Judges 19:7

THE MESSAGE

The Levite It was an era when there was no king in Israel. A Levite, living as a stranger in the backwoods hill country of Ephraim, got himself a concubine, a woman from Bethlehem in Judah. But she quarreled with him and left, returning to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there four months. Then her husband decided to go after her and try to win her back. He had a servant and a pair of donkeys with him. When he arrived at her father's house, the girl's father saw him, welcomed him, and made him feel at home. His father-in-law, the girl's father, pressed him to stay. He stayed with him three days; they feasted and drank and slept. On the fourth day, they got up at the crack of dawn and got ready to go. But the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen yourself with a hearty breakfast and then you can go." So they sat down and ate breakfast together. The girl's father said to the man, "Come now, be my guest. Stay the night—make it a holiday." The man got up to go, but his father-in-law kept after him, so he ended up spending another night.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The man got up to go, but his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed and spent the night there again.

Hebrew Names Version
The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.

King James Version
And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

Lexham English Bible
The man got up to go, but his father-in-law urged him, and he returned and spent the night there.

English Standard Version
And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, till he spent the night there again.

New Century Version
When the man got up to go, his father-in-law asked him to stay. So he stayed again that night.

New English Translation
When the man got ready to leave, his father-in-law convinced him to stay another night.

Amplified Bible
Then the man got up to leave, but his father-in-law urged him [strongly to remain]; so he spent the night there again.

New American Standard Bible
However, the man got up to go; but his father-in-law urged him, and he spent the night there again.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when the man rose vp to depart, his father in lawe was earnest: therefore he returned, and lodged there.

Legacy Standard Bible
Toe die man egter klaarmaak om weg te gaan, het sy skoonvader by hom aangedring, sodat hy weer die nag daar oorgebly het.

Contemporary English Version
The Levite tried to leave, but his father-in-law insisted, and he spent one more night.

Complete Jewish Bible
The man rose to leave, but his father-in-law pressed him, so he stayed there again.

Darby Translation
And the man rose up to depart, but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.

Easy-to-Read Version
The Levite got up to leave, but his father-in-law persuaded him to stay the night again.

George Lamsa Translation
And when the man rose up to depart, his father-in-law urged him to stay; and he spent the night there again.

Good News Translation
The Levite got up to go, but the father urged him to stay, so he spent another night there.

Literal Translation
And the man rose up to go; and his father-in-law pressed him, and he turned back and stayed there.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But ye ma arose, & wolde nedes go. And his father in lawe constrayned him to tarye all nighte.

American Standard Version
And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.

Bible in Basic English
And the man got up to go away, but his father-in-law would not let him go, so he took his rest there again for the night.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when the man stoode redy to depart, his father in lawe compelled hym: therfore he returned, and taryed all nyght there.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.

King James Version (1611)
And when the man rose vp to depart, his father in law vrged him: therfore he lodged there againe.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law constrained him, and he stayed and lodged there.

English Revised Version
And the man rose up to depart; but his father in law urged him, and he lodged there again.

Berean Standard Bible
The man got up to go, but his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed there that night.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he roos, and bigan to wilne to go; and neuertheles `the fadir of his wijf helde hym mekeli, and made to dwelle at hym.

Young's Literal Translation
And the man riseth to go, and his father-in-law presseth on him, and he turneth back and lodgeth there.

Update Bible Version
And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when the man rose to depart, his father-in-law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

World English Bible
The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.

New King James Version
And when the man stood to depart, his father-in-law urged him; so he lodged there again.

New Living Translation
The man got up to leave, but his father-in-law kept urging him to stay, so he finally gave in and stayed the night.

New Life Bible
The man stood up to go. But his father-in-law begged him so that he stayed another night there.

New Revised Standard
When the man got up to go, his father-in-law kept urging him until he spent the night there again.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, so he turned back and tarried the night there.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But he rising up, began to be for departing. And nevertheless his father in law earnestly pressed him, and made him stay with him.

Revised Standard Version
And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law urged him, till he lodged there again.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the man arose to go, but his father-in-law urged him so that he spent the night there again.

Contextual Overview

¹It was an era when there was no king in Israel. A Levite, living as a stranger in the backwoods hill country of Ephraim, got himself a concubine, a woman from Bethlehem in Judah. But she quarreled with him and left, returning to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there four months. Then her husband decided to go after her and try to win her back. He had a servant and a pair of donkeys with him. When he arrived at her father's house, the girl's father saw him, welcomed him, and made him feel at home. His father-in-law, the girl's father, pressed him to stay. He stayed with him three days; they feasted and drank and slept. ⁵On the fourth day, they got up at the crack of dawn and got ready to go. But the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen yourself with a hearty breakfast and then you can go." So they sat down and ate breakfast together. The girl's father said to the man, "Come now, be my guest. Stay the night—make it a holiday." The man got up to go, but his father-in-law kept after him, so he ended up spending another night. On the fifth day, he was again up early, ready to go. The girl's father said, "You need some breakfast." They went back and forth, and the day slipped on as they ate and drank together. But the man and his concubine were finally ready to go. Then his father-in-law, the girl's father, said, "Look, the day's almost gone—why not stay the night? There's very little daylight left; stay another night and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get an early start and set off for your own place." But this time the man wasn't willing to spend another night. He got things ready, left, and went as far as Jebus (Jerusalem) with his pair of saddled donkeys, his concubine, and his servant. At Jebus, though, the day was nearly gone. The servant said to his master, "It's late; let's go into this Jebusite city and spend the night." But his master said, "We're not going into any city of foreigners. We'll go on to Gibeah." He directed his servant, "Keep going. Let's go on ahead. We'll spend the night either at Gibeah or Ramah." So they kept going. As they pressed on, the sun finally left them in the vicinity of Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. They left the road there to spend the night at Gibeah. The Levite went and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them in to spend the night. Then, late in the evening, an old man came in from his day's work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and lived temporarily in Gibeah where all the local citizens were Benjaminites. When the old man looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, he said, "Where are you going? And where are you from?" The Levite said, "We're just passing through. We're coming from Bethlehem on our way to a remote spot in the hills of Ephraim. I come from there. I've just made a trip to Bethlehem in Judah and I'm on my way back home, but no one has invited us in for the night. We wouldn't be any trouble: We have food and straw for the donkeys, and bread and wine for the woman, the young man, and me—we don't need anything." The old man said, "It's going to be all right; I'll take care of you. You aren't going to spend the night in the town square." He took them home and fed the donkeys. They washed up and sat down to a good meal. They were relaxed and enjoying themselves when the men of the city, a gang of local hell-raisers all, surrounded the house and started pounding on the door. They yelled for the owner of the house, the old man, "Bring out the man who came to your house. We want to have sex with him." He went out and told them, "No, brothers! Don't be obscene—this man is my guest. Don't commit this outrage. Look, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. I'll bring them out for you. Abuse them if you must, but don't do anything so senselessly vile to this man." But the men wouldn't listen to him. Finally, the Levite pushed his concubine out the door to them. They raped her repeatedly all night long. Just before dawn they let her go. The woman came back and fell at the door of the house where her master was sleeping. When the sun rose, there she was. It was morning. Her master got up and opened the door to continue his journey. There she was, his concubine, crumpled in a heap at the door, her hands on the threshold. "Get up," he said. "Let's get going." There was no answer. He lifted her onto his donkey and set out for home. When he got home he took a knife and dismembered his concubine—cut her into twelve pieces. He sent her, piece by piece, throughout the country of Israel. And he ordered the men he sent out, "Say to every man in Israel: ‘Has such a thing as this ever happened from the time the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until now? Think about it! Talk it over. Do something!'" ⁷The Levite It was an era when there was no king in Israel. A Levite, living as a stranger in the backwoods hill country of Ephraim, got himself a concubine, a woman from Bethlehem in Judah. But she quarreled with him and left, returning to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there four months. Then her husband decided to go after her and try to win her back. He had a servant and a pair of donkeys with him. When he arrived at her father's house, the girl's father saw him, welcomed him, and made him feel at home. His father-in-law, the girl's father, pressed him to stay. He stayed with him three days; they feasted and drank and slept. On the fourth day, they got up at the crack of dawn and got ready to go. But the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen yourself with a hearty breakfast and then you can go." So they sat down and ate breakfast together. The girl's father said to the man, "Come now, be my guest. Stay the night—make it a holiday." The man got up to go, but his father-in-law kept after him, so he ended up spending another night. ⁸On the fifth day, he was again up early, ready to go. The girl's father said, "You need some breakfast." They went back and forth, and the day slipped on as they ate and drank together. But the man and his concubine were finally ready to go. Then his father-in-law, the girl's father, said, "Look, the day's almost gone—why not stay the night? There's very little daylight left; stay another night and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get an early start and set off for your own place." ¹⁰But this time the man wasn't willing to spend another night. He got things ready, left, and went as far as Jebus (Jerusalem) with his pair of saddled donkeys, his concubine, and his servant. At Jebus, though, the day was nearly gone. The servant said to his master, "It's late; let's go into this Jebusite city and spend the night." ¹²But his master said, "We're not going into any city of foreigners. We'll go on to Gibeah." He directed his servant, "Keep going. Let's go on ahead. We'll spend the night either at Gibeah or Ramah." ¹⁴So they kept going. As they pressed on, the sun finally left them in the vicinity of Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. They left the road there to spend the night at Gibeah. The Levite went and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them in to spend the night. Then, late in the evening, an old man came in from his day's work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and lived temporarily in Gibeah where all the local citizens were Benjaminites. When the old man looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, he said, "Where are you going? And where are you from?" The Levite said, "We're just passing through. We're coming from Bethlehem on our way to a remote spot in the hills of Ephraim. I come from there. I've just made a trip to Bethlehem in Judah and I'm on my way back home, but no one has invited us in for the night. We wouldn't be any trouble: We have food and straw for the donkeys, and bread and wine for the woman, the young man, and me—we don't need anything." The old man said, "It's going to be all right; I'll take care of you. You aren't going to spend the night in the town square." He took them home and fed the donkeys. They washed up and sat down to a good meal. They were relaxed and enjoying themselves when the men of the city, a gang of local hell-raisers all, surrounded the house and started pounding on the door. They yelled for the owner of the house, the old man, "Bring out the man who came to your house. We want to have sex with him." He went out and told them, "No, brothers! Don't be obscene—this man is my guest. Don't commit this outrage. Look, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. I'll bring them out for you. Abuse them if you must, but don't do anything so senselessly vile to this man." But the men wouldn't listen to him. Finally, the Levite pushed his concubine out the door to them. They raped her repeatedly all night long. Just before dawn they let her go. The woman came back and fell at the door of the house where her master was sleeping. When the sun rose, there she was. It was morning. Her master got up and opened the door to continue his journey. There she was, his concubine, crumpled in a heap at the door, her hands on the threshold. "Get up," he said. "Let's get going." There was no answer. He lifted her onto his donkey and set out for home. When he got home he took a knife and dismembered his concubine—cut her into twelve pieces. He sent her, piece by piece, throughout the country of Israel. And he ordered the men he sent out, "Say to every man in Israel: ‘Has such a thing as this ever happened from the time the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until now? Think about it! Talk it over. Do something!'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Judges 19:22 - they were 2 Samuel 13:25 - pressed

Cross-References

Genesis 19:4
Before they went to bed men from all over the city of Sodom, young and old, descended on the house from all sides and boxed them in. They yelled to Lot, "Where are the men who are staying with you for the night? Bring them out so we can have our sport with them!"

Genesis 19:9
They said, "Get lost! You drop in from nowhere and now you're going to tell us how to run our lives. We'll treat you worse than them!" And they charged past Lot to break down the door.

Genesis 19:23
The sun was high in the sky when Lot arrived at Zoar.

Genesis 19:24
Then God rained brimstone and fire down on Sodom and Gomorrah—a river of lava from God out of the sky!—and destroyed these cities and the entire plain and everyone who lived in the cities and everything that grew from the ground.

Leviticus 18:22
"Don't have sex with a man as one does with a woman. That is abhorrent.

Leviticus 20:13
"If a man has sex with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is abhorrent. They must be put to death; they are responsible for their own deaths.

Deuteronomy 23:17
No daughter of Israel is to become a sacred prostitute; and no son of Israel is to become a sacred prostitute. And don't bring the fee of a sacred whore or the earnings of a priest-pimp to the house of God, your God, to pay for any vow—they are both an abomination to God , your God.

Judges 19:23
He went out and told them, "No, brothers! Don't be obscene—this man is my guest. Don't commit this outrage. Look, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. I'll bring them out for you. Abuse them if you must, but don't do anything so senselessly vile to this man."

Romans 1:24
So God said, in effect, "If that's what you want, that's what you get." It wasn't long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when the man rose up to depart,.... Rose up from table, having ate and drank sufficiently, in order to depart the house, and proceed on his journey:

his father in law urged him; with much entreaty, and earnest solicitations, that he would stay all night with him:

therefore he lodged there again; another night, being prevailed upon through his father's importunity.