Judges 19:24 (KJV)

What does Judges 19:24 mean?

Judges 19:24 describes a moment when a man offers his own daughter and his guest’s concubine to a violent mob, urging them to do as they wish with the women but begging them not to harm his male guest in a disgraceful way. The verse shows the extreme and tragic choices made in a desperate attempt to protect a guest from abuse.

In this verse, the old man in Gibeah is speaking to a group of townsmen who have surrounded his house, demanding to abuse his male guest. The old man tries to protect his guest by offering his own virgin daughter and the guest’s concubine instead, pleading with the mob not to commit such a "vile thing" against his guest. This moment highlights the deep sense of hospitality in ancient culture, but also the terrible moral failure and danger present in the story.

The Hebrew behind Judges 19:24

• "humble" (עָנָה, `anah) often means to afflict or violate, and here it is a strong word for the violence the mob is being invited to commit, showing the gravity of the offer.
• "vile" (נְבָלָה, nevalah) means something disgraceful or morally outrageous, emphasizing how serious and shameful the old man considers the act the mob wants to do to his guest.
• "maiden" (בְּתוּלָה, betulah) specifically means a virgin, underlining the innocence and vulnerability of the daughter being offered.
• "do...what seemeth good unto you" (עֲשׂוּ לָהֶן כַּטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם, asu lahen ka-tov be-eineikhem) uses the word "good" (טוֹב, tov), which usually means something positive, but here is used ironically, since the actions suggested are anything but good.

Why Judges 19:24 matters

• This verse clears up the misunderstanding that ancient hospitality always led to good outcomes; here, it leads to a tragic and deeply troubling offer.
• The verse emphasizes the seriousness of the mob’s intentions by using strong words for disgrace and violence, showing how desperate and fearful the host was.
• Judges 19:24 connects to the wider story of Judges 19, which illustrates the moral chaos and breakdown of justice during this period in Israel’s history, setting the stage for the violent events that follow.