Judges 19:29

KJV

And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, [together] with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.

KJV (with Strong's)

And when he was come {H935} into his house {H1004}, he took {H3947} a knife {H3979}, and laid hold {H2388} on his concubine {H6370}, and divided {H5408} her, together with her bones {H6106}, into twelve {H8147}{H6240} pieces {H5409}, and sent {H7971} her into all the coasts {H1366} of Israel {H3478}.

Complete Jewish Bible

On arrival at his house, he got a knife, took hold of his concubine's body, cut her up into twelve pieces, and sent them to all the regions of Isra'el.

Berean Standard Bible

When he reached his house, he picked up a knife, took hold of his concubine, cut her limb by limb into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel.

American Standard Version

And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Judges 19:29 depicts one of the most horrifying and shocking acts in the biblical narrative: the Levite's dismemberment of his deceased concubine into twelve pieces, which he then sends throughout the tribes of Israel. This extreme and desperate measure, following her brutal gang-rape and death in Gibeah, serves as a visceral and undeniable indictment of the profound moral decay and societal breakdown prevalent in Israel during the chaotic period of the Judges, acting as a desperate, symbolic appeal for national outrage and justice against the perpetrators.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Judges 19:29 stands as the horrific culmination of a deeply disturbing narrative that begins with a Levite and his concubine journeying through the land, seeking lodging in the Benjamite city of Gibeah. Instead of receiving the expected hospitality, the Levite and his concubine are subjected to an attempted gang-rape, which culminates in the concubine being brutally raped and left for dead by the men of Gibeah ([Judges 19:22-28](/judges/19-22 "Judges 19:22-28 - The Outrage in Gibeah")). The Levite's subsequent act of dismemberment is not merely an act of vengeance but a desperate, shocking, and culturally understood appeal for national attention and justice, immediately preceding the assembly of Israel and the subsequent civil war against the tribe of Benjamin in [Judges 20](/judges/20 "Judges 20 - The War Against Benjamin")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** This event unfolds during the chaotic and morally bankrupt era of the Judges, a period famously characterized by the repeated refrain that "in those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes" ([Judges 17:6](/judges/17-6 "Judges 17:6 - No King in Israel") and [Judges 21:25](/judges/21-25 "Judges 21:25 - Moral Anarchy")). The act of dismembering a body and sending its parts was a rare but potent ancient Near Eastern practice, serving as a solemn oath or a call to arms, demanding immediate and unified action from a dispersed populace. A notable parallel, though less gruesome, is Saul's dismemberment of oxen to rally the tribes against Nahash the Ammonite in [1 Samuel 11:7](/1_samuel/11-7 "1 Samuel 11:7 - Saul's Call to Arms")). The Levite's act leveraged this cultural understanding to communicate the unparalleled atrocity committed in Gibeah and to galvanize the tribes into a collective response.
* **Key Themes:** Judges 19:29 powerfully encapsulates several key themes prevalent throughout the book of Judges. It vividly portrays the depths of human depravity and the horrifying consequences when divine law and moral restraints are abandoned, underscoring the severity of the initial crime committed against the concubine. The Levite's extreme action highlights the complete breakdown of justice and order in Israel, where traditional legal mechanisms were evidently insufficient or ignored, necessitating such a barbaric appeal. Ultimately, this verse serves as a stark illustration of the societal chaos and spiritual decline that resulted from Israel's abandonment of God's covenant and the absence of righteous leadership, setting the stage for the desperate search for a king who could bring order and justice, as foreshadowed in the book's concluding verses.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **divided (Hebrew, _nāthaḥ'_):** This verb signifies a forceful and complete severing or dismemberment, often used in the context of butchering animals for sacrifice or consumption. Its application here to a human body underscores the extreme and brutal nature of the act, emphasizing the thoroughness with which the Levite carried out the dissection. It conveys a sense of deliberate, calculated violence, intended to produce maximum impact.
* **bones (Hebrew, _‘eṣem'_):** The inclusion of "bones" highlights the utter completeness of the dismemberment. It implies that the body was not merely cut into pieces of flesh, but that the very skeletal structure was broken apart. This detail intensifies the horror and gruesomeness of the act, ensuring that the message conveyed by the scattered pieces was one of absolute destruction and desecration, leaving no doubt as to the severity of the outrage.
* **coasts (Hebrew, _gěbûl'_):** While translated "coasts," this Hebrew term more broadly refers to the "borders," "territories," or "districts" of a land or people. In this context, it emphasizes that the pieces were sent to the extremities of Israelite territory, ensuring that every tribe received a part and thus the message. It signifies a national, rather than merely local, appeal, demanding a collective response from all the scattered tribes.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And when he was come into his house":** This phrase marks a transition from the public horror of the concubine's death at the city gate to the private, deliberate space of the Levite's dwelling. It highlights the calculated nature of his subsequent action, performed not in a moment of public rage but in the solitude of his home, allowing for the meticulous execution of his plan.
* **"he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine":** This describes the Levite's direct and intentional engagement with the deceased body. The act of "laying hold" implies a firm grasp, indicating a purposeful and controlled action rather than a spontaneous outburst. The "knife" is the instrument of his horrifying deed, underscoring the premeditation involved.
* **"and divided her, [together] with her bones, into twelve pieces":** This is the core of the verse's shock. The dismemberment is explicitly stated to include "her bones," emphasizing the thoroughness and brutality. The number "twelve" is highly symbolic, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Each piece was intended for a different tribal territory, transforming the concubine's desecrated body into a powerful, silent, yet screaming indictment of the national moral decay and a direct summons to action.
* **"and sent her into all the coasts of Israel":** This final clause reveals the Levite's strategic intent. The distribution of the pieces throughout the tribal territories was a desperate, ancient form of communication, a call to arms or a solemn appeal for justice that bypassed conventional means. It was designed to provoke maximum shock, outrage, and a unified response from a fragmented and morally compromised nation.

#### Literary Devices
The narrative of Judges 19:29 employs several potent **Literary Devices** to convey its horrifying message and evoke a strong response. The most striking is **Symbolism**, where the concubine's dismembered body, divided into twelve pieces, becomes a grotesque symbol of Israel itself—broken, defiled, and fragmented by its own moral depravity. Each piece sent to a tribe serves as a direct, visceral indictment of their collective abandonment of God's law and their failure to uphold justice. The extreme nature of the act can also be seen as **Hyperbole**, an intentional exaggeration designed to shock the reader and the ancient Israelite audience into recognizing the unparalleled depth of the wickedness committed in Gibeah and the desperate state of the nation. Furthermore, the passage utilizes **Pathos**, appealing powerfully to the emotions of horror, disgust, and outrage, forcing the audience to confront the grim reality of unchecked sin. Finally, the Levite's act serves as a chilling **Foreshadowing**, directly precipitating the civil war described in [Judges 20](/judges/20 "Judges 20 - The War Against Benjamin"), thus signaling the escalating violence and chaos that will engulf Israel as a direct consequence of their moral decline.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 19:29, in its shocking brutality, serves as a profound theological statement on the depths of human depravity when a society abandons divine law and moral accountability. It underscores the catastrophic consequences of the "every man did what was right in his own eyes" ethos that characterized the period of the Judges. The Levite's act, while horrifying, was a desperate attempt to appeal to a broken sense of justice, highlighting the absence of effective leadership and adherence to God's covenant. Theologically, it poses a stark question about the nature of justice, the horror of unchecked sin, and the desperate need for a righteous standard. It reveals how far Israel had fallen from its covenant obligations, demonstrating that the rejection of God's commands leads not merely to individual sin but to widespread societal corruption and unspeakable acts of violence.

* [Deuteronomy 21:22-23](/deuteronomy/21-22 "Deuteronomy 21:22-23 - Cursed on a Tree")
* [Hosea 10:9](/hosea/10-9 "Hosea 10:9 - From the Days of Gibeah")
* [Romans 1:28-32](/romans/1-28 "Romans 1:28-32 - God's Judgment on Depravity")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the events of Judges 19:29 are undeniably horrific and difficult to reconcile with a loving God, they offer sobering and vital lessons for contemporary reflection and application. This passage serves as a stark warning against the dangers of moral relativism and the societal decay that inevitably ensues when a community abandons objective moral standards rooted in divine truth. The Levite's desperate act, born out of profound injustice, illustrates the terrifying ripple effect of unchecked sin: one act of depravity in Gibeah led to a national call to arms, a devastating civil war, and immense suffering. It compels us to consider the crucial role of righteous leadership, both spiritual and civic, in maintaining order, enforcing justice, and guiding a people towards God's ways. Ultimately, Judges 19:29 is a grim reminder of humanity's capacity for evil when separated from divine guidance and the devastating consequences of societal moral collapse, urging us to cling to God's unchanging standards of righteousness and justice.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the narrative of Judges 19:29 illustrate the ultimate consequences of a society that has abandoned God's moral law and leadership?**
* **In what ways might our contemporary society exhibit tendencies toward "doing what is right in one's own eyes," and what potential dangers does this pose?**
* **How can individual believers and the Church collectively stand as beacons of justice and moral truth in a world that often struggles with objective standards?**

### FAQ
**Was the Levite's act of dismembering his concubine justified or commanded by God?**

Answer: No, the Levite's act was neither justified nor commanded by God. Instead, it was a desperate, horrifying, and culturally extreme measure born out of the profound moral depravity and breakdown of justice in Israel during the period of the Judges. The text does not endorse his action but rather presents it as a symptom of the chaotic and lawless state where "every man did what was right in his own eyes" ([Judges 21:25](/judges/21-25 "Judges 21:25 - Moral Anarchy")). His act, while shocking, was a last resort to communicate the unparalleled atrocity committed in Gibeah and to galvanize the fragmented tribes into a collective response, highlighting the absence of effective, righteous leadership or judicial systems.

**What was the symbolic significance of dividing the body into twelve pieces and sending them throughout Israel?**

Answer: The division of the concubine's body into twelve pieces was highly symbolic, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. By sending a piece to each tribal territory, the Levite was issuing a visceral, undeniable, and urgent summons to the entire nation. This act was a desperate call to arms, designed to shock the tribes into recognizing the horrific injustice committed against his concubine and, by extension, against the moral fabric of Israel itself. It was a powerful, ancient form of communication, demanding a unified response and accountability for the wickedness that had transpired in Gibeah, much like Saul's later act with the oxen to rally Israel against Nahash ([1 Samuel 11:7](/1_samuel/11-7 "1 Samuel 11:7 - Saul's Call to Arms")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The horrifying narrative of Judges 19:29, with its stark portrayal of moral anarchy and the desperate search for justice in a leaderless Israel, points profoundly to the ultimate need for a righteous King—a need perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The chaos and depravity of the Judges era, where "every man did what was right in his own eyes" ([Judges 21:25](/judges/21-25 "Judges 21:25 - Moral Anarchy")), underscores humanity's inherent inability to govern itself righteously apart from divine rule. Jesus, as the true King of Israel and the world, brings the ultimate solution to the brokenness and injustice depicted in Judges. Unlike the dismembered concubine, whose body became a call for vengeance, Jesus, the [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), allowed His body to be broken and dismembered on the cross ([Isaiah 53:5](/isaiah/53-5 "Isaiah 53:5 - Wounded for Our Transgressions")) not to incite war, but to bring about peace and reconciliation with God ([Colossians 1:20](/colossians/1-20 "Colossians 1:20 - Reconciliation Through Christ")). His sacrifice addresses the root cause of the depravity seen in Judges—human sin—offering forgiveness and the power to live righteously through the indwelling Holy Spirit, establishing a kingdom of true justice and everlasting peace ([Romans 14:17](/romans/14-17 "Romans 14:17 - The Kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace, and Joy")). He is the one who gathers the scattered and broken, not through gruesome displays, but through the unifying power of His love and truth, bringing order where there was chaos and light where there was darkness.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Samuel 11:7

And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent [them] throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.

Judges 20:6

And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

Judges 20:7

Behold, ye [are] all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

Deuteronomy 21:22

And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

Deuteronomy 21:23

His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged [is] accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance.

Romans 10:2

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.