Focused Passage

Judges 19:1-3

Gibeah's Outrage: Covenant Hospitality Collapses into Horror

Judges 19 descends from attempted household reconciliation into national moral horror, showing that when there is no righteous covenant rule, Israelite society can become unsafe for the vulnerable, brutal toward women, and numb to the LORD's holy standards.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.

2But she was unfaithful to him and left him to return to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. After she had been there four months,

3her husband got up and went after her to speak kindly to her and bring her back, taking his servant and a pair of donkeys. So the girl brought him into her father’s house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Genesis 19BSB references Judges 17:6Classic cross-references Judges 18:1Classic cross-references Judges 21:25Classic cross-references Judges 17:8Classic cross-references Matthew 2:6Classic cross-references

Original words

Nowוַיְהִי֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin thoseהָהֵ֔םH1992Article | Pronoun - third person masculine pluraldaysבַּיָּמִ֣יםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralwhen there was noאֵ֣יןH369Adverbkingוּמֶ֖לֶךְH4428Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וַיְהִ֣י׀H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singulara Leviteלֵוִ֗יH3881Noun - proper - masculine singularwho livedגָּ֚רH1481Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularin the remoteבְּיַרְכְּתֵ֣יH3411Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual constructhill countryהַר־H2022Noun - masculine singular constructof Ephraimאֶפְרַ֔יִםH669Noun - proper - masculine singulartookוַיִּֽקַּֽח־H3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfor himselfלוֹ֙Preposition | third person masculine singularvvvאִשָּׁ֣הH802Noun - feminine singulara concubineפִילֶ֔גֶשׁH6370Noun - feminine singularvvvמִבֵּ֥יתH1035Prepositionfrom Bethlehemלֶ֖חֶםH1035Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singularin Judahיְהוּדָֽה׃H3063Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Ezekiel 16:28Classic cross-references Genesis 38:24Classic cross-references

Original words

But sheפִּֽילַגְשׁ֔וֹH6370Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularwas unfaithfulוַתִּזְנֶ֤הH2181Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularto himעָלָיו֙H5921Preposition | third person masculine singularand leftוַתֵּ֤לֶךְH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularhimמֵֽאִתּוֹ֙H854Preposition-m | Direct object marker | third person masculine singularto return toאֶל־H413Prepositionher father’sאָבִ֔יהָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularhouseבֵּ֣יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructinאֶל־H413Prepositionvvvבֵּ֥יתH1035PrepositionBethlehemלֶ֖חֶםH1035Noun - proper - feminine singularin Judahיְהוּדָ֑הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singularAfter she had beenוַתְּהִי־H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularthereשָׁ֕םH8033Adverb-יָמִ֖יםH3117Noun - masculine pluralfourאַרְבָּעָ֥הH702Number - masculine singularmonthsחֳדָשִֽׁים׃H2320Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

LXX became angry with him

Verse 3

Cross-references

Genesis 34:3Classic cross-references Genesis 50:21Classic cross-references John 8:11Classic cross-references Ruth 2:13Classic cross-references

Original words

her husbandאִישָׁ֜הּH376Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singulargot upוַיָּ֨קָםH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand wentוַיֵּ֣לֶךְH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularafter herאַחֲרֶ֗יהָH310Preposition | third person feminine singularto speakלְדַבֵּ֤רH1696Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructkindlyלִבָּהּ֙H3820Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularto herעַל־H5921Prepositionand bring her backלַהֲשִׁיבוֹH7725Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singulartaking his servantוְנַעֲר֥וֹH5288Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .עִמּ֖וֹH5973Preposition | third person masculine singularand a pairוְצֶ֣מֶדH6776Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof donkeysחֲמֹרִ֑יםH2543Noun - masculine pluralSo [the girl] brought himוַתְּבִיאֵ֙הוּ֙H935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singularinto her father’sאָבִ֔יהָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularhouseבֵּ֣יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructand when [her]הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔הH5291Article | Noun - feminine singularfatherאֲבִ֣יH1Noun - masculine singular constructsaw himוַיִּרְאֵ֙הוּ֙H7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularhe gladlyוַיִּשְׂמַ֖חH8055Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularwelcomed himלִקְרָאתֽוֹ׃H7122Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular

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