Judges 19:2 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 19:1-15

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 19:2

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" F9 עליו "apud eum", Pagninus, Piscator; "cum eo", Junius & Tremellius. , while she was with him in the house; or "before him" F11 "Conspectu ejus", Vatablus; "coram eo", Drusius. , 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:2

Played 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... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 19:2

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. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 19:2-3

Judges 19:2-3. Played the whore against him 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. Her husband went to speak friendly unto her To offer her pardon and reconciliation. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 19:1-30

The war with Benjamin (19:1-21:25)A Levite whose concubine had run away from him came to Judah looking for her. When they were reunited, her father was so pleased he did not want them to leave. They therefore stayed with him a few days, then set out to return to the Levite’s home in Ephraim (19:1-9).The route back to Ephraim took the couple through the tribal territory of Benjamin. Looking for somewhere to sleep the night, they preferred not to stay in Jerusalem, which was inhabited by... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 19:2

four whole months. Hebrew "days, four months", so some think = "a year and four months". read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 19:2

Judges 19:2. And his concubine played the whore against him— The Chaldee renders this, she despised him, &c. the LXX, she separated herself from him, with which Josephus agrees. It is probable, that this is the true reading; for one can hardly imagine, that otherwise her husband would have made such haste to follow, and obtain a reconciliation with her. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 19:2

2. his concubine . . . went away from him unto her father's house—The cause of the separation assigned in our version rendered it unlawful for her husband to take her back (Deuteronomy 24:4); and according to the uniform style of sentiment and practice in the East, she would have been put to death, had she gone to her father's family. 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... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 19:1-15

The background of the incident 19:1-15We meet another Levite in Judges 19:1 who was paying no attention to God’s directions concerning where the Levites should live (cf. Judges 17:7). Since monogamy was God’s standard for marriage the Levite should not have married a concubine (Genesis 2:24). This was doubly wrong in the case of a Levite because the Levites were to remain as holy as possible in view of their special ministry in Israel. It appears that the Levite and his concubine had a... read more