King James Version
What Does Judges 19:26 Mean?
“Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.”
Judges 19:26 · KJV
Context
24
Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. so vile: Heb. the matter of this folly
25
But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.
26
Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
27
And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.
28
And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.
Commentary
KJV Study CommentaryThen came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light. This verse captures devastating tragedy in stark, unadorned language. "The woman" (ha'ishah, הָאִשָּׁה)—nameless, reducing her to mere object—"came" (vatavo, וַתָּבוֹא), suggesting she dragged herself back after night-long gang rape. "In the dawning of the day" (lifnot haboqer, לִפְנוֹת הַבֹּקֶר) indicates she endured hours of assault before being released or escaping.
"Fell down at the door" (vatippol petach, וַתִּפֹּל פֶּתַח) uses a verb suggesting collapse from exhaustion, trauma, or impending death. She reaches the threshold but cannot enter—the very door representing safety and hospitality becomes the place of her death. "Where her lord was" (asher adoneyha sham, אֲשֶׁר אֲדֹנֶיהָ שָּׁם) employs the term adon (אָדוֹן, "lord, master"), the same title used for God. The bitter irony: her human lord, who should have protected her, handed her over to rapists (v. 25) while he slept safely inside.
"Till it was light" (ad-ha'or, עַד־הָאוֹר) suggests she lay there dying as dawn broke—a haunting image of suffering without relief. From a Reformed perspective, this verse crystallizes the consequences of the book's theme: "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (21:25). Autonomous moral reasoning produced not freedom but brutal oppression of the vulnerable. This woman's nameless suffering indicts the entire social order—both the Levite who offered her and Gibeah's men who destroyed her. Christ's kingdom inverts this order, defending the defenseless (Matthew 25:34-40) and judging those who harm "little ones" (Matthew 18:6).
"Fell down at the door" (vatippol petach, וַתִּפֹּל פֶּתַח) uses a verb suggesting collapse from exhaustion, trauma, or impending death. She reaches the threshold but cannot enter—the very door representing safety and hospitality becomes the place of her death. "Where her lord was" (asher adoneyha sham, אֲשֶׁר אֲדֹנֶיהָ שָּׁם) employs the term adon (אָדוֹן, "lord, master"), the same title used for God. The bitter irony: her human lord, who should have protected her, handed her over to rapists (v. 25) while he slept safely inside.
"Till it was light" (ad-ha'or, עַד־הָאוֹר) suggests she lay there dying as dawn broke—a haunting image of suffering without relief. From a Reformed perspective, this verse crystallizes the consequences of the book's theme: "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (21:25). Autonomous moral reasoning produced not freedom but brutal oppression of the vulnerable. This woman's nameless suffering indicts the entire social order—both the Levite who offered her and Gibeah's men who destroyed her. Christ's kingdom inverts this order, defending the defenseless (Matthew 25:34-40) and judging those who harm "little ones" (Matthew 18:6).
KJV Study — Public Domain
Historical & Cultural Context
Gang rape as warfare tactic and social control appears throughout ancient Near Eastern history and tragically continues today. Assyrian annals sometimes reference sexual violence against conquered peoples. The Gibeah incident's severity is shown by Israel's shocked response (19:30, 20:3-7)—this exceeded normal wartime violence, occurring instead within covenant community against a Levite's household. The concubine's collapse at the doorway after night-long assault indicates severe trauma likely including internal injuries, bleeding, and shock. Ancient medicine offered no treatment for such injuries. The narrative's stark brevity intensifies the horror—Scripture refuses to sensationalize evil while ensuring readers cannot ignore it. This account formed part of Israel's collective memory, referenced centuries later (Hosea 9:9, 10:9) as epitomizing the judges period's moral nadir.
Reflection Questions
- How does the concubine's nameless suffering expose the dehumanizing effects of sin on both perpetrators and victims?
- What does the Levite's safety inside while his concubine dies outside reveal about failed male leadership and protection?
- How should the church respond to sexual violence survivors in ways that restore dignity and provide genuine sanctuary?
Original Language Analysis
Hebrew · 13 wordsוַתִּפֹּ֞ל5 of 13
“and fell down”
H5307to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
בֵּית7 of 13
“house”
H1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
הָאִ֛ישׁ8 of 13
“of the man's”
H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
אֲשֶׁר9 of 13
H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
עַד12 of 13
H5704as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
הָאֽוֹר׃13 of 13
“was till it was light”
H216illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)
Study Guide
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Judges 19:26 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Judges 19:26 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge