Judges 19:10 (KJV)

What does Judges 19:10 mean?

Judges 19:10 describes a traveler choosing to continue his journey rather than spend another night as a guest. He takes his concubine and two saddled donkeys with him and reaches the area opposite Jebus, identified for the reader as Jerusalem.

The narrator’s description follows the host’s invitation to stay longer in verse 9. “Over against Jebus” places the travelers near the city, rather than clearly saying that they entered it. The detail about the saddled animals pictures a party prepared to travel.

The Hebrew behind Judges 19:10

• “would” — אָבָה (avah): This word carries the sense of being willing. In the phrase “would not tarry,” it shows that staying another night was a choice the man declined.

• “against” — נֶגֶד (neged): This word can mean “opposite” or “in front of.” Here it helps place the travelers in relation to Jebus without stating that they went inside.

• “concubine” — פִּילֶגֶשׁ (pilegesh): This word refers to a woman in a recognized relationship with a man, but with a different social standing from a wife. The term helps explain the woman’s place in the household traveling with him.

Why Judges 19:10 matters

• The name Jebus identifies the city by another name its readers would recognize: “which is Jerusalem.” The two names refer to the same place in this sentence.

• The location matters for the decision immediately ahead. In verses 11–12, the servant suggests stopping at Jebus, but the man chooses to travel on toward an Israelite town.

• The woman is present on the journey, not left behind at her father’s house. The verse’s phrase “his concubine also was with him” establishes her place in the events that follow.