Judges 19:2

And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Four whole months.—Literally, days, four months, which some interpret to mean “a year (see Note on Judges 17:10) and four months.” The incident has, however, little bearing on the general story.

Benson Commentary

Jdg 19:2-3. Played the whore against him — Against her faith given to him. Went away — Either for fear of punishment, or because her heart was alienated from him; wherein not only she sinned, but her father, by connivance at her sin, and neglect of just endeavours for her reconciliation to her husband. Her husband went to speak friendly unto her — To offer her pardon and reconciliation.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:7-13 Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Played the whore against him - Perhaps only meaning that she ran away from him, and left him, for she returned to her father's house.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. his concubine … went away from him unto her father's house—The cause of the separation assigned in our version rendered it unlawful for her husband to take her back (De 24:4); and according to the uniform style of sentiment and practice in the East, she would have been put to death, had she gone to her father's family. Other versions concur with Josephus, in representing the reason for the flight from her husband's house to be, that she was disgusted with him, through frequent brawls.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Against him, i.e. against her faith given to him, or to his wrong; or, with him, i.e. in his house; or whilst she lived with him, which is opposed to her going away, which here follows.

Went away from him; either for fear of his severe rebukes or punishment, or because her heart was alienated from him.

Four whole months, Heb. some days, to wit, four months; or, a year (so days commonly signify) and four months; wherein not only site sinned, but her father by some indulgence and connivance at her sin, and neglect of just endeavours for her reconciliation to her husband, the ill effects whereof he speedily felt, in the loss of his daughter in so dreadful a manner.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And his concubine played the whore against him,.... Was unfaithful to him and his bed, and broke the covenant and agreement between them; or "with him" (i), while she was with him in the house; or "before him" (k), of which he had knowledge and proof; though some think this is not to be understood of whoredom or adultery, but of her ill usage of him, and departure from him. The Targum is, she despised him; so Kimchi and Ben Gersom interpret it of her declining and turning aside from him, and returning to her father's house, as follows: and indeed, had she been guilty of such a crime, one would think he would never have sought after her to reconcile her, and take her again, since she not only deserved to be put away, but to be put to death according to the law of God:

and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehemjudah; where she was received, as she knew she should, having a parent perhaps too indulgent, and which was an encouragement to her to leave her husband:

and was there some whole months or a year and four whole months, according to Ben Gersom; so Kimchi and Ben Melech observe the copulative "and" is wanting, which is expressed in 1 Samuel 27:7 and "yamim, days", is so the times used for a year, Judges 14:8.

(i) "apud eum", Pagninus, Piscator; "cum eo", Junius & Tremellius. (k) "Conspectu ejus", Vatablus; "coram eo", Drusius.

Geneva Study Bible

And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. played the harlot against him] The text is open to suspicion. LXX. cod. A reads was angry with him; this suits the context, which implies a quarrel, but not unfaithfulness, on the woman’s part; she left him in anger and returned to her father’s house, whither the Levite followed to pacify her (Jdg 19:3 f.). How are we to account for the reading of the text? Moore ingeniously suggests that by the transposition of two letters she was angry (te’ĕnaph) might have become ‘she committed adultery’ (tin’aph), which was altered by the Jews to ‘played the harlot,’ on the ground that only a wedded wife could be said to commit adultery. It is simpler to suppose that the original she was angry was deliberately altered under a misconception of the relationship.

the space of four months] lit. days, four months; days sometimes has the specific sense of a year, e.g. 1 Samuel 27:7 ‘a full year and four months’; cf. ch. Jdg 17:10 ‘by the year,’ lit. ‘by the days.’ But days can also have an indefinite sense, some time, as probably here.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - Played the whore, etc. Perhaps the phrase only means that she revolted from him and left him. Her returning to her father's house, and his anxiety to make up the quarrel, both discourage taking the phrase in its worst sense. Four whole months. Literally, days, four months; meaning either a year and four months, as in 1 Samuel 27:7, where, however, the and is expressed; or days (i.e. many days), viz., four months. For the use of days for a year see Exodus 13:10; Judges 17:10, etc. Judges 19:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Infamous Crime of the Inhabitants of Gibeah. - Judges 19:1-14. At the time when there was no king in Israel, a Levite, who sojourned (i.e., lived outside a Levitical town) in the more remote parts of the mountains of Ephraim, took to himself a concubine out of Bethlehem in Judah, who proved unfaithful to him, and then returned to her father's house. הר־אפרים ירכּתי, the hinder or outermost parts of the mountains of Ephraim, are the northern extremity of these mountains; according to Judges 19:18, probably the neighbourhood of Shiloh. עליו תּזנה, "she played the harlot out beyond him," i.e., was unfaithful to her husband, and then went away from him," back to her father's house.