Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 19:3
And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, [and] to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father’s house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
3. to speak kindly unto her ] See marg., and cf. Gen 34:3; Gen 50:21, Isa 40:2.
to bring her again ] More natural than the alternative reading given in the marg.
a couple of asses ] for the necessaries of the journey; by Eastern custom the woman would be expected to walk, Jdg 19:10.
and she brought him ] implies that the reconciliation has taken place; but as nothing is said about this, many prefer to read with LXX. cod. A and he went.
he rejoiced ] Evidently the Levite was considered to be a desirable son in law, and he had come back to claim his property.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 3. He rejoiced to meet him.] He hoped to be able completely to reconcile his daughter and her husband.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To speak friendly unto her, or, to speak to her heart, i.e. kindly and comfortably, as that phrase is taken, Ge 1 21; Ho 2:14, to offer, her pardon and reconciliation, and restitution to her former state.
To bring her again, to wit, to his own house.
A couple of asses; partly for himself or his wife to ride upon, as there was occasion; and partly for carrying their provision, as appears from Jdg 19:19.
He rejoiced to meet him, hoping the breach would be made up by this means.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3, 4. And her husband arose, andwent after her, to speak friendly unto herHebrew,“speak to her heart,” in a kindly and affectionate manner,so as to rekindle her affection. Accompanied by a servant, he arrivedat the house of his father-in-law, who rejoiced to meet him, in thehope that a complete reconciliation would be brought about betweenhis daughter and her husband. The Levite, yielding to the hospitableimportunities of his father-in-law, prolonged his stay for days.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And her husband arose,…. From the place where he lived:
and went after her; to Bethlehemjudah, where her father lived:
to speak comfortably to her “or to her heart” l; having heard perhaps that she repented of her sin, or if it was only upon a quarrel between them, his anger might cool and subside, and therefore sought for a reconciliation; and which was the more commendable in him, as he did not put her away, but she departed from him: and
to bring her again; to his own city, and to his own house and bed, as before:
having his servant with him, and a couple of asses; one of them for her to ride upon, and the other to carry provisions on:
and she brought him into her father’s house; it seems she met with him before he came thither, in the fields, or in the street; and by this it appears that she was glad to see him, and received him in a loving manner, and introduced him into her father’s house, so that things looked well, and promised success:
and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him; having a good opinion of him, and perhaps understood, even by his daughter’s story, that she was most in fault, and therefore was well pleased to see him come after her; though he ought before this time to have sent her home, or sought for a reconciliation of her to her husband.
l “ad cor”, Pagninus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Some time afterwards, namely at the end of four months ( is in apposition to , and defines more precisely the , or days), her husband went after her, “ to speak to her to the heart, ” i.e., to talk to her in a friendly manner (see Gen 34:3), and to reconcile her to himself again, so that she might return; taking with him his attendant and a couple of asses, for himself and his wife to ride upon. The suffix attached to refers to , “to bring back her heart,” to turn her to himself again. The Keri is a needless conjecture. “ And she brought him into her father’s house, and her father received his son-in-law with joy, and constrained him ( , lit. held him fast) to remain there three days. ” It is evident from this that the Levite had succeeded in reconciling his wife.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(3) To speak friendly unto her.Literally, to speak to her hearti.e., to bring about a kindly reconciliation (Gen. 34:3; Gen. 1:21; Rth. 2:13).
A couple of asses.One was meant to convey back his wife on her return.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. To speak friendly unto her Literally, to speak to her heart. “To conciliate her affection, to rekindle her tenderness, to whisper forgiveness to her, and to implore her to return to the home she had left desolate. He had, perhaps, heard that she was penitent; for the phrase often denotes the giving of comfort to one who is in sorrow.” Kitto.
Rejoiced to meet him To meet him on such an errand, for he might have come not to speak friendly to her, but to scourge her for her crime of conjugal infidelity. Lev 19:20.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jdg 19:3. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her In the original, to speak her heart, to refer to their former endearments, and to ask how she could be so unkind to him, and so very unkind to herself. Even the upbraidings of the quiet and relenting are sweet: not like the strivings of the fierce and inexorable, who bite and devour all that have thwarted them in their way; but they are calm, and courteous, like the spirit which watches over their character. How could such a temper woo the damsel, and not bring her back? Or how could the father of the damsel, beholding such a scene, have a heart open to any impressions but those mentioned in the latter clause; that when he saw him, he rejoiced to meet him; urged his stay, from day to day, with that soft invitation, comfort thine heart,and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. If mercy and truth thus meet together in settling this account, love would surely be of the party: great, great is its power in cementing what has been broken, and wiping out wrongs even from the memory itself: and so it was; for the Levite arose up, and with him his concubine, and his servant, and they departed.
REFLECTIONS.The events of the following chapters are proofs how great a misery it is to any people to be without good government. We may observe here, (1.) That where there is real remorse in the offender, the injured should nor be implacable. (2.) Though parents should be very jealous how they receive those into their houses who have deserted their husbands, yet it is highly dangerous, by severity, to render those desperate, who, by milder methods, may be reclaimed. (3.) Generous hospitality to our friends and relations is very becoming, and a proof of our regard to them. (4.) Though we may yield somewhat to the importunity of friends, yet every man has calls at home, and Levites especially, which will not admit of long absence. (5.) Let kind friends beware of selfishness in their solicitations, lest their intended kindness do us real injury.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father’s house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
The affection of this man to his adulteress wife, may serve to remind us of our God’s tenderness to us in our fornication to him. How sweetly the Lord speaks of it himself by the prophet. They say (saith the Lord) if a man put away his wife, and she go from him and become another man’s, shall he return to her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me, saith the Lord. Jer 3:1 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 19:3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, [and] to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father’s house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
Ver. 3. And her husband arose, and went after her. ] Either out of pity to her, or want of her company. She should have sought to him first, as being the peccant party; but she could not bring her heart to it.
“ Fastus inest pulchris, &c. ”
Having his servant with him.
He rejoiced to meet him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
friendly. Hebrew “to her heart” = affectionately.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
went: Jdg 15:1
speak: Gen 50:21, Lev 19:17, Lev 20:10, Hos 2:14, Mat 1:19, Joh 8:4, Joh 8:5, Joh 8:11, Gal 6:1
friendly unto her: Heb. to her heart, Gen 34:3
to bring: Jer 3:1
his servant: Num 22:22
Reciprocal: Jdg 19:26 – her lord was Rth 2:13 – friendly 1Co 7:11 – or