TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
World English Bible Messianic
His master said to him, “We won’t turn aside into the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
And his master answered him, We will not turne into the citie of strangers that are not of the children of Israel, but we will goe forth to Gibeah.
Young's Literal Translation
And his lord saith unto him, `Let us not turn aside unto the city of a stranger, that is not of the sons of Israel, thither, but we have passed over unto Gibeah.'
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Commentary on Judges 19 verses 1–15
1 ¶ And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.
2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.
3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4 And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.
6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.
11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
12 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.
13 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
15 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.
The domestic affairs of this Levite would not have been related thus largely but to make way for the following story of the injuries done him, in which the whole nation interested themselves. Bishop Hall's first remark upon this story is, That there is no complain of a public ordered state but there is a Levite at one end of it, either as an agent or as a patient. In Micah's idolatry a Levite was active; in the wickedness of Gibeah a Levite was passive; no tribe shall sooner feel the want of government than that of Levi; and, in all the book of Judges, no mention is made of any of that tribe, but of these two. This Levite was of Mount Ephraim, Jdg 19:1. He married a wife of Bethlehem-Judah. She is called his concubine, because she was not endowed, for perhaps he had nothing to endow her with, being himself a sojourner and not settled; but it does not appear that he had any other wife, and the margin calls her a wife, a concubine, Jdg 19:1. She came from the same city that Micah's Levite came from, as if Bethlehem-Judah owed a double ill turn to Mount Ephraim, for she was as bad for a Levite's wife as the other for a Levite.
I. This Levite's concubine played the whore and eloped from her husband, Jdg 19:2. The Chaldee reads it only that she carried herself insolently to him, or despised him, and, he being displeased at it, she went away from him, and (which was not fair) was received and entertained at her father's house. Had her husband turned her out of doors unjustly, her father ought to have pitied her affliction; but, when she treacherously departed from her husband to embrace the bosom of a stranger, her father ought not to have countenanced her sin. Perhaps she would not have violated her duty to her husband if she had not known too well where she should be kindly received. Children's ruin is often owing very much to parents' indulgence.
II. The Levite went himself to court her return. It was a sign there was no king, no judge, in Israel, else she would have been prosecuted and put to death as an adulteress; but, instead of that, she is addressed in the kindest manner by her injured husband, who takes a long journey on purpose to beseech her to be reconciled, Jdg 19:3. If he had put her away, it would have been a crime in him to return to her again, Jer 3:1. But, she having gone away, it was a virtue in him to forgive the offence, and, though the party wronged, to make the first motion to her to be friends again. It is part of the character of the wisdom from above that it is gentle and easy to be entreated. He spoke friendly to her, or comfortably (for so the Hebrew phrase of speaking to the heart commonly signifies), which intimates that she was in sorrow, penitent fore what she had done amiss, which probably he heard of when he came to fetch her back. Thus God promises concerning adulterous Israel (Hos 2:14), I will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her.
III. Her father made him very welcome, and, by his extraordinary kindness to him, endeavoured to atone for the countenance he had given his daughter in withdrawing from him, and to confirm him in his disposition to be reconciled to her. 1. He entertains him kindly, rejoices to see him (Jer 3:3), treats him generously for three days, Jdg 19:4. And the Levite, to show that he was perfectly reconciled, accepted his kindness, and we do not find that he upbraided him or his daughter with what had been amiss, but was as easy and as pleasant as at his first wedding-feast. It becomes all, but especially Levites, to forgive as God does. Every thing among them gave a hopeful prospect of their living comfortably together for the future; but, could they have foreseen what befel them within one day or two, how would all their mirth have been embittered and turned into mourning! When the affairs of our families are in the best posture we ought to rejoice with trembling, because we know not what troubles one day may bring forth. We cannot foresee what evil is near us, but we ought to consider what may be, that we may not be secure, as if tomorrow must needs be as this day and much more abundant, Isa 56:12. 2. He is very earnest for his stay, as a further demonstration of his hearty welcome. The affection he had for him, and the pleasure he took in his company, proceeded, (1.) From a civil regard to him as his son-in-law and an ingrafted branch of his own house. Note, Love and duty are due to those to whom we are related by marriage as well as to those who are bone of our bone: and those that show kindness as this Levite did may expect to receive kindness as he did. And, (2.) From a pious respect to him as a Levite, a servant of God's house; if he was such a Levite as he should be (and nothing appears to the contrary) he is to be commended for courting his stay, finding his conversation profitable, and having opportunity to learn from him the good knowledge of the Lord, hoping also that the Lord will do him good because he has a Levite to be his son-in-law, and will bless him for his sake. [1.] He forces him to stay the fourth day, and this was kind; not knowing when they might be together again, he engages him to stay as long as he possibly could. The Levite, though nobly treated, was very urgent to be gone. A good man's heart is where his business is; for as a bird that wanders from her nest so is the man that wanders form his place. It is a sign a man has either little to do at home, or little heart to do what he has to do, when he can take pleasure in being long abroad where he has nothing to do. It is especially good to see a Levite willing to go home to his few sheep in the wilderness. Yet this Levite was overcome by importunity and kind persuasion to stay longer than he intended, Jdg 19:5-7. We ought to avoid the extreme of an over-easy yielding, to the neglect of our duty on the one hand, and that of moroseness and wilfulness, to the neglect of our friends and their kindness on the other hand. Our Saviour, after his resurrection, was prevailed upon to stay with his friends longer than he at first intimated to be his purpose, Luk 24:28, Luk 24:29. [2.] He forces him to stay till the afternoon of the fifth day, and this, as it proved, was unkind, Jdg 19:8, Jdg 19:9. He would by no means let him go before dinner, promises him he shall have dinner early, designing thereby, as he had done the day before, to detain him another night; but the Levite was intent on the house of the Lord at Shiloh (Jdg 19:18), and, being impatient to get thither, would stay no longer. Had they set out early, they might have reached some better lodging-place than that which they were now constrained to take up with, nay, they might have got to Shiloh. Note, Our friends' designed kindnesses often prove, in the event, real injuries; what is meant for our welfare becomes a trap. Who knows what is good for a man in this life? The Levite was unwise in setting out so late; he might have got home better if he had staid a night longer and taken the day before him.
IV. In his return home he was forced to lodge at Gibeah, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, afterwards called Gibeah of Saul, which lay on his road towards Shiloh and Mount Ephraim. When it drew towards night, and the shadows of the evening were stretched out, they began to think (as it behoves us to do when we observe the day of our life hastening towards a period) where they must lodge. When night came they could not pursue their journey. He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goes. They could not but desire rest, for which the night was intended, as the day for labour. 1. The servant proposed that they should lodge in Jebus, afterwards Jerusalem, but as yet in the possession of Jebusites. "Come," said the servant, "let us lodge in this city of the Jebusites," Jdg 19:11. And, if they had done so, it is probable they would have had much better usage than they met with in Gibeah of Benjamin. Debauched and profligate Israelites are worse and much more dangerous than Canaanites themselves. But the master, as became one of God's tribe, would by no means quarter, no, not one night, in a city of strangers (Jdg 19:12), not because he questioned his safety among them, but he was not willing, if he could possibly avoid it, to have so much intimacy and familiarity with them as a night's lodging came to, nor to be so much beholden to them. By shunning this place he would witness against the wickedness of those that contracted friendship and familiarity with these devoted nations. Let Israelites, Levites especially, associate with Israelites, and not with the sons of the stranger. 2. Having passed by Jebus, which was about five or six miles from Bethlehem (the place whence they came), and not having daylight to bring them to Ramah, they stopped at Gibeah (Jdg 19:13-15); there they sat down in the street, nobody offering them a lodging. In these countries, at that time, there were no inns, or public-houses, in which, as with us, travellers might have entertainment for their money, but they carried entertainment along with them, as this Levite did (Jdg 19:19), and depended upon the courtesy and hospitality of the inhabitants for a lodging. Let us take occasion hence, when we are in journeys, to thank God for this, among other conveniences of travelling, that there are inns to entertain strangers, and in which they may be welcome and well accommodated for their money. Surely there is no country in the world wherein one may stay at home with more satisfaction, or go abroad with more comfort, than in our own nation. This traveller, though a Levite (and to those of that tribe God had particularly commanded his people to be kind upon all occasions), met with very cold entertainment at Gibeah: No man took them into his house. If they had any reason to think he was a Levite perhaps that made those ill-disposed people the more shy of him. There are those who will have this laid to their charge at the great day, I was a stranger and you took me not in.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–15. Public domain.
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Ambrose of MilanAD 397
On the Duties of the Clergy 3.19.113
When some little progress was made, though night was threatening to come on, and they were close by the town of the Jebusites, on the slave’s request that his lord should turn aside there, he refused, because it was not a city of the children of Israel. He meant to get as far as Gibeah, which was inhabited by the people of the tribe of Benjamin. But when they arrived there was no one to receive them with hospitality, except a stranger of advanced age—when he had looked upon them he asked the Levite, “Where are you going and from where have you come?” On his answering that he was traveling and was making for Mount Ephraim and that there was no one to take him in, the old man offered him hospitality and prepared a meal.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
LETTER 33
He set out on his journey in happy spirits because he had recovered his dearly beloved wife. One servant was with him, and as day was already declining they sped on their way with swift steps. The woman rode on an ass; her husband felt no weariness, taking joy in his desire and lightening his journey with talk at times with the woman, at times with the slave. When at length they neared Jerusalem, about thirty stades away, a place inhabited then by Jebusites, the servant boy suggested that they turn into the city, especially since night makes even safe places suspect and one must guard against the uncertainties of darkness, and particularly since the inhabitants of this locality were not of the children of Israel. They should beware lest treachery be done with hostile design, for the night’s darkness is opportune enough for any tricksters to perpetrate evil. But his master did not care for the servant’s idea of seeking lodging among foreigners, since Gaba [Gibeah] and Rama, cities of Benjamin, were not far distant. His strong will overrode the servant’s suggestion, as though advice takes its value from one’s condition [of birth] rather than that through advice a lowly condition may be raised. The sun was now setting and he agreed reluctantly to go into the city [Gibeah], for he was overtaken by evening. The Gabanites lived there, unfriendly, harsh, unbearable people, who could stand anything but to receive people hospitably. Indeed, it would have been much more suitable had the Levite not sought hospitality in Gaba [Gibeah]. That his treatment be utterly offensive, he found on entering the city that there was no inn. And when he sat on the road imploring the mercy of these strangers, an old man from the fields happened to stumble on him, for evening had compelled him to leave his work in the fields at night. Seeing him, he asked where he was from and where he was going. He answered, “I came from Bethlehem of Judah, I am going to Mount Ephrem, and my wife is here with me. But I have learned that there is no one here to give hospitality and provide us a chance to rest.” He needed no food or drink for himself nor food for his flock, but they had been refused the hospitality of shelter. They had everything; only a bare lodging was needed. To this the old man kindly and calmly said, “Peace to you! Come in as my guest and fellow citizen, for I am also from the region of Mount Ephrem, and here is a lodging place; someone who lived here a long time laid its foundations.” Having received them into his home, he attentively and carefully provided for his guests and entertained them.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Judges 19:12 records the Levite's fateful decision to bypass Jebus (ancient Jerusalem), a city inhabited by non-Israelites, in favor of seeking lodging in Gibeah, a city within the Israelite tribe of Benjamin. This choice, seemingly motivated by a desire for safety and hospitality among his own people, tragically sets the stage for one of the most horrific and morally depraved episodes in the book of Judges, profoundly exposing the deep-seated corruption and spiritual decay that had permeated Israel itself during a period marked by societal breakdown and a lack of central authority.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The most prominent literary device in Judges 19:12 is profound Irony. The Levite's decision, driven by a desire to avoid the perceived dangers of a foreign city and seek refuge among "his own people," leads him directly into an Israelite city (Gibeah) that proves to be far more morally corrupt and violent than any foreign city could have been. This tragic irony underscores a central theme of the book of Judges: the internal decay and spiritual bankruptcy of Israel. The passage also employs Foreshadowing, as the seemingly innocuous choice to go to Gibeah ominously points to the horrific events of gang rape and murder that will unfold there, setting the stage for the devastating civil war. Furthermore, there is a stark Contrast between the expected safety and hospitality of an Israelite city, based on covenant identity, and the brutal reality of the depravity found within Gibeah, highlighting the profound disparity between Israel's calling and its actual moral state.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 19:12 stands as a chilling indictment of Israel's spiritual decline during the period of the Judges. The Levite's choice, driven by a superficial adherence to national identity and a misplaced sense of security, tragically exposes the profound moral rot that had festered within the covenant community. It reveals that outward affiliation with God's chosen people does not guarantee spiritual integrity or safety; indeed, internal corruption can be far more destructive than any external threat. This passage powerfully challenges the notion that mere religious or communal identity can substitute for genuine righteousness and vigilant adherence to God's moral law. The "children of Israel" in Gibeah acted in a manner more depraved than the surrounding nations, demonstrating how far they had fallen from their divine calling to be a holy nation set apart for God's purposes.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Judges 19:12 serves as a profound and sobering warning that true spiritual safety, integrity, and flourishing are not guaranteed by mere association with a religious group or community. The Levite's fatal miscalculation reminds us that appearances can be deeply deceiving, and a superficial sense of security based solely on outward affiliation can lead to devastating and unforeseen consequences. This passage challenges us, as individuals and as communities of faith, to look beyond labels and diligently discern the true character and spiritual health of any group, including our own churches or fellowships. It prompts us to recognize that moral decay and spiritual compromise can tragically fester even within those who claim to be "children of God" or followers of Christ. Our ultimate security and righteousness must stem from a genuine, internal transformation of the heart and a vigilant, active commitment to God's holy ways, rather than a complacent reliance on our communal identity or inherited traditions. We are called to be discerning, to cultivate true holiness, and to actively resist compromise and unrighteousness within our own lives and the communities we inhabit, striving always for authentic faith over mere outward conformity.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was the Levite so insistent on avoiding a "city of a stranger" like Jebus?
Answer: The Levite's insistence on avoiding a "city of a stranger" was deeply rooted in the Mosaic Law and the covenant identity of Israel. God had explicitly commanded His people to be distinct from the surrounding Canaanite nations, to avoid their idolatrous practices, to refrain from intermarriage, and to dispossess them from the promised land (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:1-6). The Levite's decision reflects a desire to adhere to this principle of separation, seeking refuge among "the children of Israel" where he expected safety, hospitality, and adherence to shared covenantal values. However, the tragic irony of the narrative is that this outward adherence to national identity proved superficial and ultimately misguided, as the internal moral decay within Israel (specifically in Gibeah) was far more dangerous and destructive than any perceived threat from a foreign city.
What is the significance of Gibeah in this narrative, and why is its choice so pivotal?
Answer: Gibeah, a city in the territory of Benjamin, becomes a profound and tragic symbol of Israel's moral and spiritual failure in this narrative. Its choice is pivotal because it represents the Levite's deliberate turning away from a foreign city in favor of an Israelite one, under the deeply flawed assumption of greater safety and righteousness. Instead, Gibeah proves to be a place of unspeakable depravity, where its inhabitants commit acts of gang rape and murder that chillingly echo the wickedness of Sodom (Genesis 19). This horrific event in Gibeah directly triggers a devastating civil war that nearly annihilates the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 20), highlighting the catastrophic consequences of Israel's internal corruption and its profound failure to live up to its covenantal calling as a holy nation.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Judges 19:12, with its tragic irony of seeking safety among "his own" only to encounter profound depravity, powerfully foreshadows the spiritual condition of Israel at the coming of Christ. Just as the Levite bypassed the "city of a stranger" for a people who had become morally bankrupt despite their covenant identity, so too did Christ "come to his own, and his own people did not receive him" (John 1:11). The superficial adherence to national identity and religious ritual, devoid of true righteousness of heart, had led to a spiritual "Gibeah" in Israel, where outward observance masked deep internal corruption. Jesus frequently condemned this pervasive hypocrisy, famously likening the religious leaders of His day to "whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness" (Matthew 23:27-28). Christ, the true King and perfect Israelite, came not to establish a kingdom based on mere ethnic or national affiliation, but one founded on genuine spiritual transformation and new birth. He defines true "children of Israel" not by physical descent but by faith and obedience, proclaiming that "a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code" (Romans 2:28-29). In Christ, the dividing wall between "stranger" and "Israelite" is broken down, creating a new people of God—the Church—where there is "neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). This new community is called to be a truly distinct people, a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession," whose identity, safety, and righteousness are found not in outward affiliation or human tradition, but in the indwelling Holy Spirit and the transformative power of the Lamb of God (1 Peter 2:9-10).