Judges 19:2
in Judges 19But she was unfaithful to him and left him to return to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. After she had been there four months,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there the space of four months.
KJV
And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Beth–lehem–judah, and was there four whole months.
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This verse in Judges 19
Commentary
11 notes on this versePlayed the whore - Neither the Vulgate, Septuagint, Targum, nor Josephus, understand this word as implying any act of conjugal infidelity on the woman’s part. They merely state that the parties disagreed, and the woman returned to her father’s house. Indeed all the circumstances of the case vindicate this view of the subject. If she had been a whore, or adulteress, it is not very likely that her husband would have gone after her to speak friendly, literally, to speak to her heart, and entreat her to return.
This site's exposition
when there was no king in Israel
on Judges 19:1-2
Chapter 17 sent a Levite of Bethlehem to Ephraim, and here a Levite of Ephraim takes a concubine from Bethlehem, reversing the pairing. The Hebrew says she was “unfaithful to him”, the Septuagint says she was angry, the Vulgate that she left, and Josephus that she became estranged.
This site's exposition
But she was unfaithful to him
Clarke argues from what follows: a husband betrayed in the marriage bed would hardly travel to Bethlehem to speak kindly to her. Gill reads it as unfaithfulness to his bed and reports that some take it as ill treatment and desertion. She stayed four months in her father's house.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A Levite, more courageous than wealthy, lived in the region of Mount Ephrem, for his tribe was allotted a landed possession far removed in place of the right of inheritance. He took a wife from the tribe of Bethlehem of Judah. While they felt the first attraction of their love deeply and equally, he continued to burn with unbounded desire for his wife. Yet her ways were different. His passion for her intensified until he inwardly seethed with desire.
How full of pitiful traits is this story! A man, it says, a Levite, had taken to himself a wife, who I suppose was called a concubine from the word concubitus. She some time afterwards, as is likely to happen, offended at certain things, returned to her father and was with him four months.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Against him - That is, against her faith given to him. Went away - Either for fear of punishment; or, because her heart was alienated from him; wherein not only she sinned, but her father by connivance at her sin, and neglect of just endeavours for her reconciliation to her husband.
And his concubine played the whore against him,.... Was unfaithful to him and his bed, and broke the covenant and agreement between them; or "with him" (i), while she was with him in the house; or "before him" (k), of which he had knowledge and proof; though some think this is not to be understood of whoredom or adultery, but of her ill usage of him, and departure from him.
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.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Her punishment answered her sin, Culpa libido fuit, poena libido fuit--Lust was her sin, and lust was her punishment. By the law of Moses she was to have been put to death for her adultery.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Other versions concur with JOSEPHUS, in representing the reason for the flight from her husband's house to be, that she was disgusted with him, through frequent brawls. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her--Hebrew, "speak to her heart," in a kindly and affectionate manner, so as to rekindle her affection.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Played the whore against him - Perhaps only meaning that she ran away from him, and left him, for she returned to her father’s house.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתִּזְנֶ֤ה | vatizneh | and she was angry | H2181 → | 94 times |
| עָלָיו֙ | ʾalav | towards him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פִּֽילַגְשׁ֔וֹ | pilagsho | concubine his | H6370 → | 37 times |
| וַתֵּ֤לֶךְ | vatelekh | and she went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| מֵֽאִתּוֹ֙ | meito | from with <the> him | H854 → | 929 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אָבִ֔יהָ | ʾaviha | father her | H1 → | 1212 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בֵּ֥ית | beit | Beth- | H1035 → | 82 times |
| לֶ֖חֶם | lechem | -lehem | H1035 → | 82 times |
| יְהוּדָ֑ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וַתְּהִי־ | vatehi- | and she was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| שָׁ֕ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| יָמִ֖ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אַרְבָּעָ֥ה | ʾarbaah | four | H702 → | 318 times |
| חֳדָשִֽׁים׃ | chodashim | months | H2320 → | 284 times |
וַתִּזְנֶ֤הand she was angry
vatiznehH2181 →94 times
עָלָיו֙towards him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
פִּֽילַגְשׁ֔וֹconcubine his
pilagshoH6370 →37 times
וַתֵּ֤לֶךְand she went
vatelekhH1980 →1546 times
מֵֽאִתּוֹ֙from with <the> him
meitoH854 →929 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
אָבִ֔יהָfather her
ʾavihaH1 →1212 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בֵּ֥יתBeth-
beitH1035 →82 times
לֶ֖חֶם-lehem
lechemH1035 →82 times
יְהוּדָ֑הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וַתְּהִי־and she was
vatehi-H1961 →3559 times
שָׁ֕םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
יָמִ֖יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
אַרְבָּעָ֥הfour
ʾarbaahH702 →318 times
חֳדָשִֽׁים׃months
chodashimH2320 →284 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 22:21she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house, and there the men of her city will stone her to death. For she has committed an outrage in Israel by being promiscuous…
it leads to
- Genesis 34:7
When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they returned from the field. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that…
- Deuteronomy 13:5
Such a prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the…
- Genesis 34:7
Through
Ezekiel 16:28Then you prostituted yourself with the Assyrians, because you were not yet satisfied. Even after that, you were still not satisfied.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 16:7
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hands of the kings of Aram and Israel, who are…
- Jeremiah 2:36
How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.
- Hosea 10:6
Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.
- 2 Kings 16:10–18
Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. On seeing the altar in Damascus, King Ahaz sent Uriah the priest a model of the altar and complete plans for its…
- Jeremiah 2:18
Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
- 2 Kings 16:7
Through
Leviticus 21:9If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she must be burned in the fire.
it leads to
- Genesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
- Genesis 38:24
Where this verse is studied
About Judges
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PlaceBethlehemBethlehemDavid’s town, six miles south of Jerusalem, where Ruth gleaned, where Samuel anointed a shepherd boy, and where Jesus was born as…
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, LETTER 33; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 3.19.111-12; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.