Judges 19:22 (KJV)

What does Judges 19:22 mean?

Judges 19:22 describes how, while the travelers were enjoying themselves inside the house, some men of the city—called “sons of Belial,” meaning wicked or worthless men—surrounded the house, pounded on the door, and demanded that the host bring out his guest so they could abuse him. This sets the stage for a deeply troubling event in the story.

The verse takes place in the town of Gibeah, where an old man has taken in a traveling Levite, his concubine, and his servant for the night. The men outside are not named, but they are described as morally corrupt and aggressive. Their demand to “know” the guest is a euphemism for violent sexual assault, echoing the story of Sodom in Genesis 19, and shows the lawlessness and moral decay present in Israel at this time.

The Hebrew behind Judges 19:22

• בְּנֵי בְלִיַּעַל (bənê beliyyaʿal): “sons of Belial” means “worthless” or “wicked men.” This phrase signals that these men are completely lacking in moral restraint or decency.
• סָבַב (sāvav): “beset” or “surrounded.” The word emphasizes that the house was encircled, showing the travelers had no escape and were under threat from all sides.
• יָדַע (yādaʿ): “know.” In this context, this Hebrew word is often used as a euphemism for sexual relations, making the men’s intentions clear to the original audience.

Why Judges 19:22 matters

• This verse makes clear just how dangerous and lawless Israel had become, especially in a time when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (as the book repeatedly says).
• The use of “sons of Belial” highlights that the threat comes not from outsiders, but from within the Israelite community itself, pointing to internal moral collapse.
• The scene closely parallels Genesis 19 (the story of Sodom), inviting readers to compare Israel’s behavior with that of the famously wicked city, and raising questions about justice, hospitality, and communal responsibility.