The Daily Chapter in Tanach | Explanation of Chapter 19 in the Book of Judges: Concubine in Givah

Chapter Summary

Chapter 19 in the Book of Judges describes the story of the Concubine in Givah, where a concubine leaves her husband's house seeking refuge at her father's house. Her husband follows her to bring her back, and along the way, he stays at the house of her father-in-law. He is invited to stay for several days, but when he tries to continue on his journey, his father-in-law persuades him to stay longer.

When they reach the city of Givah in Benjamin, they cannot find lodging and the locals do not welcome them. An old man from the city, an inhabitant from the hill country of Ephraim, invites them to his home. During the night, the men of the city, wicked men, surround the house and demand that they hand over the guest. In response, the host offers them his virgin daughter and the guest's concubine, and they abuse her throughout the night. The next morning, the concubine is found dead. Her husband takes her body back home, cuts it into thirteen pieces, and sends the pieces to all the tribes of Israel as a cry for action against the men of Givah.

The Full Chapter

(1) 'It came to pass in those days when there was no king in Israel, that a certain Levite dwelt on the far side of the hill country of Ephraim, and he took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.'

(2) 'But his concubine was unfaithful to him and went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem in Judah, and she stayed there for four months.'

(3) 'Then her husband arose and went after her to speak to her heart to bring her back, and his servant and a pair of donkeys were with him; and she brought him to her father's house, and when her father saw him, he was glad to meet him.'

(4) 'His father-in-law, the girl's father, urged him to stay, and he stayed with him three days; so they ate and drank and lodged there.'

(5) 'On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning and he rose to go; and the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Sustain yourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you shall go."'

(6) 'So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together; the girl's father said to the man, "This is good; stay here another night, let your heart be merry."'

(7) 'The man stood to leave, but his father-in-law urged him, and he stayed and lodged there again.'

(8) 'He rose early in the morning on the fifth day to go; the girl's father said, "Please, sustain your heart." They lingered until afternoon, and the two of them ate.'

(9) 'The man stood to go, he and his concubine and servant. His father-in-law, the girl's father, said, "Look, the day is drawing toward evening; stay the night, see, the day is ending. Stay here so that your heart may be merry. Get up for your journey in the morning and go to your tent."'

(10) 'But the man was unwilling to stay another night; he rose and went until opposite Jebus, which is Jerusalem, with his pair of donkeys saddled and his concubine with him.'

(11) 'As they were near Jebus, the day was declining greatly, and the servant said to his master, "Let us now turn aside to this city of the Jebusites and lodge here."'

(12) 'But his master said to him, "We will not go to a foreign city that is not of the children of Israel. We will pass over to Givah."'

(13) 'He said to his servant, "Come, let us draw near to one of these places and lodge in Givah or in Ramah."'

(14) 'So they passed on and went their way; the sun set upon them near Givah, which belongs to Benjamin.'

(15) 'They turned aside there to go in and lodge at Givah; they went in, but no one took them into his house to lodge.'

(16) 'Behold, an old man came from his work out of the field in the evening; the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was a stranger in Givah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.'

(17) 'He lifted up his eyes and saw the wayfaring man in the open square of the city, and the old man said, "Where are you going, and where do you come from?"'

(18) 'He said to him, "We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the far side of the hill country of Ephraim; I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and to the House of Hashem I am going, but no one has taken me into their house.'

(19) 'We have both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me, your handmaid, and the young man with your servants, there is no lack of anything."'

(20) 'The old man said, "Peace be to you; however all your needs are upon me, only do not lodge in the street."'

(21) 'He brought him to his house and loaded the donkeys. They washed their feet and ate and drank.'

(22) 'As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, wicked men, surrounded the house, pounding on the door. They said to the old master of the house, "Bring out the man who has come into your house so that we may know him."'

(23) 'Then the master of the house went out to them and said to them, "No, my brothers, do not do such evil; after this man has come into my house, do not do this vile thing."'

(24) 'Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine; I will bring them out now, and you may abuse them and do to them what is good in your eyes; but to this man do not do this vile thing."'

(25) 'But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and brought her out to them outside, and they knew her and abused her all night until the morning; and at the breaking of the dawn, they sent her away.'

(26) 'The woman came in when morning approached, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was, until it was light.'

(27) 'Her master rose in the morning, opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way, but the woman, his concubine, had fallen at the entrance of the house, with her hands upon the threshold.'

(28) 'He said to her, "Get up, let's go," but she did not answer, for she was dead. He placed her on the donkey, and the man arose and went to his place.'

(29) 'When he came into his house, he took a knife, laid hold of his concubine and divided her into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.'

(30) 'Everyone who saw it said, "Such a thing has not been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day: commit yourselves concerning it, give counsel, and speak."'

Explanation of Difficult Words in the Chapter

Concubine – Marriage with a woman without a contract.

And she was unfaithful – The concubine left her husband and returned to her father's house.

Speak to her heart to bring her back – The Levite went after his concubine to persuade her to return to him.

And the sun set on them – The sun set when they reached Givah of Benjamin.

No one took them into their house to lodge – None of the inhabitants of Givah of Benjamin offered them a place to sleep in their home.

Brought him to his house – The old man brought the Levite into his home.

Sons of Belial – People who are lawless, wicked people.

Surrounded the house – They surrounded the house.

Here is my daughter the virgin and his concubine; I will now bring them out – I will now bring you my unmarried daughter and the man's concubine.

They knew her and abused her all night until the morning – The people of Givah of Benjamin abused the concubine all night long.

No answer – The concubine did not respond to the Levite because she was dead.

Such a thing has not happened or been seen – Such a thing as happened to the concubine had never happened, nor been seen.

Give counsel – Consult among yourselves.

And speak among yourselves – To see what can be done about the tribe of Benjamin and the act they have committed.

Interesting Interpretations from Commentators

Malbim – From the fact that it's written that the concubine was unfaithful to him and not behind his back, we see support for the words of the sages that she wasn’t truly unfaithful, but rather did an action against his will.

Ralbag – This story proves that the incident of the Concubine in Givah occurred before the Israelites conquered Jerusalem. Therefore, Joshua did not conquer Jerusalem; rather, the tribe of Judah did.

Interesting Midrashim from Yalkut Shimoni

And she was unfaithful to him - Rabbi Avitar said: a fly was found on her. Rabbi Yonatan said: a hair was found on her.

Rabbi Avitar found Eliyahu, of blessed memory, and said to him: What is the Holy One, Blessed be He, doing? He said to him: Occupied with the Concubine in Givah. What is he saying? Avitar my son says so, Yonatan my son says so. He said to him: Is there any doubt before Heaven? He said to him: These and those are the words of the living Hashem.

Rabbi Chisda said - Let a person never cast too much fear in his household, for he who casts too much fear in his house will end up with three sins: unchastity, bloodshed, and desecration of Shabbat.