Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, by R.A. Torrey, [ca. 1880], at sacred-texts.com
Judges Chapter 19
Overview
Jdg 19:1, A Levite goes to Beth-lehem to fetch home his concubine; Jdg 19:16, An old man entertains him at Gibeah; Jdg 19:22, The Gibeonites abuse his concubine to death; Jdg 19:29, He divides her into twelve pieces, and sends them to the twelve tribes.
when there: Jdg 17:6, Jdg 18:1, Jdg 21:25
mount: Jdg 17:1, Jdg 17:8; Jos 24:30, Jos 24:33
a concubine: Heb. a woman or, a wife. Gen 22:24, Gen 25:6; Sa2 3:7, Sa2 5:13, Sa2 16:22, Sa2 19:5, Sa2 20:3; Kg1 11:3; Ch2 11:21; Est 2:14; Sol 6:8, Sol 6:9; Dan 5:3; Mal 2:15, Beth-lehem-judah, Jdg 17:8; Gen 35:19; Mat 2:6
played: Lev 21:9; Deu 22:21; Eze 16:28
four whole months: or, a year and four months, Heb. days, four months
went: Jdg 15:1
speak: Gen 50:21; Lev 19:17, Lev 20:10; Hos 2:14; Mat 1:19; Joh 8:4, Joh 8:5, Joh 8:11; Gal 6:1
friendly unto her: Heb. to her heart, Gen 34:3
to bring: Jer 3:1
his servant: Num 22:22
Comfort: Heb. Srengthen, Jdg 19:8; Gen 18:5; Sa1 14:27-29, Sa1 30:12; Kg1 13:7; Psa 104:15; Joh 4:34; Act 9:19
with a morsel: Jdg 19:22
let thine heart: Jdg 19:9, Jdg 19:21, Jdg 9:27, Jdg 16:25; Rut 3:7; Sa1 25:36; Est 1:10; Psa 104:15; Luk 12:19; Th1 5:3; Rev 11:10, Rev 11:13, until afternoon, Heb. till the day declined, Merely that they might avoid the heat of the day, which would have been very inconvenient in travelling.
the day: Luk 24:29
draweth: etc. Heb. is weak
the day groweth to an end: Heb. it is the pitching time of the day, Jer 6:4. That is, it was near the time in which travellers ordinarily pitched their tents, to take up their lodging for the night. In the latter part of the afternoon, eastern travellers begin to look out for a place for this purpose. So Dr. Shaw observes, "Our constant practice was to rise at break of day, set forward with the sun, and travel to the middle of the afternoon; at which time we began to look out for encampments of Arabs; who, to prevent such parties as ours from living at free charges upon them, take care to pitch in woods, valleys, or places the least conspicuous."
to morrow: Pro 27:1; Jam 4:13, Jam 4:14
home: Heb. to thy tent
over against: Heb. to over against
Jebus: Jdg 1:8; Jos 15:8, Jos 15:63, Jos 18:28; Sa2 5:6
the Jebusites: Jdg 19:10, Jdg 1:21; Gen 10:16; Jos 15:63; Sa2 5:6
Gibeah: Gibeah, a city of Benjamin, and the birth-place of Saul, was situated near Rama and Gibeon, according to Josephus, thirty furlongs north from Jerusalem; or, according to Jerome, about two leagues. Jdg 19:12
Gibeah: Jos 18:25, Jos 18:26, Jos 18:28; Sa1 10:26; Isa 10:29; Hos 5:8
no man: There was probably no inn, or house of public entertainment in this place; and therefore they could not have a lodging unless furnished by mere hospitality. But these Benjamites seem to have added to their other vices, avarice and inhospitality, like the inhabitants of Akoura in mount Lebanon, mentioned by Burckhardt. Jdg 19:18; Gen 18:2-8, Gen 19:2, Gen 19:3; Mat 25:35, Mat 25:43; Heb 13:2
his work: Gen 3:19; Psa 104:23, Psa 128:2; Pro 13:11, Pro 14:23, Pro 24:27; Ecc 1:13, Ecc 5:12; Eph 4:28; Th1 4:11, Th1 4:12; Th2 3:10
I am now: The LXX read, εις τον οικον μου εγω πορευομαι· "I am going to my own house;" which is probably the true reading, as we find (Jdg 19:29) that he really went home; yet he might have gone previously to Shiloh, or to "the house of the Lord," because that was also in mount Ephraim.
the house: Jdg 18:31, Jdg 20:18; Jos 18:1; Sa1 1:3, Sa1 1:7
receiveth: Heb. gathereth, Jdg 19:5; Psa 26:9; Joh 15:6
straw and provender: In those countries principally devoted to pasturage, they made little or no hay, but as they raised corn, they took great care of their straw for cattle, which by their mode of threshing was chopped very small. See note on Gen 24:32.
Peace be: Jdg 6:23; Gen 43:23, Gen 43:24; Sa1 25:6; Ch1 12:18; Luk 10:5, Luk 10:6; Joh 14:27; Co1 1:3
let all thy wants: Here was genuine hospitality: "Keep your bread and wine for yourselves, and your straw and provender for your asses; you may need them before you finish your journey: I will supply all your wants for this night; only do not lodge in the street." Rom 12:13; Gal 6:6; Heb 13:2; Jam 2:15, Jam 2:16; Pe1 4:9; Jo1 3:18
lodge not: Gen 19:2, Gen 19:3, Gen 24:31-33
So he brought: Gen 24:32, Gen 43:24
they washed: Gen 18:4; Sa1 25:41; Sa2 11:8; Luk 7:44; Joh 13:4, Joh 13:5, Joh 13:14, Joh 13:15; Ti1 5:10
they were: Jdg 19:6, Jdg 19:7, Jdg 16:25
the men: Jdg 20:5; Gen 19:4; Hos 9:9, Hos 10:9
sons of Belial: Deu 13:13; Sa1 1:16, Sa1 2:12, Sa1 10:27, Sa1 25:25; Sa2 23:6, Sa2 23:7; Co2 6:15
Bring forth: Gen 19:5; Rom 1:26, Rom 1:27; Co1 6:9; Jde 1:7
do not this folly: Jdg 20:6; Gen 34:7; Jos 7:15; Sa2 13:12
Behold: The rites of hospitality are regarded as sacred and inviolable in the East, and a man who has admitted a stranger under his roof, is bound to protect him even at the expense of his life. On these high notions only, the influence of which an Asiatic mind alone can appreciate, can the present transaction be either excused or palliated.
humble ye: Gen 34:2 *marg. Deu 21:14
so vile a thing: Heb. the matter of this folly
knew her: Gen 4:1
and abused: Jer 5:7, Jer 5:8; Hos 7:4-7, Hos 9:9, Hos 10:9; Eph 4:19
her lord was: Jdg 19:3, Jdg 19:27; Gen 18:12; Pe1 3:6
divided her: It is probable, that with the pieces he sent to each tribe a circumstantial account of the barbarity of the men of Gibeah; and that they considered each of the pieces as expressing an execration. That a similar custom prevailed in ancient times is evident from Sa1 11:7. It had an inhuman appearance, thus to mangle the corpse of this unhappy woman; but it was intended to excite a keener resentment against so horrible a crime, which called for a punishment proportionally severe. Jdg 20:6, Jdg 20:7; Rom 10:2
with her bones: Deu 21:22, Deu 21:23
consider: Jdg 20:7; Pro 11:14, Pro 13:10, Pro 15:22, Pro 20:18, Pro 24:6