Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
10. Jebus ] Only here and in 1Ch 11:4-5 as the old name of Jerusalem. Long before the Israelite occupation, however, the Amarna tablets c. 1400 b.c. refer to the city as Urusalim (Nos. 180, 181, 183, 185 Winckler); and the O.T. itself gives early evidence for the antiquity of the name, Jdg 1:7-8; Jdg 1:21, Jos 15:63 JE, 2Sa 5:6. We are told that the Jebusites lived there, Jdg 1:21, Josh. l.c., 2 Sam. l.c., and it may have been possible to speak of the Jebusite, meaning Jerusalem (in P, Jos 15:8; Jos 18:28; Jos 18:16); but Jebus is merely an inference from the name of the inhabitants, not a survival from prehistoric times. Lagrange indeed thinks that the way in which the servant alludes to this city of the Jebusites implies that the text originally read Jerusalem in Jdg 19:10-11, and that Jebus is due to a copyist who wished to correct the reading in accordance with his theory. See G. A. Smith, Jerusalem, i. pp. 266 f.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
10-12. the man . . . departed, andcame over against JebusThe note, “which is Jerusalem,”must have been inserted by Ezra or some later hand. Jebus beingstill, though not entirely (Jud 1:8)in the possession of the old inhabitants, the Levite resisted theadvice of his attendant to enter it and determined rather to pressforward to pass the night in Gibeah, which he knew was occupied byIsraelites. The distance from Beth-lehem to Jerusalem is about sixmiles. The event showed that it would have been better to havefollowed the advice of his attendantto have trusted themselvesamong aliens than among their own countrymen.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But the man would not tarry that night,…. He was determined upon his journey; he perceived there was no end of the solicitations of his father-in-law, and did not know how long he intended to detain him, and therefore was resolved not to hearken to him any longer:
but he rose up and departed; rose up from his seat, took his leave of his father-in-law, and proceeded on his journey:
and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; which was then called Jebus, because inhabited by the Jebusites, as appears from the following verse; this was about six miles from Bethlehem p; so far they were come on in their journey homewards:
and there were with him two asses saddled; which he brought with him when he came to Bethlehem, Jud 19:3 now said to be “saddled”, either for him and his concubine to ride on; or they were bound or girt, as the word signifies, being loaded with bread, and wine, and provender; or it may be one of them was for him and his concubine to ride on by turns, and the other to carry the provisions:
and his concubine also was with him; matters being now made up between them, she had agreed to go with him, and did, which was the end of his coming to her father’s house; and therefore this is observed on that account, as well as for what follows in the tragical part of this history.
p Hieron. de loc. Heb. fol. 89. E.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Lodging in Gibeah, vs. 10-21
The old father-in-law was unsuccessful in his attempt to keep the Levite with him overnight again. He insisted on beginning his homeward journey, though it was already afternoon. The party did not get far before the sun began to go down. In -fact, they had only arrived at Jerusalem, which was still inhabited by the Jebusites, whom the Israelites had allowed to repossess the city. The false piety of the Levite is apparent in his shunning to spend the night in a city of pagan strangers, obviously because he felt he might be contaminated thereby, (Mat 7:5).
The Levite proposed that they should proceed on to one of the Benjamite cities. So they arrived at Gibeah, the chief city of Benjamin, at the time the sun set. They took their seat in the street, expecting that the people would obey the injunction of the law which stated that Israelites should befriend both neighbors and strangers (Lev 19:18; Lev 19:33). But no one did, showing again the low esteem in which the Israelites were, even then, respecting the law God gave them. There was another sojourner in the city, an old man of the tribe of Ephraim, who had a field in the vicinity which he was cultivating, and from which he was returning. It seems he had a temporary home among the people of Gibeah.
When the old man saw the party of the Levite, seemingly prepared to spend the night in the street, he inquired of the circumstances. The Levite told him of the journey he was on, having been to Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah and now returning, he said, to the house of God. Perhaps this last information was a lie to commend himself to the old man, for nothing has previously been said about the Levite living at the tabernacle. The old man promptly offered to share his hospitality with the Levite, his concubine, and the servant, and to feed the asses, though the Levite had said they had with them the things they would need.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(10) Jebus, which is Jerusalem.See Jdg. 1:8; Jos. 15:8.
Saddled.Rather, loaded (Vulg., onustos).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Jebus The ancient name of Jerusalem. See at Jos 15:63, and chap. Jdg 1:21. This was a journey of about two hours north of Beth-lehem.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jdg 19:10 a
‘But the man would not linger that night. But he rose up and departed ’
This time he was determined on his journey. He saw that this could go on for ever, and realised that his father-in-law would continue to seek to keep him there. It definitely seemed as though his wife was very reluctant to go with him. So, come what may, he was determined to go.
“But he rose up and departed.” The decision was made and they finally did leave. There was still some light left before night fell.
Jdg 19:10 b
‘And came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem. And there were with him two asses, saddled. And his concubine also was with him ’
They arrived just outside Jebus. This was Jerusalem, then popularly known as Jebus, because inhabited by the Jebusites. This was about Jdg 9:5 kilometres (six miles) from Bethlehem.
“And there were with him two asses, saddled. And his concubine also was with him.” ‘Saddled’ may simply mean ‘laden’. Thus his concubine might ride one and the other would be laden with goods, food, wine, provender, and possibly gifts from the family, a very obvious temptation for unpleasant people. Or it may be that he rode and the concubine walked. She was of a lower class.
“And his concubine also was with him.” Matters had now satisfactorily been settled (at least outwardly) and his concubine wife had agreed to go with him.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
This Gibeah was a city in the tribe of Benjamin, and it was directly on the road towards Shiloh. The resolution therefore of the Levite app ears to be very proper, for certainly there should seem to be more courtesy by right to be expected by an Israelite from a Benjamite, than from the Jebusites. But the sequel shows that this was ill-founded. Alas! how many are there professing the pure and merciful religion of the Lord Jesus, whose lives need blush in the view of men of no religion.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 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.
Ver. 10. But he rose up and departed. ] Such contentment doth sincere affection find in the presence of those we love, that death itself hath no other name than Departing.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jebus. At that time still occupied by Canaanites. See Jos 10:1; Jos 15:63.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
over against: Heb. to over against
Jebus: Jdg 1:8, Jos 15:8, Jos 15:63, Jos 18:28, 2Sa 5:6
Reciprocal: Jos 18:16 – Jebusi Jdg 1:21 – General Jdg 19:11 – the Jebusites 1Ch 11:4 – Jebus