Judges 19:1-21
“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. 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.” (Judges 19:1-2)
During his time as judge, Samson had set an example of disrespect for God’s laws. One of the Levites, a man chosen by God went down to Bethlehem Judah and convinced aw woman to come home with him as his common law wife, with no official declaration of marriage. In today’s terms they were living together. After a while she decided to go back to her home as if they were not married, staying gone four months. As verse two says, she played the whore against him. This same attitude and behavior is common today.
When two people come together sexually, they are joined by God according to I Corinthians 6:15-16. “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh." Exodus 22:16 commanded, “And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.” The failure to make her officially his wife was a violation of God’s command, but technically they were married.
By walking away and returning home as she did she implied they were not married and that she was free to marry someone else.. Matthew 5 and 10, Mark 10 and Luke 16 all stress that leaving a mate to marry some body else is adultery. I Corinthians 7:10-11 is very specific. “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” Clearly the common attitude of going home to Mama or finding somebody else isn’t approved by God.
“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.” (Judges 19:3)
When she didn’t return on her own, her husband went to try to get her to return with him. Notice that the scripture is very specific, he was her husband even though there had been no formal marriage. Her father was glad to see him show up. Moving away from home produces changes in a persons attitudes, making it hard to go back under a parent’s dominion. In addition, regardless how short a marriage has been, it also changes a person attitudes and emotions. While a short visit would have been appreciated, after four months her parents were probably wanting toe see her leave and hoped it would work out. It is why Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife…”
“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. 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. 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. And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again. 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.
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.
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. 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.” (Judges 19:4-11)
After a three day visit, the husband wanted to go home, but his father in law managed to get him to stay the fourth day. The morning of the fifth day he got up ready to leave but his father in law persuaded him to stay for lunch and tried to talk him into staying the night and start early the next morning. Suspecting the same thing would happen the next day, the man insisted on leaving that evening instead of waiting. Starting so late, they could not make it home in a single day, so when they came to Jebus, later known as Jerusalem, his servant suggested they spend the night there.
“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. 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.” (Judges 19:12-13)
Because Jebus was a Jebusite city, the man chose not to go there, preferring to press on to either Ramah or Gibeah, which were Jewish cities, believing they’d be more welcome.
“And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. 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.” (Judges 19:14-15)
Arriving at Gibeah just at sunset they knew there was no point in trying to get to Ramah so they decided to spend the night. Not knowing anyone to stay with they were planning on parking on the streets for the night.
“And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house. Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.” (Judges 19:16-21)
An old Ephramite man who lived in Gibeah saw them setting up camp and stopped to ask where they were from. The husband explained why they were there and that they had everything they needed to spend the night, but the old man insisted they come to his house and not spend the night on the street, knowing the immoral attitudes of the city.
“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. 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.” (Judges 19:1-2)
During his time as judge, Samson had set an example of disrespect for God’s laws. One of the Levites, a man chosen by God went down to Bethlehem Judah and convinced aw woman to come home with him as his common law wife, with no official declaration of marriage. In today’s terms they were living together. After a while she decided to go back to her home as if they were not married, staying gone four months. As verse two says, she played the whore against him. This same attitude and behavior is common today.
When two people come together sexually, they are joined by God according to I Corinthians 6:15-16. “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh." Exodus 22:16 commanded, “And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.” The failure to make her officially his wife was a violation of God’s command, but technically they were married.
By walking away and returning home as she did she implied they were not married and that she was free to marry someone else.. Matthew 5 and 10, Mark 10 and Luke 16 all stress that leaving a mate to marry some body else is adultery. I Corinthians 7:10-11 is very specific. “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” Clearly the common attitude of going home to Mama or finding somebody else isn’t approved by God.
“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.” (Judges 19:3)
When she didn’t return on her own, her husband went to try to get her to return with him. Notice that the scripture is very specific, he was her husband even though there had been no formal marriage. Her father was glad to see him show up. Moving away from home produces changes in a persons attitudes, making it hard to go back under a parent’s dominion. In addition, regardless how short a marriage has been, it also changes a person attitudes and emotions. While a short visit would have been appreciated, after four months her parents were probably wanting toe see her leave and hoped it would work out. It is why Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife…”
“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. 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. 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. And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again. 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.
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.
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. 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.” (Judges 19:4-11)
After a three day visit, the husband wanted to go home, but his father in law managed to get him to stay the fourth day. The morning of the fifth day he got up ready to leave but his father in law persuaded him to stay for lunch and tried to talk him into staying the night and start early the next morning. Suspecting the same thing would happen the next day, the man insisted on leaving that evening instead of waiting. Starting so late, they could not make it home in a single day, so when they came to Jebus, later known as Jerusalem, his servant suggested they spend the night there.
“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. 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.” (Judges 19:12-13)
Because Jebus was a Jebusite city, the man chose not to go there, preferring to press on to either Ramah or Gibeah, which were Jewish cities, believing they’d be more welcome.
“And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. 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.” (Judges 19:14-15)
Arriving at Gibeah just at sunset they knew there was no point in trying to get to Ramah so they decided to spend the night. Not knowing anyone to stay with they were planning on parking on the streets for the night.
“And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house. Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.” (Judges 19:16-21)
An old Ephramite man who lived in Gibeah saw them setting up camp and stopped to ask where they were from. The husband explained why they were there and that they had everything they needed to spend the night, but the old man insisted they come to his house and not spend the night on the street, knowing the immoral attitudes of the city.
This episode is perhaps the most outrageous incident recorded in the Old Testament. It never ceases to mystify me.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, Samson's disregard for God's law is reflected by others. As I Corinthians 5 warns, a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Because he lowered the standard, others were encouraged to go even farther.
ReplyDelete