Judges 19:1–9 (ESV)

In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. 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. Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly to her and bring her back. He had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into her father’s house. And when the girl’s father saw him, he came with joy to meet him. And his father-in-law, the girl’s father, made him stay, and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and spent the night there. And on the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to go, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go.” So the two of them sat and ate and drank together. And the girl’s father said to the man, “Be pleased to spend the night, and let your heart be merry.” And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, till he spent the night there again. And on the fifth day he arose early in the morning to depart. And the girl’s father said, “Strengthen your heart and wait until the day declines.” So they ate, both of them. And when the man and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Behold, now the day has waned toward evening. Please, spend the night. Behold, the day draws to its close. Lodge here and let your heart be merry, and tomorrow you shall arise early in the morning for your journey, and go home.”

The Hebrew word translated as concubine (פִילֶ֔גֶשׁ, pee-leh-gesh) is confusing. The BDB lexicon lists concubine as the translation, but the passage goes on to clearly imply that she’s the Levite’s wife. Then the passage says she was unfaithful to him, which sort of certifies her as a concubine.

Thus, it’s clear from the Levite’s great effort to win her back that this is a love story. His heart wants her more than it wants justice. Something powerful is going on here. The rest of the story should be understood in that light.

One other feature is worth nothing though—the absence of names. That’s not normal. The names are left out because the lesson isn’t about a few individual people. It’s meant to be general.

So he pursues her and she brought him into her father’s house. And when the girl’s father saw him, he came with joy to meet him. And his father-in-law, the girl’s father, made him stay, and he remained with him three days. Obviously, her father is on board with his taking her back. All seems well.

But all is never well when there was no king in Israel (and everyone does what is right in their own eyes).

What could possibly go wrong?

Everything. The rest of the book of Judges (the next fifteen DEEPs) will recount Israel’s decent into incredible wickedness. Some of the most nauseating passages in the Bible are coming up.

But take heart, after you’ve managed to stomach all that, Jesus’s crucifixion can make more sense.

These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Weekend DEEPs are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

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The weekly study guides, which include the Monday–Friday devotionals plus related questions for discussion or meditation, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.