Judges 19.1-30 tells us about a tragic story about a Levite staying in Ephraim and took a concubine from Bethlehem; how she played the harlot and went back to her father’s house; the Levite followed back and then returning to his own country; their lodging with an old man in GIbeah; wicked men approach the house intent on sodomy like with Lot on Gen 19; the concubine is brought out instead and they abuse her to death; the Levite cuts her into twelve pieces and sent them all over Israel, shocking the nation; the spiritual lesson in this chapter is the error/evil of going beyond the written word of God.
v 1…Now it came about in those days when there was no king in Israel (no supreme magistrate or ruler and wickedness was being committed with no fear), that there was a certain Levite (he is a picture of a genuine believer) staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim (not a Levitical city because he was only a sojourner in it), who took a concubine for himself (a type of walking is disobedience) from Bethlehem (house of bread, a type of the written word) in Judah (praise).
v 2…But his concubine played the harlot against him (unfaithful, broke the covenant), and she went away from him to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah, and was there days-four months (the number of testing).
v 3…Then her husband arose and went after her to speak tenderly to her in order to bring her back, taking with him his servant and a pair of donkeys (one for her and the other for provisions; donkeys symbolize the old nature). SO she brought him into her father’s house and when the girl’s father saw him, he was glad to meet him (Satan is always glad when we don’t follow the Lord).
v 4…And his father-in-law, the girl’s father, detained him; and he remained with him three days (Satan tries to hold on). So they ate and drank and lodged there.
v 5…Now it came about on the fourth day (testing) that they got up early on the morning, and he prepared to go; and the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Sustain yourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go (we will be tested to leave our bondage).”
v 6…So both of them sat down and ate and drank together (eating alludes to satisfaction, and drinking pleasure); and the girl’s father said to the man, “Please be willing to spend the night, and let your heart be merry.”
v 7…Then the man arose to go, but his father-in-law urged him so that he spent the night there again.
v 8…And on the fifth day (the number of responsibility) he arose to go early in the morning, and the girl’s father said, “Please sustain yourself (excess hospitality), and wait until afternoon.” So both of them ate.
v 9…When the man arose to go, along with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Behold now , the day has drawn to a close; please spend the night. Lo, the day is coming to an end; spend the night here, that your heart may be merry. Then tomorrow you may arise early for your journey so that you may go home.”
v 10…But the man was not willing to spend the night, so he arose and departed and came to a place opposite Jebus (trodden down), that is, Jerusalem (the place of God is trodden down when we disobey-Heb 10.29). And there with him a pair of saddled donkeys, his concubine also was with him (the Levite should not have even been there, and taking the concubine is a type of going beyond the Scriptures).
v 11…When they were near Jebus, the day was almost gone (the time of grace is running out); and the servant said to his master, “Please come, and let us turn aside into the city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.”
v 12…However, his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners who are not of the sons of Israel, but we will go as far as Gibeah (little hill).”
v 13…And he said to his servant, “Come and let us approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah (height).”
v 14…So they passed along and went their way, and the sun set on them near Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin.
v 15…And they turned aside there in order to enter and lodge in Gibeah. When they entered, they sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his home to spend the night (nobody cared).
v 16…Then behold, and old man was coming out of the field from work at evening (he represents the believing minority coming home after faithful service in the world). Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim and he was staying in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjaminites.
v 17…And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from (he shows concern)?”
v 18…And he said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem (house of bread/the written word) to Ephraim (fruitfulness of evil works in an evil sense) to the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, for I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to the house of the Lord (in Hebrew it is “beit Yehovah” meaning he was going to the Mishkan in Shiloh to offer korbanot for safety and reconciliation with his wife), and no man will take me into his house.
v 19…Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, your maidservant, and the young man who is with your servants, there is no lack of anything (he had brought these).”
v 20…And the old man said, “Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the square.”
v 21…So he took him into his house and gave the donkeys fodder, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.
v 22…While they were making merry , behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows (sons of Belial) surrounded the house, pounding the door, and they spo0ke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him (similar to Lot Gen 19 and Luke 17.28-29).”
v 23…Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly, since this man has come into my house (the law of hospitality), do not not commit this act of folly.
v 24…Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.”
v 25…But the men would not listen to him, so the men (Levite) seized his concubine and brought her out to them. And they raped her and abused her all night until morning, then let go at the approach of dawn (works of darkness cannot bear the light of God’s word).
v 26…As the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man’s house where her master was until full daylight.
v 27…When her master arose in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, then behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold.
v 28…And he (Levite) said to her, “Get up and let us go.” But there was no answer (she was dead). Then he placed her on his donkey, and the man arose and went to his home.
v 29…And when he entered his house, he took a knife and laid hold of his concubine and cut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel (there were no courts in Israel to appeal to for justice).
v 30..And it came about that all who saw it said, “Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, take counsel and speak up (think about what should be done and give your opinions and act; this is what happens when men forget the Torah and forsake the Lord, very type of sin and depravity, horrors and immorality is unleashed because there is no fear of Yehovah. None of this would have happened if the Levite fulfilled his role at the Mishkan as described in the Torah and he did not take on a concubine outside of what the word of God has said)!”
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