Judges 19:1

And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.

2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there four whole months.

3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father’s house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
KJV
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.
WEB
In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a certain Levite living on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took for himself a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah.
ASV
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.
DARBY
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that a certain Levite, sojourning on the further side of mount Ephraim, took him a concubine out of Bethlehem-Judah.
BLB
And it came to pass in those days, when [there was] no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the sides of the hill country of Ephraim, and He took for himself a woman, a concubine from Bethlehem [in] Judah.
ÅB
På denne tid da det ingen konge fantes i Israel, var det en mann av Levi stamme som oppholdt seg som fremmed langt inne på Efra'imfjellet. Han tok seg en medhustru fra Betlehem i Juda.
OTB
I de dager var det ingen konge i Israel. En viss levitt som bodde i en avsidesliggende del av fjellandet i Efraim tok en medhustru fra Betlehem i Juda.
B1930
På denne tid da det ingen konge fantes i Israel, var det en mann av Levi stamme som opholdt sig som fremmed langt inne på Efra'imfjellet. Han tok sig en medhustru fra Betlehem i Juda.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Judges 18:1

    In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

    Read in context
  • Judges 17:8

    And the man departed out of the city from Beth-lehem-judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

    Read in context
  • Judges 21:25

    In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 2:6

    And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 24:30

    And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.

    Read in context
  • Malachi 2:15

    And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

    Read in context
  • Judges 17:6

    In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 24:33

    And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

    Read in context