King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that [is] not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
Complete Jewish Bible:
But his master said to him, "We won't go into a city of foreigners which doesn't belong to the people of Isra'el. We'll go on across to Giv'ah."
Berean Standard Bible:
But his master replied, “We will not turn aside to the city of foreigners, where there are no Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.”
American Standard Version:
And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside into the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And his master{H113} said{H559} unto him, We will not turn aside{H5493} hither into the city{H5892} of a stranger{H5237}, that is not of the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478}; we will pass over{H5674} to Gibeah{H1390}.
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Judges 19:12
Judges 19:12 is part of a larger narrative in the book of Judges that recounts a tragic and disturbing story often referred to as the "Concubine at Gibeah." The verse itself is a brief exchange between a Levite and his servant as they journey through the territory of Benjamin. In this context, the Levite, who is traveling with his concubine, decides against seeking hospitality in a nearby city because its inhabitants are not Israelites. Instead, he chooses to continue to Gibeah, which is a city within his own tribe of Israel.
The historical context of this verse is set during a period in Israel's history when there was no king, and "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). This lack of central authority contributed to a societal breakdown, where the moral and ethical codes that were to govern the Israelites were often ignored or perverted.
The themes present in this verse and the surrounding narrative include the breakdown of social order, hospitality (or the lack thereof), and the treatment of outsiders. The Levite's decision to bypass a non-Israelite city in favor of an Israelite one reflects the cultural and ethnic divisions of the time, as well as a sense of tribal loyalty and perhaps a misplaced trust in the moral integrity of his fellow Israelites. Unfortunately, the story takes a dark turn as the travelers encounter violence and depravity in Gibeah, leading to a series of events that culminate in civil war and the near-extinction of the tribe of Benjamin.
This verse sets the stage for a powerful indictment of the moral state of Israel during the time of the judges, highlighting the consequences of societal decay and the failure to uphold the law and protect the vulnerable. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of righteous leadership and the rule of law in maintaining a just and orderly society.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H113
There are 337 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָדוֹן
Transliteration: ʼâdôwn
Pronunciation: aw-done'
Description: or (shortened) אָדֹן; from an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine); lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H5493
There are 283 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סוּר
Transliteration: çûwr
Pronunciation: soor
Description: or שׂוּר; (Hosea 9:12), a primitive root; to turn off (literal or figurative); be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), [idiom] grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, [idiom] be sour, take (away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without. - Strong's Number: H5892
There are 937 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עִיר
Transliteration: ʻîyr
Pronunciation: eer
Description: or (in the plural) עָר; or עָיַר; (Judges 10:4), from עוּר; a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post); Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town. - Strong's Number: H5237
There are 45 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נׇכְרִי
Transliteration: nokrîy
Pronunciation: nok-ree'
Description: from נֶכֶר (second form); strange, in a variety of degrees and applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous, different, wonderful); alien, foreigner, outlandish, strange(-r, woman). - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H5674
There are 493 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָבַר
Transliteration: ʻâbar
Pronunciation: aw-bar'
Description: a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation); alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) [phrase] proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, [phrase] raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, [phrase] shave, cause to (make) sound, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath. - Strong's Number: H1390
There are 43 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גִּבְעָה
Transliteration: Gibʻâh
Pronunciation: ghib-aw'
Description: the same as גִּבְעָה; Gibah; the name of three places in Palestine; Gibeah, the hill.