Bible Commentary

Judges 20:5

Judges 20:5

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain

And the men of Gibeah rose against me,.... Not all of them, but some that dwelt in that city; he forbears giving them the character they justly deserved, sons of Belial. These came in a tumultuous and violent manner,and beset the house round about upon me by night; that he might not make his escape, resolving if possible to get him into their hands, and do with him according to their will:and thought to have slain me; their first intention was to commit the unnatural sin on him, and, if he resisted, to slay him; but this he modestly conceals, as being a sin not to be named in an assembly of saints; and besides he might say this, because he himself chose rather to be slain than to submit to their lust, which he knew must be the case upon his refusal and resistance; and even if he had yielded, being overpowered, this would have been the consequence, that he should have been abused even unto death, as his wife was:and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead; or "afflicted", or "humbled" her; which is a modest expression for carnal knowledge of her, and which they had to such excess that she died through it.

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Judges 20 — OverviewJudges 20 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleInto the book of the wars of the Lord the story of this chapter must be brought, but it looks as sad and uncomfortable as any article in all that history; for there is nothing in it that looks in the least bright…Judges 20 — OverviewJudges 20 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJudges 20:1, The Levite in a general assembly declares his wrong; Judges 20:8, The decree of the assembly; Judges 20:12, The Benjamites, being cited, make head against the Israelites; Judges 20:18, The Israelites in two…Judges 20 — OverviewJudges 20 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter relates, how that there was an assembly of the children of Israel at Mizpeh, upon what had happened to the concubine of the Levite, where he appeared and related the whole affair to them,Jud 20:1 upon which…Judges 20:1-11Judges 20:1-11 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleHere is, I. A general meeting of all the congregation of Israel to examine the matter concerning the Levite's concubine, and to consider what was to be done upon it, v. 1, 2. It does not appear that they were…Judges 20:1-17Judges 20:1-17 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITION 20:1 Went out, i.e. from their several homes to the place of meeting. The congregation. The technical term (not, however, found in Samuel and Kings, except in 1 Kings 12:20) for the whole Israelitish people…Judges 20:5Judges 20:5 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeAnd the men: Judges 19:22 beset: Genesis 19:4-8 and my concubine: Judges 19:25-26 forced: Heb. humbled, Deuteronomy 22:24; Ezekiel 22:10-11