Judges 19 5

Judges 19:5 kjv

And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.

Judges 19:5 nkjv

Then it came to pass on the fourth day that they arose early in the morning, and he stood to depart; but the young woman's father said to his son-in-law, "Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way."

Judges 19:5 niv

On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to leave, but the woman's father said to his son-in-law, "Refresh yourself with something to eat; then you can go."

Judges 19:5 esv

And on the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to go, but the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go."

Judges 19:5 nlt

On the fourth day the man was up early, ready to leave, but the woman's father said to his son-in-law, "Have something to eat before you go."

Judges 19 verses

Judges 19 5 Meaning

Judges 19:5 depicts the father-in-law of the Levite extending a fourth, persistent invitation for his son-in-law to remain longer by eating a sustaining meal before embarking on his journey. This seemingly polite request, however, serves as a pivotal point, prolonging their departure and setting the stage for the tragic events that unfold due to their travel into a hostile environment at an inopportune time.

Judges 19 5 Context

This verse is situated at a crucial juncture in the darkest narrative of the book of Judges, often paralleled with the sin of Sodom. The Levite has traveled to Bethlehem in Judah to retrieve his concubine who had abandoned him. Upon their arrival in Bethlehem, her father welcomed him, and they celebrated for three days. Verse 5 marks the beginning of the "fourth day" where the Levite and his entourage attempt to depart, but the father-in-law repeatedly delays them, leveraging the cultural norm of hospitality. This excessive delay ultimately leads them to travel late in the day, reaching the inhospitable town of Gibeah of Benjamin, which sets the stage for the abhorrent gang-rape and murder of the concubine and the subsequent civil war in Israel. The repeated delays highlight a persistent breakdown in discernment and judgment on the part of the Levite, against the backdrop of an era where "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg 17:6; 21:25), leading to severe consequences.

Judges 19 5 Word analysis

• On the fourth day: This marks a significant extension of the stay. While hospitality was revered, remaining for four days goes beyond customary welcome, signaling a deliberate, and arguably excessive, attempt by the father-in-law to delay departure. It builds tension by highlighting the father-in-law's persistence against the Levite's attempts to leave.
• when they got up early in the morning to depart: This detail underscores the Levite's clear intention and repeated effort to resume his journey, indicating his resolve to leave despite the previous day's urgings to stay.
• the father-in-law said to his son-in-law: A direct address from a position of patriarchal authority within the household, revealing his continued manipulation of the situation through persuasion and tradition.
• "Strengthen your heart" (חֲזַק לִבֶּךָ, ḥăzaq libbekhā):
  • ḥăzaq (חֲזַק): A command meaning "be strong," "make firm," "be courageous." It is used broadly in the Bible for both physical and moral fortitude. Here, it implies taking physical refreshment to fortify oneself for the rigors of travel.
  • lēḇ (לִבֶּךָ): "Heart," in Hebrew thought, is not just the organ but the seat of intellect, will, and emotion—the entire inner being.
  • As an idiom, "strengthen your heart" in this context is an polite request to "take sustenance," or "refresh yourself by eating and drinking." It's an invitation to eat a meal that will invigorate one for a journey, contrasting ironically with the moral weakness displayed later in the chapter.
• "with a piece of bread" (פת לחם, pat leḥem): "Bread" (לחם, leḥem) represents the most fundamental and essential sustenance in ancient Near Eastern diet. Offering "a piece of bread" is a simple, common act of hospitality to sustain one for a journey. This specific request aims at the most basic physical need to provide an excuse for lingering.
• "and afterward you may go.": This phrase imposes a condition, a soft imperative to stay, making departure contingent on taking the meal. It subtly asserts the father-in-law's will and continues to control the timing of their departure, rather than genuinely empowering the Levite's journey.

Word-group analysis

• "On the fourth day, when they got up early in the morning to depart, the father-in-law said...": This sequence emphasizes the mounting tension and the father-in-law's stubborn insistence on delaying departure, actively preventing the Levite from leaving at an optimal time. The Levite's repeated attempts to leave highlight his gradual yielding to pressure.
• "Strengthen your heart with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go.": This polite yet controlling request highlights the deceptive nature of the situation. What appears as good hospitality (offering refreshment) becomes a manipulative tool that directly contributes to the future calamity by forcing the Levite to depart at a dangerous time of day, unknowingly guiding him towards destruction in Gibeah.

Judges 19 5 Bonus section

The detailed sequence of invitations and delays (v. 4, 6, 8) underscores a key aspect of this narrative: the Levite's agency is incrementally eroded by the father-in-law's polite but insistent demands. This erosion of agency directly impacts his fateful decision to travel at sunset (v. 9), leading him to Gibeah, a city notorious for its wickedness even within the morally compromised Israel of the Judges period. The hospitality that started seemingly benignly thus contributes directly to the breakdown of order and morality, leading to an ultimate demonstration of "what was right in their own eyes." The timing of departure, from morning to evening, changes the entire outcome, transforming a simple journey home into a journey towards horrifying violence and civil war, underscoring the tragic impact of delayed or ill-judged decisions.

Judges 19 5 Commentary

Judges 19:5 is a deceptively simple verse, yet critically important. It represents a subtle, but effective, manipulation through what appears to be warm hospitality. The father-in-law's repeated entreaties, culminating in this "fourth day" invitation to "strengthen your heart with bread," delay the Levite's departure past the ideal time for safe travel. This protracted delay highlights not only the father-in-law's possible possessiveness or reluctance to part with his daughter, but also the Levite's increasing passivity and poor judgment in succumbing to the pressure. The irony of "strengthening the heart" is stark: while it implies physical sustenance, the delayed journey will lead to events that utterly shatter moral and spiritual strength, culminating in an act of depravity far worse than physical weakness. The verse encapsulates how good intentions or culturally acceptable customs, when unchecked by wisdom or self-control, can tragically contribute to devastating consequences within a context of spiritual and moral decay, reflecting the wider message of the book of Judges.