John Gill Commentary Judges 19

And it came to pass in those days, when there was no
king in Israel
The same is observed in (Judges 17:6) (18:1) and refers to the same times, the times before the judges, between them and the death of Joshua, during which time there was no supreme magistrate or ruler in Israel, which is meant; and this is observed, as before, to account for wickedness being committed with impunity, such as adultery, sodomy, murder afterwards related:

that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of Mount
Ephraim ;
in a city that was on one side of that mountain; it seems not to have been a Levitical city, because he was only a sojourner in it; perhaps he chose to reside there, as being near to the tabernacle of Shiloh, which was in that tribe;

who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah ;
the same place from which the wicked Levite came, spoken of in the preceding chapters, and who was the means of spreading idolatry in Israel; and here a wicked concubine of a Levite comes from the same, and was the cause of great effusion of blood in Israel; which two instances may seem to reflect dishonour and disgrace on Bethlehem, which were wiped off by the birth of some eminent persons in it, as Boaz, Jesse, David, and especially the Messiah.

The woman the Levite took from hence is in the Hebrew called, "a wife, a concubine" ^F8 ; for a concubine was a secondary wife, taken without espousals and a dowry: some think they were espoused, though there was no dowry, and were reckoned truly wives, though they had not all the honour and privilege as others; and that this woman was accounted the wife of the Levite, appears from his being called her husband frequently; and her father is said to be his father-in-law, and he his son-in-law; nor could she have been chargeable with adultery otherwise.

FOOTNOTES:

• F8: So Pagninus, Tigurine version, Drusius.

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" ^F9 , while she was with him in the house; or "before him" ^F11 , 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) (15:1) (21:19) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F9: (wyle) "apud eum", Pagninus, Piscator; "cum eo", Junius & Tremellius.
• F11: "Conspectu ejus", Vatablus; "coram eo", Drusius.

And her husband arose
From the place where he lived:

and went after her ;
to Bethlehemjudah, where her father lived:

to speak comfortably to her
"or to her heart" ^F12 ; having heard perhaps that she repented of her sin, or if it was only upon a quarrel between them, his anger might cool and subside, and therefore sought for a reconciliation; and which was the more commendable in him, as he did not put her away, but she departed from him: and

to bring her again ;
to his own city, and to his own house and bed, as before:

having his servant with him, and a couple of asses ;
one of them for her to ride upon, and the other to carry provisions on:

and she brought him into her father's house ;
it seems she met with him before he came thither, in the fields, or in the street; and by this it appears that she was glad to see him, and received him in a loving manner, and introduced him into her father's house, so that things looked well, and promised success:

and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him ;
having a good opinion of him, and perhaps understood, even by his daughter's story, that she was most in fault, and therefore was well pleased to see him come after her; though he ought before this time to have sent her home, or sought for a reconciliation of her to her husband.

FOOTNOTES:

• F12: (hbl le) "ad cor", Pagninus.

And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him
Prevailed upon him to stay some time with him:

and he abode with him three days ;
it seems as if he agreed to stay with him so long, and that time he stayed contentedly:

so they did eat and drink, and lodged there ;
the Levite and his servant were very handsomely entertained, and had everything provided for them convenient for meat, drink, and lodging.

And it came to pass on the fourth day
The time the Levite had agreed to stay being up:

when they arose early in the morning
the Levite, his concubine and servant, in order to set out on their journey: that he arose to depart; the Levite rose up from his seat to take his leave of his father-in-law, and depart from his house, and proceed on his way homeward; for rising out of his bed is before expressed:

and the damsel's father said to his son in law, comfort your heart with
a morsel of bread ;
take a breakfast first, that he might be fitter for his journey, for bread comforts or strengthens men's hearts, (Psalms 104:15) though here it may be put for any and all sorts of provisions, whatever might be proper to take early in a morning, and before setting out on a journey: and afterwards go your way; he seemed as if he was willing he should set forward, after he had refreshed him with a meal.