Judges 19:11
When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, “Come now, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The servant's plea to stop in Jebus, a city still held by the Jebusites and not fully conquered by Israel, reveals how perilous and unsettled the land was during this period. It highlights that even a "city of Jebusites" was considered a viable, if potentially risky, option for lodging, underscoring the lack of secure, established Israelite settlements and the underlying tension with the original inhabitants.
As the sun sets, the Levite and his concubine are nearing the city of Jebus, which is still largely occupied by its original inhabitants, the Jebusites. The Levite's servant, concerned about traveling in the dark in these uncertain times, urges his master to seek lodging within the city walls for the night. This suggestion highlights the precariousness of travel and the mixed control over the land during the era of the Judges, where many cities remained unconquered by the Israelites.
Why does the text emphasize that Jebus is a 'city of the Jebusites' when Jerusalem was known by that name?
The mention of Jebus as a 'city of the Jebusites' in Judges 19:11 is a subtle but important detail. While we know this location as Jerusalem, the text highlights its ongoing Jebusite presence. This reflects the complex historical reality during the period of the Judges, a time when the Israelites had begun to settle the land but had not fully conquered all its inhabitants.
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The servant's urgent plea to find lodging is driven by more than just the setting sun. What does the 'day far spent' signify here?
The phrase 'the day was far spent' is more than a simple observation about the time. It immediately injects a sense of urgency and potential danger into the narrative. In ancient Near Eastern culture, travel after dark was fraught with peril.
Safety in Daylight: Journeys were typically planned to conclude before nightfall. Darkness brought increased risks from wild animals, treacherous terrain, and, significantly during this period, potential human threats like bandits or hostile groups.
The Levite's Predicament: For the Levite and his concubine, the setting sun represents a critical point. They are in a 'half-conquered' land, and the approaching night amplifies their vulnerability. The servant's suggestion to lodge in Jebus, despite its potential risks, stems from the greater risk of being caught unsheltered in the wilderness as darkness descends.
The servant's request to his master is respectful, but what does it reveal about their situation and the unspoken anxieties of travel?
The servant's direct address to his master, 'Come now, I pray thee, and let us turn in… and lodge in it,' isn't just a casual suggestion. It carries the weight of responsibility and a plea for a wise decision in a precarious situation.
Subordinate's Concern: The servant, though subordinate, is keenly aware of the dangers of the road. His proposal is born out of a desire for the safety and well-being of his master and the entire party. This shows a level of care and foresight.
Seeking Refuge: The primary goal is not comfort or exploration, but simple refuge for the night. The urgency is driven by the need to escape the exposure of the open road as night falls. The choice of Jebus, despite its potentially complicated status, is presented as the most practical option available before complete darkness sets in.
Understand the original words
yebusi · Hebrew Proper Noun
A collective term for the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the Old Testament, they represent a people group conquered by David, often serving as a symbol of the land before Israel's consolidation.
The verse places us in a time of significant instability in Israel, where the land was only partially conquered, and tribal divisions meant that even established cities like Jerusalem were still occupied by their original inhabitants, the Jebusites. This context underscores the danger of travel and the precariousness of life during the period of the Judges.
c. 1400-1050 BC
Period of the Judges
This era in Israel's history was characterized by a lack of centralized leadership ('no king in Israel') and frequent cycles of disobedience, oppression, deliverance, and peace.
Post-Joshua's Death
Incomplete Conquest of Canaan
Though Joshua led the conquest of Canaan, many cities and territories remained under the control of the native inhabitants, including parts of Jerusalem.
Undated (Early Judges Period)— this verse
Jebusites Hold Jerusalem
At the time of this narrative, the Jebusites still maintained a strong presence in Jerusalem, a city that would not be fully conquered by Israel until the reign of King David.
Undated (Early Judges Period)
Levite Sojourns in Ephraim
The Levite, a minister of the sanctuary, was living as an outsider in the hill country of Ephraim, highlighting the decentralized and sometimes precarious social structure of the time.
This verse highlights that the inhabitants of Sodom were exceedingly wicked, a stark contrast to the travelers' attempt to find safe lodging, setting a tone for the later events where encounters with morally corrupt groups lead to disaster.
Judges 1:8It mentions that the men of Judah captured Jerusalem (Jebus) and struck it down with the sword, yet here Jebus is still referred to as a city of the Jebusites, suggesting the timeline of Judges and the incomplete conquest of the land.
Judges 1:21This verse states that the tribe of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem, which further explains why Jebus is still considered a Jebusite city at the time of this narrative and why the servant might be hesitant to lodge there.
Deuteronomy 23:3-5This passage prohibits Ammonites and Moabites from entering the assembly of the Lord, showing a general distrust and separation from certain nations, which might have contributed to the hesitation and eventual negative outcome of interacting with the inhabitants of Jebus.
Judges 19:15This verse shows the Levite's later decision to lodge in Gibeah instead of Jebus, indicating a preference for a city more closely associated with Israel, even if it proved to be a fatal choice in this context.
gillJudges 19:11: "And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it."
And when they were by Jebus the day was far spent,.... Or "was gone down very much" (q), the sun was going down apace, and near setting: and the servant said unto his master, come, I pray thee: he proposed it to him in a submissive manner, and might use some entreaty for his master's good and safety: and…
clarkeJudges 19:11: "And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it."
When they were by Jebus - This was Jerusalem, in which, though after the death of Joshua it appears to have been partly conquered by the tribe of Judah, yet the Jebusites kept the strong hold of Zion till the days of David, by whom they were finally expelled. See the note on Judges 1:8 .
The servant's plea to stop in Jebus, a city still held by the Jebusites and not fully conquered by Israel, reveals how perilous and unsettled the land was during this period. It highlights that even a "city of Jebusites" was considered a viable, if potentially risky, option for lodging, underscoring the lack of secure, established Israelite settlements and the underlying tension with the original inhabitants.
As the sun sets, the Levite and his concubine are nearing the city of Jebus, which is still largely occupied by its original inhabitants, the Jebusites. The Levite's servant, concerned about traveling in the dark in these uncertain times, urges his master to seek lodging within the city walls for the night. This suggestion highlights the precariousness of travel and the mixed control over the land during the era of the Judges, where many cities remained unconquered by the Israelites.
As the sun sets, the Levite and his concubine are nearing the city of Jebus, which is still largely occupied by its original inhabitants, the Jebusites. The Levite's servant, concerned about traveling in the dark in these uncertain times, urges his master to seek lodging within the city walls for the night. This suggestion highlights the precariousness of travel and the mixed control over the land during the era of the Judges, where many cities remained unconquered by the Israelites.
"When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, “Come now, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.”" — The servant's plea to stop in Jebus, a city still held by the Jebusites and not fully conquered by Israel, reveals how perilous and unsettled the land was during this period. It highlights that even…
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