King James Version

What Does Judges 19:9 Mean?

Judges 19:9 in the King James Version says “And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said...” — study this verse from Judges chapter 19 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home. draweth: Heb. is weak the day groweth to an end: Heb. it is the pitching time of the day home: Heb. to thy tent”

Judges 19:9 · KJV

Prayer

Context

7

And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

8

And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon , and they did eat both of them. until afternoon: Heb. till the day declined

9

And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home. draweth: Heb. is weak the day groweth to an end: Heb. it is the pitching time of the day home: Heb. to thy tent

10

But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him. over against: Heb. to over against

11

And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

Read Judges 19 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Persistent Hospitality and Delayed Departure: This verse appears in one of Scripture's darkest narratives—the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19-21). Here the Levite attempts to leave his father-in-law's house after reconciling with his concubine, but the father-in-law repeatedly delays their departure through insistent hospitality. "And when the man rose up to depart" (vayaqom haish lalechet, וַיָּקָם הָאִישׁ לָלֶכֶת) shows the Levite's intention to leave. Yet "his father in law... said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening" (hineh na rafah hayom la'arov, הִנֵּה־נָא רָפָה הַיּוֹם לַעֲרֹב) is another plea to stay overnight.

Cultural Context of Ancient Near Eastern Hospitality: The father-in-law's repeated invitations reflect ancient Near Eastern hospitality customs where hosts felt obligated to provide generous, extended hospitality. The phrase "lodge here, that thine heart may be merry" (linu po veyitav levavkha, לִינוּ־פֹה וְיִיטַב לְבָבֶךָ) reveals the relational dimension—the father wanted fellowship and his son-in-law's happiness, not merely formal obligation. "To morrow get you early on your way" (umachar tashkimu ledarkekhemוּמָחָר תַּשְׁכִּימוּ לְדַרְכְּכֶם) promises early departure the next day, yet this was the fifth such delay (Judges 19:4-9).

The Tragic Irony of Delayed Departure: While the father-in-law's hospitality seems benign, it sets in motion catastrophic consequences. Had the Levite departed earlier, he wouldn't have traveled at night, wouldn't have stopped at Gibeah, and the subsequent atrocities (gang rape and murder of his concubine, civil war, near-genocide of Benjamin's tribe) might have been avoided. The chapter concludes with Israel's shocked response: "There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of Egypt" (Judges 19:30).

Moral and Spiritual Lessons: This verse, within its horrific context, warns against procrastination and the dangers of seemingly innocent decisions that lead to disaster. The father-in-law meant well, but his insistence contributed to tragedy. The Levite's compliance—prioritizing comfort over wisdom—proved fatal. Judges repeatedly illustrates the consequences of "everyone did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25) during Israel's moral chaos before the monarchy.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Judges 19 occurs during Israel's tribal confederation period (c. 1375-1050 BC), before the monarchy when "there was no king in Israel" (Judges 19:1). This was an era of moral, spiritual, and political chaos, as the book of Judges repeatedly emphasizes. The Levite lived in the hill country of Ephraim, and his concubine was from Bethlehem in Judah—the same town where Ruth would later settle and David would be born, highlighting Bethlehem's enduring biblical significance despite this dark episode.

The cultural context involved concubinage, a practice distinct from both marriage and prostitution. Concubines had legal status and protections but less honor than wives. The woman in Judges 19 "played the whore against him" (19:2), meaning she left him—whether through unfaithfulness or simply desertion is debated. The Levite's journey to Bethlehem to retrieve her shows some commitment to reconciliation, though his later callousness (Judges 19:25-29) reveals his moral bankruptcy.

The subsequent events at Gibeah (Judges 19:22-30) parallel the Sodom narrative (Genesis 19), demonstrating how far Israel had fallen into Canaanite depravity. The civil war that followed (Judges 20-21) nearly annihilated the tribe of Benjamin, leaving only 600 men (Judges 20:47). This internal conflict exceeded Israel's casualties in any battle against foreign enemies, illustrating the self-destructive nature of moral corruption. The entire Judges 19-21 narrative serves as a stark warning about society without godly leadership and the horrific consequences of rejecting divine law. Early Jewish interpreters (Talmud, Midrash) viewed this period as one of Israel's darkest hours, second only to the golden calf incident.

Reflection Questions

  1. How can seemingly innocent decisions or delays lead to unforeseen and tragic consequences?
  2. What does this passage teach about the importance of discernment and knowing when to refuse well-intentioned but potentially harmful invitations?
  3. How does the broader narrative of Judges 19-21 illustrate the societal breakdown that occurs when people reject God's moral standards?
  4. In what ways does the Gibeah atrocity (paralleling Sodom) demonstrate that God's covenant people can fall into the same depravity as pagan nations when they abandon His law?
  5. What is the relationship between individual moral choices and broader societal consequences, as illustrated by this tragic narrative?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 30 words
וַיָּ֤קָם1 of 30

“rose up”

H6965

to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

הָאִישׁ֙2 of 30

“And when the man”

H376

a 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)

וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֖3 of 30

“that thou mayest go”

H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

ה֥וּא4 of 30
H1931

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo

וּפִֽילַגְשׁ֖וֹ5 of 30

“he and his concubine”

H6370

a concubine; also (masculine) a paramour

וְנַֽעֲר֑וֹ6 of 30

“and his servant”

H5288

(concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latit

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר7 of 30

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

ל֣וֹ8 of 30
H0
חֹֽתְנ֣וֹ9 of 30

“his father in law”

H2859

to give (a daughter) away in marriage; hence (generally) to contract affinity by marriage

אֲבִ֣י10 of 30

“father”

H1

father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application

הַֽנַּעֲרָ֡ה11 of 30

“the damsel's”

H5291

a girl (from infancy to adolescence)

הִנֵּ֣ה12 of 30
H2009

lo!

נָא֩13 of 30
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

רָפָ֨ה14 of 30

“draweth”

H7503

to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative)

הַיּוֹם֙15 of 30

“behold the day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

לַֽעֲר֗וֹב16 of 30

“toward evening”

H6150

to grow dusky at sundown

לִ֥ין17 of 30

“I pray you tarry all night”

H3885

to stop (usually over night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to complain)

נָ֞א18 of 30
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

הִנֵּ֨ה19 of 30
H2009

lo!

חֲנ֤וֹת20 of 30

“groweth to an end”

H2583

properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch a tent; generally to encamp (for abode or s

הַיּוֹם֙21 of 30

“behold the day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

לִ֥ין22 of 30

“I pray you tarry all night”

H3885

to stop (usually over night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to complain)

פֹּה֙23 of 30
H6311

this place (french ici), i.e., here or hence

וְיִיטַ֣ב24 of 30

“may be merry”

H3190

to be (causative) make well, literally (sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful, right)

לְבָבֶ֔ךָ25 of 30

“here that thine heart”

H3824

the heart (as the most interior organ)

וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֤ם26 of 30

“get you early”

H7925

literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e., to start early in the morning

מָחָר֙27 of 30

“and to morrow”

H4279

properly, deferred, i.e., the morrow; usually (adverbially) tomorrow; indefinitely, hereafter

לְדַרְכְּכֶ֔ם28 of 30

“on your way”

H1870

a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֖29 of 30

“that thou mayest go”

H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

לְאֹֽהָלֶֽךָ׃30 of 30

“home”

H168

a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)

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 19:9 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 19:9 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Luke 24:29James 4:13-14Proverbs 27:1

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