Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 19 · Verses 11-20
11 When they were nere to Iebus, the day was ſore, ſpent and the ſeruant ſaid vntounto his maſter: come, I pray thee, and let vsus turn into this city of the Iebuſites, and lodge al night there.
12 And his maiſter aunſwered him: we wil not turne into the city of ſtraungers that are not of the children of Iſrael, but we will go forth to Gibaah.
13 And he ſaid vntounto his ſeruant: Come, and let vsus draw nere to one of theſe places, that we may lodge in Gibaah or in Ramah.
14 So they wente forwarde vponupon their waye, and the ſunne wente downe vponupon them nere to Gibaah, which is in Beniamin.
15 Then they turned thither to goe in and lodge in Gibaah: and when he came, he ſate him down in a ſtrete of the city: for there was no man that tooke them into his houſe to lodging.
16 And behold, there came an old man from his worke out of the field at euen, and the man was of mounte Ephraim: but dwelte in Gibbaah, and the men of the place wer the children of Iemini.
17 And when he had lift vp his eyes, he ſaw a wayfaringe man in the ſtreetes of the city: then this old man ſayd, whether goeſt thou, and whence cameſt thou?
18 And he aunſwered him, we came from Beth-lehem Iudah, vntounto the ſide of mounte Ephraim: from thence am I: and I wente to Beth-lehem Iudah, and go now to the houſe of the Lorde: and no man receaueth me into his houſe.
19 Although we hauehave ſtraw and prouender for our Aſſes, and alſo breade and wyne for me and thine handmayd, and for the boy that is wyth thy ſeruant: we lacke nothing.
20 And the old man ſaid: peace be with thee: al thy penury be vponupon me: onelyonly abide not in the ſtrete al night.
Ieruſalem was therfore called Iebus, bicauſe the Iebuſites in the old time inhabited it. The ſeruant counſelled his maſter to take iodgynge before the Sunne ſhould ſet. But he would not. VVe will not turne in (ſayth he) neither to this city nor to that, neither to any other city of ſtraungers which ar Gentiles. But it may ſeme merueilous how Ieruſalem is called ſtraunge from the Iſraelites, when as in the beginning of this booke there is mencion made yt the Hebrewes toke it & named it Ieruſalem. How it is ſayd that Ieruſalē was at this time a city of ſtraungers.They which ſayd that this hiſtory is to be referred vntounto the fyrſt times of the Iudges, namely that it was done before Othoniell beganne to iudge, from the death I ſay of Ioſua, to the gouernment of Othoniell, ſeeme to be ledde by this argument. In that ſpace of time they ſay theſe thinges happened. Theſe mens coniecture hath in dede ſom ſhew of truth. But it is not very firm. For wee muſte knowe that the Iewes often times behaued themſelues ill in fallinge from the worſhippinge of the true God. Wherefore he left them deſtitute of his ayde, wherof they being beriued, they were again ouercome of thoſe, whome before they had ouercome, whereby it came to paſſe that the Iebuſites recouered agayne theyr city and dwelled in it. Wherfore thoſe thinges which are written in the beginninge of this booke, are not agaynſt thoſe which are nowe declared. For the Iebuſites hauing recouered theyr city, inhabited it as they did before, and it was called after the old name.
The wiſe counſell of the ſeruaunt.The ſeruant did geue his maiſter wiſe counſell, if a man ſhould loke vponupon yt the euent. For it is daungerous to trauayle by night eſpecially for a man that is a ſtraunger and vnarmed, as this Leuite was, which had with him onelyonly his wife and his ſeruant. Neyther is this any new or vnaccuſtomed thinge that ſeruantes ar ſomtimes wiſer thē their maſters, although it oftētimes happeneth, that counſel hath authority of the geuer: as we vnderſtand happened here, wher counſel although it were profitable,Ariſtotle. is deſpiſed, peraduēture bycauſe it came frō a ſeruāt. Ariſtotle in his Politikes ſaith, they which excel in mind & coūſel ought to beare rule and they which are ſtrong of body muſt obey. But that cōmeth not alwayes to paſſe: yea rather it oftentymes happeneth that maſters which are not of the wiſeſt, but yet ſtrong in body, hauehave ſeruaunts far wiſer then themſelues, although they be not very ſtrong in body. Farther we muſt not deny,The giftes of God are not bound vntounto the eſtates or cōditions of men. but ye prudence and counſels whiche are the giftes of God are not bounde vntounto the conditions or eſtates of Lordſhyp and ſeruitude, nor alſo to the temperatures of bodyes. God geueth them, to them whom he thinketh good, & that moſt freely, ſomtymes to ſeruauntes, and ſometymes to Lordes, ſometymes to poore men, and ſometymes to riche men. GOD miniſtred vntounto a man beyng a ſeruaunt good counſell: whiche yet the Leuite would not fellowe to his great hurt. For if he had turned into the City of the Iebuſites, peraduenture he had not fallen into that calamity whiche followed.
Theſe thinges are ſpoken concernyng the counſell of the ſeruaunt if we conſider ye vtility therof: but yet a thing is not to be iudged by ye euent.The Leuite is excuſed. Neither is the Leuite in this place raſhely to be accuſed: bycauſe it ſeemeth that he had a ſhewe of honeſty & piety. For he thought, that if it were poſſible, he ſhould not go vntounto the vngodly & Idolatrers, ſuch as wer the Iebuſites, and he had a great deale better opinion of the Hebrues, then of ſtraungers. Yea and the ſeruaunt, for yt he ſo earneſtly deſired to turne into ye Iebuſites, may be accuſed either of ſluggiſhnes, for that he being weary of the waye, would take no paynes to go any further: or els he may be accuſed of vnaduiſednes, bycauſe he conſidered not with himſelfe yt the Iebuſites wer enemyes vntounto ye Hebrues: or els of an vngodly mind, for that he litle paſſed to turne vntounto Idolatrers. Wherfore it ſeemeth that the Leuite did rightly and wiſely, if we looke vponupon the ordinary way and law of piety, and not vponupon the end. But all thynges happened contraryly. For in Gibaa (as we ſhall heare,) his wife was by violence oppreſſed, and ſo died: and ciuile warre ſtirred vp, wherin many thouſandes of men died.What we ought in counſell to counte doubtful, and what certayn. Wherfore we ought alwayes to ſuſpect our counſels as touching the ende, but yet not as touchyng iuſtice, not that we ſhould feare, leaſt god ſhuld caſt vsus away, but leaſt for our ſinnes there might happē ſome miſerable end. Wherfore whē we hauehave determined to do any thing, we muſt with moſt feruent prayers pray vntounto God to turne to good the counſell whiche we hauehave taken, and to direct our purpoſe. For vnles he build the houſe,What is to be doone after we hauehave taken coū ſell. they labour in vayne whiche build it. And except he proſper our enterpriſes, all thynges are in vayne taken in hand. And yet in the meane tyme we muſt vſe a very great diligence. But now we rede not yt the Leuite called vponupon God, when as yet he was in ſome daunger. Iacob when he ſhould iorney into Meſopotamia called vponupon God with a great fayth.
The counſell or purpoſe of the Leuite was to turne into Cities which the Hebrues inhabited, eſpecially either vntounto Gibaa or vntounto Rama. Theſe Cityes were not farre from Ieruſalem. He entred into Gibaa, where no man bad hym to hys houſe. That City longed to the tribe of Beniamin. It may ſeeme that he would rather hauehave gone to Rama, but (as it is written) the ſunne went downe vponupon him nyghe vntounto Gibaa, wherfore he entred into a City of men vncurteous. For whē the man being a ſtraunger ſtoode in the ſtreetes in the night tyme, no man receaued him into his houſe. But where as barbarous inhoſpitality reigneth, there alſo are more grieuous wicked vices wont not to be wantyng.Why no man bad the Leuite to his houſe. But why no mā receaued him into his houſe, the cauſe was, for that in a great number of euil Citezins, there were very few good men, & if there were any, the ſame wer afrayed to receaue him into their houſe, leaſt for his ſake ſome euill ſhould happen vntounto them. For they knewe the wantōnes and the filthy luſtes of thoſe men. And ſo whileſt the ſtraunger was deſpiſed, the law of God was in that City had in contempt. For it commaunded, that gentlenes ſhould be ſhewed vntounto ſtraungers, yea and God called himſelfe the tutor and reuenger of ſtraungers, neither could thoſe Citezins ſeeme any longer to be the people of God, ſeyng they had caſt awaye hys lawe.
A praiſe of hoſpitality.And euen as to contemne ſtraungers is a moſt grieuous vice: ſo is Hoſpitality a vertue moſt excellent. Wherfore in the Epiſtle to the Hebrues it is writtē: Forget not liberality and Hoſpitality. Although (not to diſſemble) in Greeke it be ſomewhat otherwiſe written foreign.What is the general worde of hoſpitality. But foreign is the general word of Hoſpitality. Then it followeth: For with ſuch ſacrifices God is wel pleaſed. Out of which place the Papiſtes go about to defende merites, as though he whiche ſheweth himſelfe liberall towardes the poore, ſhall deſerue ſomething at Gods hand. But in the Greke is rede foreign, whiche ſignifieth not, ſhalbe wonne by deſerte, but receaueth with a glad and chearefull minde: which is to be referred vntounto God, and not to thoſe whiche ſhew liberality vntounto the poore. The ſenſe therfore is this, that god doth reioyſe in ſuch ſacrifices, & doth accept them with a glad mynde, yea and Chriſt himſelfe alſo ſhall ſay in the laſt iudgement: I was a ſtraunger and ye lodged me, for he that receaueth a ſtraunger, receaueth Chriſt in him. So Abraham & Lot when they thought that they had had ſtraungers in their houſe, receaued the ſonne of God & aungels. The Gabaonites being voyde of this vertue, contemned the Leuite beyng a ſtraunger walkyng in the ſtreete. But there was in that City a certayne other ſtraūger, whiche was borne in mount Ephraim, who being moued with mercy, receaued the Leuite into hys houſe. And ſo in Gabaa a ſtraunger was better then the Citezins. This man peraduenture was a huſband man, and in the euenyng returned out of the field frō his ruſticall worke. The Leuite telleth him that he hath prouendre for his Aſſes, and alſo that he wanted not bread and wine, that he might the eaſelier and willinglier be receaued. As thoughe he ſhould hauehave ſayd, we ſhall not be burdenous vntounto any man, for we hauehave all things that are neceſſary for our liuyng.
Peace be with thee: Thy pouerty be vponupon me. Care not (ſayth he) I wil furniſhe that whiche wanteth. I nothing paſſe what thou haſt with thee, or what thou haſt not. The humanity of this man was great, whiche appeareth ſo muche the more excellent, bycauſe he dwelled among the inhumane and cruel Gabaonites. He was borne & brought vp in an other place, where the feare of God was more regarded, then among the Gabaonites. Yet he ſeemeth not herein to be prayſed, for that he dwelt ſo longe among vngodly and wicked men.We muſt flye the fellowſhyp of wicked men. For we ought not to eſteme any thyng ſo much, that for the cauſe therof we ſhould hauehave a will to dwell among idolatrous & wicked men. Wherfore if any greuous chaunce happen in that ſociety vntounto men which are otherwiſe good, they can not complayne that the ſame happeneth vntounto them vndeſerued. Lot ſped yll bycauſe he dwelt among the Sodomites. He ſaw the coūtrey fertyll and plentifull, & hauing great plēty of heardes and flockes, he would abide there. But with that he eſcaped not vnpuniſhed. For once he was led away priſoner, and except Abraham had delyuered him with an army which he had aſſembled, he ſhould al his lyfe tyme hauehave ſerued in moſt hard bondage. Afterward when theſe Cityes were burnt, he ſcarſely eſcaped frō burning. Whiche benefite he may aſcribe rather vntounto Abraham, then vntounto himſelf:How vnprofitable euill fellowſhip is. for if he had periſhed together with them, he ſhould hauehave had no cauſe to hauehave cōplained of God. Euill fellowſhip alwayes for the moſt part, either hurteth or eis engendreth daunger.
The Gabaonites beyng of the tribe of Beniamin, are called alſo the children of Iemini, bycauſe that famely was noble in the tribe. Wherfore this famely poſſeſſed ye City,D. Kimhi. although Dauid Kimhi expoundeth the ſonnes of Iemini, for ſtrōge and migthy men, for Iemini in Hebrew ſignifieth the right hand. Wherfore the children of Iemini (as he thinketh) are they, whiche hauehave lawe and ryght in the right hand, and therfore do not what is lawful, but what they can. I do not deny but that the Gabaonites were ſuch, but I rather allowe the firſt expoſition as the truer and more ſimple. For it is manifeſt that it was a famely in Beniamin, of whiche came Saul alſo.
Meſapua ſignifieth in Hebrew whatſoeuer meate is geuē vntounto cattell, beſides ſtraw and chaffe, that is Tares, Otes, and Barley. The old man had compaſſiō of the ſtraunger, either peraduenture bycauſe he was his contreyman, or els at the leaſt for that he himſelfe alſo dwelt there as a ſtraunger. For common miſeryes do oftentymes ioyne men together. Wherfore in Virgil Dido ſayth:Virgil. I not beyng ignoraunt of euil, do learne to ſuccor the miſerable. After the ſame maner the Lord ſayth in ye law: afflict not ſtraūgers, bycauſe ye were ſometymes ſtraū gers your ſelues in Egypt. But the Gabaonites had vtterly forgotten their olde eſtate. But ye old mā, bicauſe in time paſt he had ben a ſtraūger, or rather bicauſe he was euen then alſo a ſtraūger, was moued with mercy. Yea & God doth ſomtymes ſomewhat afflict thoſe that are his, that they ſhould learne to hauehave cōpaſſion ouer other. For they whiche alwayes floriſhe in wealth and riches, are not greatly moued with the miſeryes of other men. And Paul to the Hebrues ſayth, that Chriſt was made lyke vntounto his brethren in all thynges, that he myght hauehave compaſſion of other.
The Leuite maketh mention that he would go vntounto the houſe of God, that is in Siloh where the arke of the Lord was. And Siloh was in mount Ephraim. He would therfore go thether, peraduenture to geue thākes vntounto god, bicauſe bringing home his wife agayn he had luckly finiſhed his buſines. Other thinke that the yong man added theſe things of the arke and houſe of God, to the end the old mā ſhould be the more gentle vntounto him, when he ſhould vnderſtand that he was no common man, but a Leuite, which would go vntounto the holy tabernacle of God.