Judges 19:22-25

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 19:22

Now as they were making their hearts merry ,.... With a glass of wine after supper, and conversing together in a cheerful manner about their country and friends: behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial ; very wicked, lawless, ungovernable, worthless, and unprofitable creatures, men under the influence of Satan, and their own lusts: beset the house round about : that none might escape out of it, especially the Levite, his wife and servant: and beat at the door ; to get... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 19:23

And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them ,.... Opened the door, and went out to converse with them, and talked them after this manner: and said unto them, nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly ; it is plain he understood them in such sense, that they meant not bare knowledge of the man, as who he was, &c.; but to commit wickedness the most abominable; so great, that it cannot be well said how great it is; and to dissuade from it, he uses the most... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 19:24

Behold, here is my daughter, a maiden, and his concubine ,.... His own daughter, a virgin, and the concubine of the Levite his guest: them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you ; those he proposed to bring out, and deliver to them, to lie with, to do with as they pleased to gratify their raging lust, which to do was more than he ought, or had power to do: he had no right to prostitute his own daughter, and much less the concubine or wife of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 19:25

But the men would not hearken to him ,.... Especially with respect to his daughter, whom they knew very well, and had no affection for, perhaps was not handsome enough for them: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them ; that is, not the old man, but the Levite took his own wife or concubine, and put her forth to them, very probably with her consent, to try if that would pacify them, she being a fair and beautiful woman, as Ben Gersom and Abarbinel suggest; and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:22

Sons of Belial - Profligate fellows. See the notes on Deuteronomy 13:13 . That we may know him - See Genesis 19:5 . These were genuine sodomites as to their practice; sons of Belial, rascals and miscreants of the deepest dye; worse than brutes, being a compound of beast and devil inseparably blended. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:24

Here is my daughter , a maiden - Such a proposal was made by Lot to the men of Sodom, Genesis 19:8 , but nothing can excuse either. That the rights of hospitality were sacred in the East, and most highly regarded we know; and that a man would defend, at the expense of his life, the stranger whom he had admitted under his roof, is true; but how a father could make such a proposal relative to his virgin daughter, must remain among those things which are incomprehensible. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:25

So the man took his concubine - The word יחזק yachazek , which we here translate simply took, signifies rather to take or seize by violence. The woman would not go out to them; but her graceless husband forced her to go, in order that he might save his own body. He could have but little love for her, and this was the cause of their separation before. The men of Gibeah who wished to abuse the body of the Levite; the Levite who wished to save his body at the expense of the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 19:23

This man is come into mine house - He appeals to the sacred rights of hospitality, just as Lot did Genesis 19:8. Both cases betray painfully the low place in the social scale occupied by woman in the old world, from which it is one of the glories of Christianity to have raised her. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 19:22-23

Judges 19:22-23. As they were making their hearts merry That is, refreshing themselves with the provisions set before them. Behold, certain sons of Belial Children of the devil, wicked and licentious men. Bring forth the man, &c. They wanted the Levite brought forth, that they might satisfy their unnatural lusts. This man is come into my house And therefore I am obliged to protect him by the laws of hospitality. As several circumstances of this horrid wickedness resemble those of... read more

Group of Brands