Judges 19:9 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 19:9

And when the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine, and his servant ,.... Rose up from table, having comfortably refreshed themselves: his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, behold, now the day draweth towards evening ; or is "remiss", or "weak" F14 רפה "debilitata est", Pagninus, Vatablus; "remissus est", Junius & Tremellius. ; that is, the heat, light, and strength of the sun abated, and became weaker and more remiss, as it does the more it declines,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:9

The day groweth to an end - היום חנות chanoth haiyom , "the day is about to pitch its tent;" that is, it was near the time in which travelers ordinarily pitched their tents, to take up their lodging for the night. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 19:9

This is a perfect picture of the manners of the time. It is probable that the father showed more than usual hospitality, in order to ensure the kind treatment of his daughter by her husband. These particulars are given to account for their journey running so far into the evening, which was the immediate cause of the horrible catastrophe which followed. 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

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 19:9

9. the day draweth toward evening—Hebrew, "the pitching time of day." Travellers who set out at daybreak usually halt about the middle of the afternoon the first day, to enjoy rest and refreshment. It was, then, too late a time to commence a journey. But duty, perhaps, obliged the Levite to indulge no further delay. 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

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 19:1-30

1. The atrocity in Gibeah ch. 19This incident and chapter closely relate to those that follow. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 19:1-30

The Wickedness of GibeahA Levite and his concubine meet with foul treatment at Gibeah, a town of Benjamin. The indignation of the other tribes is roused against the Benjamites.This chapter gives the cause of the war between the rest of the tribes and Benjamin, with which the remainder of Judges is concerned. It is difficult to determine the period to which this war should be assigned. In Judges 20 there is no recognised leader or judge in Israel, but all the tribes (quite differently from... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Judges 19:9

(9) The day draweth toward evening.—Literally, is weak, or has slackened to evening. The father had purposely detained the Levite till late, in the hopes of inducing him to spend one more night under his roof. The forms of Eastern politeness would render it difficult for the Levite to resist these importunities.The day groweth to an end.—Literally, it is the bending or declining of the day, not, as in the margin of our version, “the pitching time of the day.”Home.—Literally, to thy tent, which... read more