Judges 19:1 Meaning and Explanation
“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 Bethlehemjudah.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →In a time when Israel had no king, a Levite living in the hill country of Ephraim takes a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
What Does Judges 19:1 Mean?
The book of Judges is winding toward its sober conclusion, and the narrator sets the scene with a phrase that has become a refrain: there was no king in Israel. A Levite, a man set apart for the service of God, is living as a sojourner far from the center of worship, and from Bethlehem he takes a concubine into his home. The names of the places, Ephraim and Bethlehem, quietly frame the journey that is about to unfold.
When no one rules and no one is ruled, even those who should know the LORD drift into private arrangements and half-measures. The verse passes no verdict yet; it simply notes the conditions. Scripture is honest enough to record the seasons when leadership fails and people do what is right in their own eyes. Bethlehem, the town named here, will one day cradle a King who does not fail, and the longing for true kingship that aches beneath this whole chapter finds its answer in Him.
Judges 19:1 in the Original Language
Levi (לֵוִי), 'Levite' -- a member of the tribe set apart to assist in the worship and service of God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 19:1
What does Judges 19:1 mean?
In a time when Israel had no king, a Levite living in the hill country of Ephraim takes a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.