King James Version

What Does Judges 20:5 Mean?

Judges 20:5 in the King James Version says “And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: a...” — study this verse from Judges chapter 20 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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. forced: Heb. humbled”

Judges 20:5 · KJV

Context

3

(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?

4

And the Levite , the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. the Levite: Heb. the man the Levite

5

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. forced: Heb. humbled

6

And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

7

Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

Read Judges 20 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night (קָמוּ עָלַי, qamu alay, 'rose up against me')—the verb suggests hostile, aggressive action. Thought to have slain me (אוֹתִי דִּמּוּ לַהֲרוֹג, oti dimmu laharog)—the Levite claims they intended to murder him, though chapter 19:22 reveals they demanded homosexual rape: 'Bring forth the man...that we may know him.' My concubine have they forced, that she is dead (פִּלַגְשִׁי עִנּוּ וַתָּמֹת)—'forced' (עִנָּה, innah) means sexually violated, raped, humiliated (same term in Deuteronomy 22:24-29).

The Levite's account significantly distorts events. Chapter 19:24-25 reveals he offered his concubine to the mob and physically 'took' and 'brought her out' to them. His passive construction 'they forced' erases his active participation in handing her over to save himself. Furthermore, 19:28 suggests she may have died from his callous treatment afterward ('Get up, let us be going') rather than solely from the assault. His testimony demonstrates how narratives can be weaponized—using genuine atrocity to mask personal guilt. Gibeah's men were absolutely guilty of gang rape and murder, yet the Levite bears responsibility for sacrificing her to protect himself. Complex moral situations rarely feature pure victims and pure villains; usually multiple parties share guilt in varying degrees.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The crime parallels Sodom (Genesis 19:4-9), where Lot similarly offered his daughters to protect male guests. Both accounts reveal how patriarchal cultures devalued women, treating them as expendable shields for male honor. The Levite's willingness to sacrifice his concubine, and the old man's earlier offer of his virgin daughter (19:24), show that covenant law protecting women (Exodus 22:16-17; Deuteronomy 22:23-29) was widely ignored.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do you use selective truth-telling to appear innocent while hiding your own culpability?
  2. What genuine atrocities do you emphasize to distract from your own moral failures?
  3. How can you pursue justice without weaponizing victimhood to evade personal responsibility?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 16 words
וַיָּקֻ֤מוּ1 of 16

“rose”

H6965

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

עָלַי֙2 of 16
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

בַּֽעֲלֵ֣י3 of 16

“And the men”

H1167

a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively) owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense)

הַגִּבְעָ֔ה4 of 16

“of Gibeah”

H1390

gibah; the name of three places in palestine

וַיָּסֹ֧בּוּ5 of 16

“against me and beset”

H5437

to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively

עָלַ֛י6 of 16
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

אֶת7 of 16
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

הַבַּ֖יִת8 of 16

“the house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

לָ֑יְלָה9 of 16

“upon me by night”

H3915

properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e., night; figuratively, adversity

אוֹתִי֙10 of 16
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

דִּמּ֣וּ11 of 16

“and thought”

H1819

to compare; by implication, to resemble, liken, consider

לַֽהֲרֹ֔ג12 of 16

“to have slain”

H2026

to smite with deadly intent

וְאֶת13 of 16
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

פִּֽילַגְשִׁ֥י14 of 16

“me and my concubine”

H6370

a concubine; also (masculine) a paramour

עִנּ֖וּ15 of 16

“have they forced”

H6031

to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows)

וַתָּמֹֽת׃16 of 16

“that she is dead”

H4191

to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

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 20:5 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 20:5 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Judges 19:22Judges 19:25-26Deuteronomy 22:24Genesis 19:4-8Ezekiel 22:10-11

Places in This Verse

Gibeah 1Settlement · Modern: Tel el Ful · 31.82°N, 35.23°E45 verses across 6 books
View all places in Judges 20 →

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