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Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Easy-to-Read Version

Judges 19:2

But his slave woman had an argument with him. She left him and went back to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She stayed there for four months.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Friends;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Garments;   Hospitality;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Sexuality, Human;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Micah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fornication;   Gibeah;   Immorality;   Judges, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Benjamin;   Bethlehem;   Marriage;   Priests and Levites;   Samson;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Concubine;   Gibeah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Wayfaring Men;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But she was unfaithful to him and left him for her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there for four months.
Hebrew Names Version
His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Beit-Lechem-Yehudah, and was there the space of four months.
King James Version
And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.
Lexham English Bible
But his concubine felt repugnance toward him, and she left him and went to her father's house, to Bethlehem in Judah; she was there some four months.
English Standard Version
And his concubine was unfaithful to him, and she went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there some four months.
New Century Version
but she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went back to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah and stayed there for four months.
New English Translation
However, she got angry at him and went home to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. When she had been there four months,
Amplified Bible
But his concubine was unfaithful to him, and left him and went to her father's house in Bethlehem of Judah, and stayed there for a period of four months.
New American Standard Bible
But his concubine found him repugnant, and she left him and went to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah, and remained there for a period of four months.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And his concubine played ye whore there, and went away from him vnto her fathers house to Beth-lehem Iudah, and there continued the space of foure moneths.
Legacy Standard Bible
Maar sy byvrou het by hom gehoereer en van hom weggegaan na haar vader se huis, na Betlehem-Juda; en sy was daar vier maande lank.
Contemporary English Version
but she was unfaithful and went back to live with her family in Bethlehem. Four months later
Complete Jewish Bible
But his concubine was unfaithful to him and left him to go to her father's house at Beit-Lechem in Y'hudah, where she stayed for some time, four months.
Darby Translation
And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-Judah, and was there some time,—four months.
George Lamsa Translation
And his concubine played the whore against him, and then arose and went away from him to her fathers house to Beth-lehem of Judah, and remained there four whole months.
Good News Translation
But she became angry with him, went back to her father's house in Bethlehem, and stayed there four months.
Literal Translation
And his concubine committed adultery against him. And she went away from him to her father's house, to Bethlehem-judah, and was there many days, four months.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And wha she had played the harlot besyde him, she ranne fro him to hir fathers house vnto Bethleem Iuda, & was there foure monethes longe.
American Standard Version
And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there the space of four months.
Bible in Basic English
And his servant-wife was angry with him, and went away from him to her father's house at Beth-lehem-judah, and was there for four months.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And his concubine played the whore by him, and went awaye from him vnto her fathers house to Bethlehem Iuda, and there continued foure monethes.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem in Judah, and was there the space of four months.
King James Version (1611)
And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him vnto her fathers house to Bethlehem Iudah, and was there foure whole moneths.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And his concubine departed from him, and went away from him to the house of her father to Bethleem Juda, and she was there four months.
English Revised Version
And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there the space of four months.
Berean Standard Bible
But she was unfaithful to him and left him to return to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. After she had been there four months,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And sche lefte hym, and turnede ayen in to the hows of hir fadir in Bethleem, and sche dwellide at hym foure monethis.
Young's Literal Translation
and commit whoredom against him doth his concubine, and she goeth from him unto the house of her father, unto Beth-Lehem-Judah, and is there days -- four months.
Update Bible Version
And his concubine prostituted against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there the space of four months.
Webster's Bible Translation
And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there four whole months.
World English Bible
His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there the space of four months.
New King James Version
But his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there four whole months.
New Living Translation
But she became angry with him and returned to her father's home in Bethlehem. After about four months,
New Life Bible
But his woman was not faithful to him. She left him and went to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She stayed there four months.
New Revised Standard
But his concubine became angry with him, and she went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there some four months.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And his concubine went astray against him, and departed from him, unto the house of her father, in Bethlehem-judah, - and remained there, the space of four months.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And she left him, and returned to her father’s house in Bethlehem, and abode with him four months.
Revised Standard Version
And his concubine became angry with him, and she went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there some four months.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But his concubine played the harlot against him, and she went away from him to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah, and was there for a period of four months.

Contextual Overview

1 At that time the Israelites did not have a king. There was a Levite who lived far back in the hill country of Ephraim. He had taken as a wife a slave woman. She was from the city of Bethlehem in the country of Judah. 2 But his slave woman had an argument with him. She left him and went back to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She stayed there for four months. 3 Then her husband went after her. He wanted to speak kindly to her so that she would come back to him. He took with him his servant and two donkeys. The Levite came to her father's house. Her father saw the Levite and came out to greet him. The father was very happy. 4 The woman's father led the Levite into his house. The Levite's father-in-law invited him to stay. So he stayed for three days. He ate, drank, and slept in his father-in-law's house. 5 On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning. The Levite was getting ready to leave. But the young woman's father said to his son-in-law, "Eat something first. After you eat, you can go." 6 So the Levite and his father-in-law sat down to eat and drink together. After that the young woman's father said to the Levite, "Please stay tonight. Relax and enjoy yourself." So the two men ate together. 7 The Levite got up to leave, but his father-in-law persuaded him to stay the night again. 8 Then, on the fifth day, the Levite got up early in the morning. He was ready to leave. But the woman's father said to his son-in-law, "Eat something first. Relax and stay until this afternoon." So they both ate together again. 9 Then the Levite, his slave woman, and his servant got up to leave. But the young woman's father said, "It is almost dark. The day is almost gone. So stay the night here and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow morning you can get up early and go on your way." 10 But the Levite did not want to stay another night. He took his two donkeys and his slave woman. He traveled as far as the city of Jebus (that is, Jerusalem).

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

played: Leviticus 21:9, Deuteronomy 22:21, Ezekiel 16:28

four whole months: or, a year and four months, Heb. days, four months

Reciprocal: Genesis 25:6 - concubines Genesis 38:24 - played the harlot Judges 17:7 - General Ruth 1:1 - a famine Jeremiah 3:1 - but thou hast 1 Corinthians 7:11 - or

Cross-References

Genesis 18:4
I will bring some water to wash your feet. You can rest under the trees.
Genesis 19:17
So after the two men brought Lot and his family out of the city, one of the men said, "Now run to save your life! Don't look back at the city, and don't stop anywhere in the valley. Run until you are in the mountains. If you stop, you will be destroyed with the city!"
Genesis 19:21
The angel said to Lot, "Very well, I'll let you do that. I will not destroy that town.
Genesis 19:28
Abraham looked down into the valley toward the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He saw clouds of smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.
Genesis 19:29
God destroyed the cities in the valley, but he remembered what Abraham had said. So God sent Lot away from those cities before destroying them.
Acts 16:15
She and all the people living in her house were baptized. Then she invited us into her home. She said, "If you think I am a true believer in the Lord Jesus, come stay in my house." She persuaded us to stay with her.
Hebrews 13:2
Always remember to help people by welcoming them into your home. Some people have done that and have helped angels without knowing it.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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" i, while she was with him in the house; or "before him" k, 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 departure from him. The Targum is, she despised him; so Kimchi and Ben Gersom interpret it of her declining and turning aside from him, and returning to her father's house, as follows: and indeed, had she been guilty of such a crime, one would think he would never have sought after her to reconcile her, and take her again, since she not only deserved to be put away, but to be put to death according to the law of God:

and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehemjudah; where she was received, as she knew she should, having a parent perhaps too indulgent, and which was an encouragement to her to leave her husband:

and was there some whole months or a year and four whole months, according to Ben Gersom; so Kimchi and Ben Melech observe the copulative "and" is wanting, which is expressed in 1 Samuel 27:7 and "yamim, days", is so the times used for a year, Judges 14:8.

i עליו "apud eum", Pagninus, Piscator; "cum eo", Junius Tremellius. k "Conspectu ejus", Vatablus "coram eo", Drusius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 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 entreat her to return. The Vulgate simply states, quae reliquit eum, that she left him; the Septuagint, ωργισθη αυτω, that she was angry with him; the Targum ובסרת עלוהי ubserath alohi, that she despised him; Josephus, αλλοτοιως ειχε, that she was alienated, or separated herself, from him. Houbigant translates the clause: quae cum ab eo alienata esset, vel irata in eum esset, eum reliquit; "who when she was alienated from him, or angry with him, left him;" and he defends this version in his note. I think the true meaning to be among the above interpretations. They had contentions; she ceased to love him, her affections were alienated from him; and she left his house, and went home to her father.


 
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