Judges 19:29-30

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 19:22-30

Here is, I. The great wickedness of the men of Gibeah. One could not imagine that ever it should enter into the heart of men that had the use of human reason, of Israelites that had the benefit of divine revelation, to be so very wicked. ?Lord, what is man!? said David, ?what a mean creature is he!? ?Lord, what is man,? may we say upon the reading of this story, ?what a vile creature is he, when he is given up to his own heart's lusts!? The sinners are here called sons of Belial, that is,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 19:29

And when he was come into his house ,.... Having taken the dead body of his wife from off the ass, and brought it in thither, and laid it in a proper place and order: he took a knife ; a carving knife, such as food is cut with, as the word signifies; the Targum is, a sword: and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces ; cut off her limbs at the joints of her bones, and made twelve pieces of them, according to the number of the tribes of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 19:30

And it was so, that all that saw it ,.... The dismembered pieces of the dead body, and were made acquainted with the cause of it; for so Josephus F2 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 8.) says, he gave the messengers a command to declare what was the cause of her death: said, there was no such deed done nor seen, from the day that the children of Israel came out of Egypt, unto this day ; meaning not so much the cutting in pieces the dead body, and sending it to different parts;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:29

Divided her - into twelve pieces - There is no doubt that with the pieces he sent to each tribe a circumstantial account of the barbarity of the men of Gibeah; and it is very likely that they considered each of the pieces as expressing an execration, "If ye will not come and avenge my wrongs, may ye be hewn in pieces like this abused and murdered woman!" It was a custom among the ancient Highlanders in Scotland, when one clan wished to call all the rest to avenge its wrongs, to take a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:30

There was no such deed done nor seen - They were all struck with the enormity of the crime; and considered it a sovereign disgrace to all the tribes of Israel. Consider of it - Literally, Put it to yourselves; take counsel upon it; and speak. This was the prelude to the council held, and the subsequent operations, which are mentioned in the following chapter. I Have passed over the abominable transactions of this chapter as lightly as I could, and shall make no... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 19:29

A knife - Rather, “the” “knife”. The single household implement used, not like our knives at our meals, but for slaughtering and cutting up the animals into joints for eating Genesis 22:6, Genesis 22:10; Proverbs 30:14.Together with her bones ... - Rather, “into her bones”, or “bone by bone, into twelve pieces”. The “pieces” are synonymous with the “bones” (compare Ezekiel 24:4-5). There is something truly terrible in the stern ferocity of grief and indignation which dictated this desperate... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 19:29

Judges 19:29. He took a knife, &c. As the Levite expected no justice from the elders of Gibeah, and there was no supreme head over all the tribes at that time, he had recourse to the elders of each respective tribe; and to move them the more, and stir them up to punish the offender, he sent a part of the body to each of them, preserved undoubtedly by some means from putrefaction. And, undoubtedly, he instructed those he sent with it to relate particularly the circumstances of the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 19:30

Judges 19:30. All said, There was no such deed done or seen, &c. All who saw it, and heard the relation, were so moved with horror at it that they called upon each other to consult and give their opinion in what manner justice should be done upon the lewd and inhuman Gibeathites; as follows in the next chapter. 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

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 19:29

Judges 19:29. And sent her into all the coasts of Israel— No doubt, he enjoined the bearers of this sacrifice to relate all the circumstances of it; upon which a general indignation animated the tribes. They agreed that no such deed had been done or seen among them since they were a people; for it was a mixture of adultery and murder, with a vile attempt at sodomy upon a stranger, upon a Levite, a person consecrated to the divine service. Determined properly to avenge it, they said, as if with... read more

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