Judges 19:10
But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Jerusalem (called Jebus after its Canaanite inhabitants, the Jebusites) remained unconquered until David captured it and made it his capital (2 Samuel 5:6-9). During the Judges period, it was a border city between Benjamite and Judahite territory, with Israelites dwelling near but not controlling it (Judges 1:21). The Levite's decision to avoid lodging in this "foreign" city reflects both national pride and the assumption that covenant people would be more righteous than pagans—an assumption tragically disproven by the Gibeah atrocity.
The journey from Bethlehem through Jerusalem to Gibeah covered approximately 8-10 miles. Had the Levite left his father-in-law's house earlier in the day (rather than being delayed repeatedly, verses 4-9), he would have reached his Ephraim destination in daylight and avoided Gibeah entirely. The repeated delays, the late departure, the decision to bypass Jerusalem, and the eventual arrival at Gibeah as evening fell—all seem like tragic coincidences, yet Scripture presents them as the outworking of human sin and divine sovereignty, leading to events that would shake the entire nation.
Questions for Reflection
- How do we sometimes assume covenant status or religious identity guarantees moral behavior, yet fail to examine actual heart transformation?
- What does the Levite's tragic miscalculation teach about the danger of outward religious forms divorced from genuine spiritual life?
- How should we respond when we discover that covenant communities have become as corrupt as the surrounding world?
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Analysis & Commentary
But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him. This verse marks a fateful decision. The Levite, having finally left his father-in-law's house after multiple delays, passes by "Jebus, which is Jerusalem." At this time, Jerusalem remained a Canaanite (Jebusite) city, not fully conquered by Israel (Judges 1:21). The Levite's decision to bypass Jerusalem seeking lodging in an Israelite city (Gibeah, verse 12) is ironic—he assumed covenant Israel would be safer than pagan Canaan, yet Gibeah would prove more dangerous than Jebus could have been.
From a Reformed perspective, this demonstrates how outward covenant status doesn't guarantee spiritual safety or moral superiority. The Levite reasoned that fellow Israelites would show hospitality and moral behavior, yet the Benjamites of Gibeah behaved worse than Sodomites. This teaches that religious identity and covenant membership, apart from genuine regeneration and Spirit-wrought transformation, provide no protection against moral collapse. Jesus warned that many would claim covenant status ("Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?") yet be rejected (Matthew 7:21-23).