Judges 19

Judges 19:1

A Concubine] Or a wife a Concubine. The word for Concubine in Hebrew is etymologized wittily by some from two other words of that language, which put together, 1 signifie that which the Greeks call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, some old Latine Inscriptions, Viro-conjux, an half-wife, or secondarie wife. We read in Scripture of Concubines, and Wives, variously: Of many wives to one man, in the Old Testament. And this, not onely in prophane and evill men, as in Lamech, Gen. IV. and Esau, and other; but also in good and godly men, as in Iacob, David, and others. And among these many wives, we sometimes finde a kinde of distinction of them into two sorts; One sort, the First, and principal, and absolutely lawful wife, and Mistris; The other sort, but in a secondary and inferiour degree.

And such as had no Dowries; nor solemne Rites of reception; nor Rule in the family; nor their children had any Inheritance, but Gifts and Portions, For that of Iacobs sons by Bilhah, and Zilpah, was a case extraordinary. And thus we finde with Abraham, Sarah of the first sort; and Hagar, and Keturah of the second: with Iacob, Rachel, and Leah, of the first; Bilhah, and Zilpah of the second. And those of the second sort, are sometimes called wives, and sometimes Concubines; as we see in Keturah, Gen. XXV. 1, 6. 1 Chron. I. 32. And in Bilhah, Gen.

XXX. 4. and XXXV. 22. and Ch. XXXVII. 2. And Davids ten Concubines, 2 Sam. XV. 16. and Ch. XVI. 22. and Ch. XX. 3. are called his wives, 2 Sam.

XII. 11. And thus Concubines are of two sorts, some are wives, or half-wives; others plaine Whores and Harlots. But this Concubine of the Levite was his wife, and he her Lord, as appears, ver. 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 26, 27. and Ch. XX. 4.

Judges 19:12

Gibeah] Distinct from Gibeah in the tribe of Iudah, Iosh. XV. 57. And from Gibeon in the Tribe of Benjamin, Iosh. XVIII. 25. This was either that which afterwards was called Gibeah of Saul in the Tribe of Benjamin, 1 Sam. XI. 4. or else very near it, in the same Tribe, and not farre from Ierusalem, and Ramah, ver. 13, 14, 16.

Judges 19:18

House of the Lord] In Shilo. And so Ch. XX. 18. This was near Mount Ephraim; where he sojourned. And thither the whole Campe came, Ch. XXI. 12.

Judges 19:22

Know him] So Gen. XIX. 5. monstrous impudent wickednesse: a modest intimation of a most immodest meaning.

Judges 19:23

My brethren] Men in nature, though worse then beasts in their lusts.

Judges 19:24

Behold my daughter] Sinful this; to use unlawful means, though to a good end. We may not do evill that good may come thereof, Rom. III. 8.

Judges 19:25

Not hearken] Yet did in the next words. And she sinning by lust. ver. 2. was plagued by lust.

Judges 19:29

Divided her] An act barbarous in it self and inhumane: though he did it to a good end; to bring these sons of Belial to deserved punishment; that such pests might not be suffered to live, and poion the aire with their breath, and so pollute the Land, and go unpunished. The unbowelling, and enbalming of dead bodies, and anatomizing of them by Physitians and Chirurgeons, to good uses, is a case different in divers points,