Bible Commentaries
Judges 19

Verses 1-30

The story of the Levite occupies three chapters and is again a mirror held up to the times, revealing startling moral conditions and showing the conflict of good and evil among them.

In considering the story of this chapter, several things are to be carefully noted. First, we must recognize the imperfection of the times as revealed in the practice of polygamy and concubinage among the chosen people. There is no doubt that their action in these matters was in advance of that of the people of the land.

Nevertheless, the fact that a Levite had a concubine in these days was terrible, but we must consider it in the light of the times. When this is done, we notice that the sacredness in which he thought of her relation to him does stand in striking contrast to the loose ideals of the Canaanitish people. Nevertheless, the story does reveal a terrible condition of degeneracy among a section of the chosen people. The action of the men of Gibeah was nothing less than the action of the men of Sodom long before. The drastic and terrible method adopted by the Levite was intended to draw the attention of Israel to the sin of the men and reveals the conscience of the better part of the people concerning purity.