Focused Passage

Judges 19:15-18

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

15They stopped to go in and lodge in Gibeah. The Levite went in and sat down in the city square, but no one would take them into his home for the night.

16That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was residing in Gibeah (the men of that place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the field.

17When he looked up and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going, and where have you come from?”

18The Levite replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote hill country of Ephraim, where I am from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and now I am going to the house of the LORD; but no one has taken me into his home,

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Cross-references

Hebrews 13:2Classic cross-references Judges 19:18Classic cross-references Matthew 25:43Classic cross-references

Original words

They stoppedוַיָּסֻ֣רוּH5493Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .שָׁ֔םH8033Adverbto go inלָב֖וֹאH935Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructand lodgeלָל֣וּןH3885Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructin Gibeahבַּגִּבְעָ֑הH1390Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularThe Levite went inוַיָּבֹ֗אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand sat downוַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙H3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin the cityהָעִ֔ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularsquareבִּרְח֣וֹבH7339Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructbut noוְאֵ֥יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverboneאִ֛ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularwould takeמְאַסֵּֽף־H622Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularthemאוֹתָ֥םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralinto his homeהַבַּ֖יְתָהH1004Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularfor the nightלָלֽוּן׃H3885Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 16

Cross-references

Hosea 9:9Classic cross-references Judges 19:1Classic cross-references Matthew 10:11Classic cross-references Proverbs 14:23Classic cross-references Psalms 104:23Classic cross-references

Original words

-וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀H2009Conjunctive waw | InterjectionThat eveningבָּעֶ֔רֶבH6153Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularan oldזָקֵ֗ןH2205Adjective - masculine singularmanאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular-וְהָאִישׁ֙H376Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularfrom the hill countryמֵהַ֣רH2022Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof Ephraimאֶפְרַ֔יִםH669Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וְהוּא־H1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singularwho was residingגָ֖רH1481Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularin Gibeahבַּגִּבְעָ֑הH1390Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularthe menוְאַנְשֵׁ֥יH582Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructof that placeהַמָּק֖וֹםH4725Article | Noun - masculine singularvvvבְּנֵ֥יH1145Noun - masculine plural constructwere Benjamitesיְמִינִֽי׃H1145Noun - proper - masculine singularcame inבָּ֣אH935Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularfromמִֽן־H4480Prepositionhis workמַעֲשֵׂ֤הוּH4639Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularinמִן־H4480Prepositionthe fieldהַשָּׂדֶה֙H7704Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

Genesis 16:8Classic cross-references Genesis 32:17Classic cross-references

Original words

When he looked upוַיִּשָּׂ֣אH5375Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .עֵינָ֗יוH5869Noun - cdc | third person masculine singularand sawוַיַּ֛רְאH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markervvvהָאִ֥ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singularthe travelerהָאֹרֵ֖חַH732Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularin the cityהָעִ֑ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularsquareבִּרְחֹ֣בH7339Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructthe oldהַזָּקֵ֛ןH2205Article | Adjective - masculine singularmanהָאִ֧ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singularaskedוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularWhereאָ֥נָהH575Interrogativeare you goingתֵלֵ֖ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularand whereוּמֵאַ֥יִןH370Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Adverbhave you come fromתָּבֽוֹא׃H935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

Judges 18:31Classic cross-references John 15:6Classic cross-references Joshua 18:1Classic cross-references Judges 19:15Classic cross-references Judges 20:18Classic cross-references

Original words

[The Levite] repliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֵלָ֗יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularWe areאֲנַ֜חְנוּH587Pronoun - first person common pluraltravelingעֹבְרִ֨יםH5674Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralvvvמִבֵּֽית־H1035Prepositionfrom Bethlehemלֶ֣חֶםH1035Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singularin Judahיְהוּדָה֮H3063Noun - proper - masculine singulartoעַד־H5704Prepositionthe remoteיַרְכְּתֵ֣יH3411Noun - feminine dual constructhill countryהַר־H2022Noun - masculine singular constructof Ephraimאֶפְרַיִם֒H669Noun - proper - masculine singularwhereמִשָּׁ֣םH8033Preposition-m | AdverbI am fromאָנֹ֔כִיH595Pronoun - first person common singularI wentוָאֵלֵ֕ךְH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singulartoעַד־H5704Prepositionvvvבֵּ֥יתH1035PrepositionBethlehemלֶ֖חֶםH1035Noun - proper - feminine singularin Judahיְהוּדָ֑הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand now I amאֲנִ֣יH589Pronoun - first person common singulargoingהֹלֵ֔ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularto the houseבֵּ֤יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularbut noוְאֵ֣יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverboneאִ֔ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularhas takenמְאַסֵּ֥ףH622Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularmeאוֹתִ֖יH853Direct object marker | first person common singularinto his homeהַבָּֽיְתָה׃H1004Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

LXX I am going to my home; see verse 29.

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