Judges 19:1
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "a wife, a concubine" highlights a subtle distinction: this wasn't just a casual fling, but a recognized marital relationship, albeit one with fewer legal rights for the woman and her children. The Levite’s choice of a concubine, a type of secondary wife, already signals a deviation from ideal Israelite practice, foreshadowing the lawlessness that will soon engulf this region.
This chapter opens by reminding us that "in those days, when there was no king in Israel," a period marked by rampant lawlessness and moral decay, setting the stage for the horrific events that follow. We are introduced to a Levite living in the hill country of Ephraim who takes a concubine from Bethlehem, a woman who will later flee back to her father's home, initiating a chain of events. The narrative immediately plunges into the dark side of this era, highlighting how the absence of a central authority led to a breakdown of justice and decency.
The book of Judges paints a stark picture: 'In those days, when there was no king in Israel.' What does this really mean for a nation, and how does it set the stage for the shocking events to come?
The repeated phrase "no king in Israel" isn't just a historical note; it's the crucial backdrop for understanding the moral and social breakdown in this period. Without a central authority to uphold justice and order, individuals and communities often did "what was right in their own eyes."
A Land Without Law
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We meet a Levite and a 'concubine.' But what exactly was this relationship? The terms used might surprise you and shed light on the complexities of ancient Israelite family life.
The term 'concubine' in this passage (and elsewhere in the Old Testament) describes a relationship that was recognized and legally structured, though distinct from a primary wife. It wasn't simply a casual arrangement.
More Than Just a Girlfriend
Understand the original words
melek · Hebrew Noun
A ruler or sovereign who holds supreme authority over a nation or people. In the context of Israel's history, it highlights a period of leadership crisis and spiritual moral decay characterized by individuals doing what was right in their own eyes.
Leviy · Hebrew Noun
A member of the tribe of Levi, set apart by God for priestly and tabernacle service. They were meant to be the spiritual leaders and teachers of the Law for the nation of Israel.
pilegesh · Hebrew Noun
A woman who lived with a man as a secondary wife. While recognized legally in ancient Near Eastern law, the position often lacked the full social and covenantal protections of a primary wife.
The societal breakdown described in Judges 19 occurred during a period of weak national leadership and religious compromise, leading to profound moral chaos and violence, even within the Levitical tribe.
c. 1380-1070 BC
Period of the Judges
A turbulent era in Israelite history following the death of Joshua, characterized by cycles of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance led by various judges.
c. 1300 BC
Ark of the Covenant at Shiloh
The Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant were established at Shiloh in the territory of Ephraim, serving as the religious center of Israel. This likely drew Levites to the region, including the one mentioned.
c. 1300-1070 BC— this verse
Absence of Centralized Governance
The recurring phrase "there was no king in Israel" highlights a lack of unified national leadership. This period saw widespread social disorder and moral decay, as personal and tribal interests often superseded justice and righteousness.
c. 1300-1070 BC
Levites Serving Local Sanctuaries
With the Ark at Shiloh, Levites were often itinerants, serving smaller, local shrines or high places across the land. This Levite, a sojourner in Ephraim, likely served such a local sanctuary.
c. 1300-1070 BC
Customary Marriage and Concubinage
The text describes the Levite taking a 'concubine.' This was a recognized, though secondary, form of marriage in ancient Israel, differing from a primary wife in legal status and inheritance rights for children.
This verse echoes Judges 19:1 by stating 'In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did what was right in his own eyes.' This emphasizes the breakdown of order and morality that characterized the era.
Ruth 1:1This verse opens with 'In the days when the judges ruled...' and introduces a story set in Bethlehem during a time of instability, mirroring the context of Judges 19:1.
Genesis 25:6This verse shows that concubines were a recognized part of Israelite society, as Abraham gave gifts to the concubines of his sons, indicating that such relationships, while secondary to wives, had a place.
Judges 20:1This verse immediately follows the narrative of Judges 19, showing the direct consequence of the events described: 'Then all the people of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, with the whole land assembled as one man before the Lord at Mizpah.' This highlights the national crisis that erupted from the moral decay.
bensonJudges 19:1: "And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah."
Jdg 19:1 . Who took him a concubine — Hebrew, a wife, a concubine, that is, such a concubine as was also his wife: called a concubine only because she was not endowed. Perhaps he had nothing to endow her with, being himself only a sojourner. “Women of this sort differed little from the wife…
clarkeJudges 19:1: "And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah."
There was no king in Israel - All sorts of disorders are attributed to the want of civil government; justice, right, truth, and humanity, had fallen in the streets. Took to him a concubine - We have already seen that the concubine was a sort of secondary wife; and that such connections were…
The phrase "a wife, a concubine" highlights a subtle distinction: this wasn't just a casual fling, but a recognized marital relationship, albeit one with fewer legal rights for the woman and her children. The Levite’s choice of a concubine, a type of secondary wife, already signals a deviation from ideal Israelite practice, foreshadowing the lawlessness that will soon engulf this region.
This chapter opens by reminding us that "in those days, when there was no king in Israel," a period marked by rampant lawlessness and moral decay, setting the stage for the horrific events that follow. We are introduced to a Levite living in the hill country of Ephraim who takes a concubine from Bethlehem, a woman who will later flee back to her father's home, initiating a chain of events. The narrative immediately plunges into the dark side of this era, highlighting how the absence of a central authority led to a breakdown of justice and decency.
This chapter opens by reminding us that "in those days, when there was no king in Israel," a period marked by rampant lawlessness and moral decay, setting the stage for the horrific events that follow. We are introduced to a Levite living in the hill country of Ephraim who takes a concubine from Bethlehem, a woman who will later flee back to her father's home, initiating a chain of events. The narrative immediately plunges into the dark side of this era, highlighting how the absence of a central authority led to a breakdown of justice and decency.
"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." — The phrase "a wife, a concubine" highlights a subtle distinction: this wasn't just a casual fling, but a recognized marital relationship, albeit one with fewer legal rights for the woman and her chil…
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