Judges 19:12

Verse

But his master replied, “We will not turn aside to the city of foreigners, where there are no Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.”

American Standard Version (1901)

And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside into the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.

Bible in Basic English

But his master said to him, We will not go out of our way into a strange town, whose people are not of the children of Israel; but we will go on to Gibeah.

Free Bible Version

But his master replied, “No, we're not going to stop in this town where only foreigners live and no Israelites. We'll continue on to Gibeah.”

Geneva Bible 1599

And his master answered him, We will not turne into the citie of strangers that are not of the children of Israel, but we will goe forth to Gibeah.

King James (Authorized) Version

And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.

Translation for Translators

But his master said, “No, it would not be good for us to stay here where foreign people live. There are no Israeli people here. We will go on to Gibeah city.”

Unlocked Literal Bible

His master said to him, “We will not turn aside into a city of foreigners who do not belong to the people of Israel. We will go on to Gibeah.”

Noah Webster Bible

And his master said to him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.

World English Bible

His master said to him, “We won’t enter into the city of a foreigner that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.”

Young's Literal Translation

And his lord saith unto him, 'Let us not turn aside unto the city of a stranger, that is not of the sons of Israel, thither, but we have passed over unto Gibeah.'

Context

The Crime of the Benjamites

¹¹When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Please, let us stop at this Jebusite city and spend the night here.”¹²But his master replied, “We will not turn aside to the city of foreigners, where there are no Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.”¹³He continued, “Come, let us try to reach one of these towns to spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”

Sermons

What Happened?

K.P. Yohannan

Summary

This verse describes the journey of a Levite and his concubine, highlighting the Levite's decision to travel to a city of the tribe of Benjamin. The Levite's concubine was unfaithful and left him, prompting him to pursue her and bring her back. The narrative sets the stage for the tragic events that unfold in the following verses, illustrating the moral and social decay prevalent during the time of the judges in Israel. It serves as a prelude to the disturbing account of the Levite's concubine in Judges 19, showcasing the consequences of sin and the need for righteous leadership.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And his master said unto him, we will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger,.... A city of the children of the Gentiles, as the Targum, as the Jebusites were, being one of the seven nations of the land of Canaan, who were to be dispossessed and destroyed; and which, one would think, he would not have so called, had it been inhabited, though but in part, by the children of Judah and Benjamin: by this it appears, that this Levite was a good man, and conscientious, and shunned all appearance of evil, and the company of wicked men, as became his character and profession: and it is added: that is not of the children of Israel; which further confirms the above conjecture, that this city was not as yet at all in the hands of the Israelites; or if it had been, was retaken, and now in the hands of the Jebusites: we will pass over to Gibeah; which was in the tribe of Benjamin, and inhabited by men of that tribe, and so more agreeable to this Levite, though it proved fatal to him; this was, as Josephus says (r) thirty furlongs, or near four miles from Jebus or Jerusalem; and though it was near sun setting, he chose rather to proceed on to this place, than to lodge at Jebus, and the rather it may be, as it was a Levitical city, Jos 21:17. (r) De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 1.