And all who saw it said, “Such a thing has never happened or been seen from the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The powerful statement "Such a thing has never happened or been seen" isn't just about the shock of the crime itself, but a declaration that this horror transcends anything experienced since Israel's very beginning as a nation at the Exodus. It highlights how this depravity marked a new low, a moral crisis that demanded immediate national attention and action.
And all who saw it said, “Such a thing has never happened or been seen from the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Levite has just sent dismembered pieces of his murdered concubine's body to the twelve tribes of Israel as a shocking appeal for justice. All who saw the gruesome pieces and heard the story were filled with horror, exclaiming that such an atrocity had never been seen since Israel left Egypt. This intense moral outrage sets the stage for the tribes to convene a national council in the next chapter to decide how to deal with the wicked men of Gibeah.
Imagine a crime so shocking, it becomes a national benchmark for evil. The people of Israel felt that horror, and it ignited something powerful.
A New Low for Israel
This verse declares a stark reality: the horrific events in Gibeah were unlike anything seen since the very beginning of Israel's journey as a nation. From the day they left Egypt, they had faced challenges, wars, and moral failings, but this particular act of brutality and depravity was beyond anything before.
When something goes terribly wrong, who is responsible? This verse calls for more than just pointing fingers; it demands shared deliberation and decisive action.
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From Outrage to Counsel
The verse doesn't just record the shock; it captures the immediate, urgent response it triggered. The exclamation of horror quickly transitions into a call for communal action.
Understand the original words
Mitsrayim · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the act of the Israelites being freed from bondage in Egypt, a central redemptive event that defined their national identity and their covenant relationship with Yahweh.
'uts · Hebrew Verb
To gather thoughts, reflect, or deliberate on a serious matter; it implies the necessity of collective moral judgment and action.
This verse highlights a moment of unprecedented moral outrage in Israel's history, echoing the foundational event of the Exodus and underscoring the severity of the crime committed at Gibeah during a time of weak governance.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, marking their beginning as a unified people under God's covenant.
c. 1375-1075 BC
Period of the Judges
A turbulent era in Israel's history characterized by cycles of sin, oppression, and deliverance, with a lack of centralized leadership.
c. 1100 BC— this verse
The Crime at Gibeah
A Levite's concubine is brutally assaulted and murdered by the men of Gibeah in the tribe of Benjamin, an act of profound wickedness.
c. 1100 BC
Dissemination of the Levite's Story
The Levite dismembers his concubine's body and sends pieces to the twelve tribes, provoking widespread horror and outrage.
c. 1100 BC
Israelite Congress Convenes
Representatives from all the tribes gather in response to the atrocity, expressing unprecedented moral indignation and calling for justice.
c. 1100 BC
Civil War Erupts
The tribes of Israel wage war against the tribe of Benjamin to punish Gibeah, resulting in heavy losses on both sides.
This passage recalls the foundational moment of Israel's formation as a nation when God brought them out of Egypt, much like the people in Judges 19 refer back to this Exodus event as the benchmark for unprecedented events.
Hosea 9:9The prophet Hosea directly references the 'days of Gibeah' as a profound sin and a turning point in Israel's history, echoing the sentiment of Judges 19:30 that this event was a grave, unparalleled offense.
Jeremiah 7:25-26Jeremiah speaks of God sending prophets to His people repeatedly, only for them to refuse to listen, highlighting a pattern of disobedience and corruption that the shocking events in Judges 19 exemplify.
Romans 1:26-27Paul describes a society that has exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones, mirroring the deeply disturbing and unnatural acts described in Judges 19, and showing how such moral breakdown is not unique to ancient Israel.
1 Corinthians 5:1-2Paul addresses a shocking sin within the Corinthian church, emphasizing the need for the community to deal with such deep-seated immorality rather than tolerating it, which is precisely the call to action prompted by the events in Judges 19.
clarkeJudges 19:30: "And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds."
There was no such deed done nor seen - They were all struck with the enormity of the crime; and considered it a sovereign disgrace to all the tribes of Israel. Consider of it - Literally, Put it to yourselves; take counsel upon it; and speak. This was the prelude…
bensonJudges 19:30: "And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds."
Jdg 19:30 . All said, There was no such deed done or seen, &c. — All who saw it, and heard the relation, were so moved with horror at it that they called upon each other to consult and give their opinion in what manner justice should be done upon the lewd and inhu…
The powerful statement "Such a thing has never happened or been seen" isn't just about the shock of the crime itself, but a declaration that this horror transcends anything experienced since Israel's very beginning as a nation at the Exodus. It highlights how this depravity marked a new low, a moral crisis that demanded immediate national attention and action.
The Levite has just sent dismembered pieces of his murdered concubine's body to the twelve tribes of Israel as a shocking appeal for justice. All who saw the gruesome pieces and heard the story were filled with horror, exclaiming that such an atrocity had never been seen since Israel left Egypt. This intense moral outrage sets the stage for the tribes to convene a national council in the next chapter to decide how to deal with the wicked men of Gibeah.
The Levite has just sent dismembered pieces of his murdered concubine's body to the twelve tribes of Israel as a shocking appeal for justice. All who saw the gruesome pieces and heard the story were filled with horror, exclaiming that such an atrocity had never been seen since Israel left Egypt. This intense moral outrage sets the stage for the tribes to convene a national council in the next chapter to decide how to deal with the wicked men of Gibeah.
"And all who saw it said, “Such a thing has never happened or been seen from the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak.”" — The powerful statement "Such a thing has never happened or been seen" isn't just about the shock of the crime itself, but a declaration that this horror transcends anything experienced since Israel's…
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Last reviewed October 2026