girl’s father saw him, he greeted him warmly.#tn Heb “he was happy to meet him.” 4 His father-in-law, the girl’s father, persuaded him to stay with him for three days, and they ate and drank together, and spent the night there. 5 On the fourth day they woke up early and the Levite got ready to leave.#tn Heb “and he arose to go.” But the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Have a bite to eat for some energy,#tn Heb “Sustain your heart [with] a bit of food.” then you can go.” 6 So the two of them sat down and had a meal together.#tn Heb “And they sat and ate, the two of them together, and they drank.” Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Why not stay another night and have a good time!”#tn Heb “Be willing and spend the night so that your heart might be good.” 7 When the man got ready to leave,#tn Heb “and the man arose to go.” his father-in-law convinced him to stay another night.#tn Heb “his father-in-law persuaded him and he again spent the night there.” 8 He woke up early in the morning on the fifth day so he could leave, but the girl’s father said, “Get some energy.#tn Heb “Sustain your heart.” He is once more inviting him to stay for a meal. Wait until later in the day to leave!”#tn Heb “Wait until the declining of the day.” So they ate a meal together. 9 When the man got ready to leave#tn Heb “the man arose to go.” with his concubine and his servant,#tn Or “young man.” his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look! The day is almost over!#tn Heb “the day is sinking to become evening.” Stay another night! Since the day is over,#tn Or “declining.” stay another night here and have a good time. You can get up early tomorrow and start your trip home.”#tn Heb “for your way and go to your tent.” 10 But the man did not want to stay another night. He left#tn Heb “and he arose and went.” and traveled as far as#tn Heb “to the front of.” Jebus (that is, Jerusalem).#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. He had with him a pair of saddled donkeys and his concubine.#tc Some ancient witnesses add “and his servant.”
11 When they got near Jebus, it was getting quite late#tn Heb “and the day was descending greatly.” and the servant#tn Or “young man.” said to his master, “Come on, let’s stop at#tn Heb “turn aside” (also in the following verse). this Jebusite city and spend the night in it.” 12 But his master said to him, “We should not stop at a foreign city where non-Israelites live.#tn Heb “who are not from the sons of Israel.” We will travel on to Gibeah.” 13 He said to his servant,#tn Or “young man.” “Come on, we will go into one of the other towns#tn Heb “we will enter one of the places.” and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.” 14 So they traveled on,#tn Heb “and they passed by and went.” and the sun went down when they were near Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin.#tn Heb “which belongs to Benjamin.” 15 They stopped there and decided to spend the night#tn Heb “they turned aside there to enter to spend the night.” in Gibeah. They came into the city and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them to spend the night.#tn Heb “and he entered and sat down, and there was no one receiving them into the house to spend the night.”
16 But then an old man passed by, returning at the end of the day from his work in the field.#tn Heb “And look, an old man was coming from his work, from the field in the evening.” The man was from the Ephraimite hill country; he was living temporarily in Gibeah. (The residents of the town were Benjaminites.)#tn Heb “And the men of the place were Benjaminites.” 17 When he looked up and saw the traveler#tn Heb “the man, the traveler.” in the town square, the old man said, “Where are you heading? Where do you come from?” 18 The Levite#tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Levite) has been specified in the translation for clarity. said to him, “We are traveling from Bethlehem#map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4. in Judah to the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. That’s where I’m from. I had business in Bethlehem in Judah, but now I’m heading home.#tn Heb “I went to Bethlehem in Judah, but [to] the house of the Lord I am going.” The Hebrew text has “house of the Lord,” which might refer to the shrine at Shiloh. The LXX reads “to my house.” But no one has invited me into their home. 19 We have enough straw and grain for our donkeys, and there is enough food and wine for me, your female servant,#tn By calling his concubine the old man’s “female servant,” the Levite emphasizes their dependence on him for shelter. and the young man who is with your servants.#tc Some Hebrew mss and ancient witnesses read the singular, “your servant,” which would refer to the Levite. If one retains the plural, then both the Levite and his wife are in view. In either case the pronominal suffix emphasizes their dependence on the old man for shelter. We lack nothing.” 20 The old man said, “Everything is just fine!#tn Heb “Peace to you.” I will take care of all your needs. But don’t spend the night in the town square.” 21 So he brought him to his house and fed the donkeys. They washed their feet and had a meal.#tn Heb “ate and drank.”
22 They were having a good time,#tn Heb “they were making their heart good.” when suddenly#tn Heb “and look.” some men of the city, some good-for-nothings,#tn Heb “the men of the city, men, the sons of wickedness.” The phrases are in apposition; the last phrase specifies what type of men they were. It is not certain if all the men of the city are in view, or just a group of troublemakers. In 20:5 the town leaders are implicated in the crime, suggesting that all the men of the city were involved. If so, the implication is that the entire male population of the town were good-for-nothings. surrounded the house and kept beating#tn The Hitpael verb form appears to have an iterative force here, indicating repeated action. on the door. They said to the old man who owned the house, “Send out the man who came to visit you so we can have sex with him.”#tn Heb “so we can know him.” On the surface one might think they simply wanted to meet the visitor and get to know him, but their hostile actions betray their double-talk. The old man, who has been living with them long enough to know what they are like, seems to have no doubts about the meaning of their words (see v. 23). 23 The man who owned the house went outside and said to them, “No, my brothers! Don’t do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Don’t do such a disgraceful thing! 24 Here are my virgin daughter and my guest’s#tn Heb “his”; the referent (the visiting Levite) has been specified in the translation for clarity. concubine. I will send them out and you can abuse them and do to them whatever you like.#tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.” But don’t do such a disgraceful thing to this man!” 25 The men refused to listen to him, so the Levite#tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Levite) has been specified in the translation for clarity. grabbed his concubine and made her go outside.#tn Heb “and he caused [her] to go outside to them.” They raped#tn Heb “knew,” in the sexual sense. her and abused her all night long until morning. They let her go at dawn. 26 The woman arrived back at daybreak and was sprawled out on the doorstep of the house where her master#tn The Hebrew term here translated “master,” is plural. The plural indicates degree here and emphasizes the Levite’s absolute sovereignty over the woman. was staying until it became light.#tn Heb “The woman came at the turning of the morning and fell at the door of the house of the man where her master was until the light.” 27 When her master#tn The Hebrew term here translated “master,” is plural. The plural indicates degree here and emphasizes the Levite’s absolute sovereignty over the woman. got up in the morning, opened the doors of the house, and went outside to start on his journey, there was the woman, his concubine, sprawled out on the doorstep of the house with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up, let’s leave!” But there was no response. He put her on the donkey and went home.#tn Heb “And the man took her on the donkey and arose and went to his place.” 29 When he got home, he took a knife, grabbed his concubine, and carved her up into twelve pieces.#tn Heb “he carved her up by her bones into twelve pieces.” Then he sent the pieces throughout Israel.#tn Heb “and he sent her through all the territory of Israel.” 30 Everyone who saw the sight#tn The words “the sight” are supplied in the translation for clarification. said, “Nothing like this has happened or been witnessed during the entire time since#tn Heb “from the day.” the Israelites left the land of Egypt!#tc Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the (original) LXX has the following additional words: “And he instructed the men whom he sent out, ‘Thus you will say to every male Israelite: “There has never been anything like this from the day the Israelites left Egypt till the present day.”’” Take careful note of it! Discuss it and speak!”
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Judges 19: NET
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1996 - 2007 by Biblical Studies Press, LLC
Judges 19
19
1 In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a certain Levite living on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took for himself a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah. 2His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father’s house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there for four months. 3Her husband arose and went after her to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him and a couple of donkeys. She brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. 4His father-in-law, the young lady’s father, kept him there; and he stayed with him three days. So they ate and drank, and stayed there.
5 On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning, and he rose up to depart. The young lady’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.” 6So they sat down, ate, and drank, both of them together. Then the young lady’s father said to the man, “Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.” 7The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he stayed there again. 8He arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the young lady’s father said, “Please strengthen your heart and stay until the day declines;” and they both ate.
9 When the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the young lady’s father, said to him, “Behold, now the day draws toward evening, please stay all night. Behold, the day is ending. Stay here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow go on your way early, that you may go home.” 10But the man wouldn’t stay that night, but he rose up and went near Jebus (also called Jerusalem). With him were a couple of saddled donkeys. His concubine also was with him.
11 When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, “Please come and let’s enter into this city of the Jebusites, and stay in it.”
12 His master said to him, “We won’t enter into the city of a foreigner that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.” 13He said to his servant, “Come and let’s draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.” 14So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. 15They went over there, to go in to stay in Gibeah. He went in, and sat down in the street of the city; for there was no one who took them into his house to stay.
16 Behold, an old man came from his work out of the field at evening. Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he lived in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites. 17He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”
18 He said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem Judah to the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem Judah. I am going to the LORD’s house; and there is no one who has taken me into his house. 19Yet there is both straw and feed for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your servant, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything.”
20 The old man said, “Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but don’t sleep in the street.” 21So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder. Then they washed their feet, and ate and drank. 22As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain wicked fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we can have sex with 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; since this man has come into my house, don’t do this folly. 24Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. I will bring them out now. Humble them, and do with them what seems good to you; but to this man don’t do any such folly.”
25 But the men wouldn’t listen to him; so the man grabbed his concubine, and brought her out to them; and they had sex with her, and abused her all night until the morning. When the day began to dawn, they let her go. 26Then the woman came in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord was, until it was light. 27Her lord rose up in the morning and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way; and behold, the woman his concubine had fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.
28 He said to her, “Get up, and let’s get going!” but no one answered. Then he took her up on the donkey; and the man rose up, and went to his place.
29 When he had come into his house, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel. 30It was so, that all who saw it said, “Such a deed has not been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day! Consider it, take counsel, and speak.”
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