Judges 20 5

Judges 20:5 kjv

And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.

Judges 20:5 nkjv

And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me, but instead they ravished my concubine so that she died.

Judges 20:5 niv

During the night the men of Gibeah came after me and surrounded the house, intending to kill me. They raped my concubine, and she died.

Judges 20:5 esv

And the leaders of Gibeah rose against me and surrounded the house against me by night. They meant to kill me, and they violated my concubine, and she is dead.

Judges 20:5 nlt

That night some of the leading citizens of Gibeah surrounded the house, planning to kill me, and they raped my concubine until she was dead.

Judges 20 verses

Judges 20 5 Meaning

Judges 20:5 describes the Levite's harrowing account to the gathered tribes of Israel. He testifies that men from Gibeah attacked him by surrounding the house at night with the explicit intent to kill him. Instead, they seized his concubine, brutally assaulted her, and she subsequently died from the violence. This statement is the Levite's appeal for justice against the heinous crimes committed by the men of Gibeah.

Judges 20 5 Context

Judges 20:5 is a pivotal statement in a horrific narrative that encapsulates the moral and spiritual decline of Israel during the period of the Judges. Following the events of Judges 19, where a Levite's concubine is brutally assaulted and dies in Gibeah of Benjamin, the Levite dismembers her body into twelve pieces and sends them throughout Israel. This act serves as an unprecedented appeal for justice and national outrage. Chapter 20 opens with "all the people of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and the land of Gilead" (representing all twelve tribes) assembling at Mizpah before the Lord, forming a massive united front to inquire about this "wickedness."

The Levite's testimony in Judges 20:5 is his direct report to this national assembly, recounting the full horror of the crime from his perspective, framing it as a premeditated attempt on his life and the brutal rape and murder of his concubine. This accusation, laid before the entire nation, demands a collective response and establishes the grievous nature of the offense committed by the Benjamites of Gibeah. The historical context emphasizes that this era was marked by a cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance, characterized by the phrase "there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Jdg 17:6; 21:25), leading to profound moral and social breakdown.

Judges 20 5 Word analysis

• וַיָּקֻמוּ (vayyaqumu): "But rose" or "And they rose." From the verb קוּם (qum), meaning "to rise," "stand up," "arise." Here, it signifies an aggressive action, a hostile movement towards the Levite and the house, implying a violent attack rather than a mere gathering.
• עָלַי (alay): "against me" or "upon me." This preposition emphasizes the directness and targeting of their aggression towards the Levite.
• אַנְשֵׁי (anshei): "men of." This is the construct form of אִישׁ (ish), "man." It designates a specific group of individuals as perpetrators.
• הַגִּבְעָה (ha-Giv'ah): "of Gibeah." "Gibeah" means "hill," and refers to a town in the tribe of Benjamin. The article "ha-" ("the") identifies this specific Gibeah, notoriously associated with this wicked act. Their corporate guilt is implied as the men of the city committed the atrocities.
• וַיַּקִּיפוּ (vayyaqqipu): "and beset" or "and surrounded." From the verb נָקַף (naqaf), meaning "to go around," "encircle." It denotes a siege or blockade, trapping the occupants inside, preventing escape and making them vulnerable.
• עָלַי (alay): "upon me" or "around me." Again, specifying the object of the siege as the Levite's dwelling.
• אֶת־הַבַּיִת (et-habayit): "the house." This direct object marker indicates that the encirclement was specifically directed at the lodging.
• לַיְלָה (laylah): "by night" or "at night." This timing is significant. Night often conceals evil deeds, signifying clandestine, nefarious activities, and preying on vulnerability.
• וְאָמְרוּ (v'amru): "and they thought" or "and they said." From אָמַר (amar), meaning "to say," "to speak," "to command." In this context, it implies their explicit intention or purpose.
• לַהֲרֹג (laha'rog): "to kill" or "to slay." From הָרַג (harag), a strong verb meaning "to kill," "to murder." This reveals their deadly intent, elevating the crime beyond assault to attempted murder.
• אֹתִי (oti): "me." The object of their murderous intent.
• וְאֶת־פִּילַגְשִׁי (v'et-pilagshi): "and my concubine." פִּילֶגֶשׁ (pilegesh) refers to a secondary wife or concubine, a recognized but lower-status position in ancient Israelite society. Her vulnerability and dependent status heighten the heinousness of the crime against her.
• עִנּוּהָ (in'nuha): "they forced her" or "they humbled/afflicted her." From עָנָה (`anah), which can mean "to humble," "to afflict," "to violate." In contexts involving women and violence, it specifically carries the strong connotation of rape or severe sexual abuse, emphasizing the debasement and degradation inflicted upon her.
• וַתָּמֹת (vat'tamot): "and she died." From מוּת (mut), "to die." A stark and tragic outcome. This plain statement emphasizes the direct lethal consequence of their brutal actions.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night": This phrase details a deliberate, organized, and hostile act of aggression. It establishes the initial target as the Levite and emphasizes the siege tactics employed ("beset the house... by night"), creating an atmosphere of terror and helplessness for the victims within the dwelling. The corporate identity of the perpetrators, "men of Gibeah," marks a specific locale and its inhabitants as responsible for this wickedness, foreshadowing the collective guilt of the Benjamite tribe.
• "and thought to have slain me": This crucial clause clarifies the ultimate, murderous intent behind the siege. It indicates premeditation ("thought to have slain"), not a spontaneous outburst. This transforms the situation from mere assault or robbery into an attempt on the Levite's life, highlighting the extreme malice of the attackers and making their crime even more grievous under Mosaic Law. The failure to kill the Levite did not negate their murderous intent.
• "and my concubine have they forced, and she is dead": This describes the specific horrific crime against the concubine and its fatal consequence. The progression of the narrative implies that after failing to get the Levite, they shifted their violent intent to his concubine. The verb "forced" (עִנּוּהָ) strongly conveys sexual violation and brutalization, making clear that her death was a direct result of their depraved actions, signifying the extreme level of societal decay where such violence against women occurred without compunction. The simple statement "she is dead" provides the chilling, irrefutable evidence of the atrocity.

Judges 20 5 Bonus section

The crime in Gibeah is one of the darkest passages in the Old Testament, intentionally positioned at the end of the Book of Judges to emphasize the complete spiritual and moral bankruptcy of Israel during that period. The narrative functions as a strong theological polemic against lawlessness and idol worship, showing that without faithful adherence to Yahweh's commands and a unified, righteous leadership, chaos inevitably ensues. The Levite's extreme act of dismembering his concubine, though shocking, was a symbolic appeal to awaken a slumbering nation, forcing them to confront the severity of the abomination. The failure of Gibeah (and the tribe of Benjamin) to hand over the culprits, as required by Mosaic Law for communal purification (Deut 13), precipitated a civil war, underscoring the severe consequences of corporate sin and a hardened heart. The passage therefore also implicitly contrasts the perverted actions of the Benjamites with the righteous anger and unified (though not perfectly executed) response of the rest of Israel, signifying a desperate attempt to salvage the covenant community's identity.

Judges 20 5 Commentary

Judges 20:5 is the Levite’s compelling and direct indictment of the moral anarchy gripping Israel. His testimony lays bare the barbarity of the men of Gibeah, illustrating a society where laws and basic humanity were utterly disregarded. The sequence of events described—hostile siege, attempted murder, brutal rape, and death—shows an escalating scale of depravity. The attackers' shift from intending to kill the Levite to seizing his concubine highlights their unrestrained evil, as if they needed a victim and would take whomever they could. This incident, often paralleled with Sodom and Gomorrah, points to a terrifying spiritual emptiness within Israel, where covenant faithfulness had collapsed, leading to profound moral decay, particularly concerning sexual ethics and the value of human life. The public presentation of this gruesome tale served not just as an accusation but as a catalyst for a national response, demanding that justice be meted out to purify the land and re-establish some semblance of order and adherence to God's law. It's a stark reminder that when spiritual authority falters, societal chaos and heinous sins thrive, ultimately provoking divine judgment.

• Examples of practical usage:
  1. Consequences of Unchecked Sin: Illustrates how ignoring sin within a community can lead to escalating depravity and catastrophic outcomes.
  2. Call for Justice: Reinforces the biblical imperative for seeking justice against severe wickedness and protecting the vulnerable.
  3. Societal Breakdown: A powerful example of how "doing what is right in one's own eyes" without a central moral compass (or "King" / adherence to God's law) leads to utter societal disintegration.