Judges 19:13 is part of a larger narrative about a Levite and his concubine who are traveling. They are nearing the end of their journey as evening approaches, and the verse reflects their decision-making process about where to spend the night. Let's break it down:
"He said to his servant..." The "He" refers to the Levite. He is the master or leader in this situation, and the servant is dependent on him for guidance and decisions.
"...“Come and let us draw near to one of these places..." The Levite is suggesting that they should get closer to one of the towns they see in the distance before nightfall. It's about finding a place to stay for the night and not traveling in the dark.
"...and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.”" This specifies the two towns they are considering:
Gibeah: A Benjamite city. This will become significant later in the story.
Ramah: A city in the territory of Ephraim.
The Levite is presenting two options. He is saying, "Let's go to either Gibeah or Ramah, and we will stay there for the night." The implication is that they need to choose one of these towns for safety and shelter.
In essence, the verse means:
The Levite, realizing it's getting late, tells his servant they should head towards either Gibeah or Ramah to find a place to spend the night. They need to pick a town and find lodging before it gets completely dark.
Significance in the larger narrative:
This verse is important because it sets the stage for the tragic events that follow. The Levite's choice of where to lodge (which ultimately leads them to Gibeah, though not directly by choice) will have devastating consequences and will lead to a civil war in Israel as the people of Israel avenge the crime committed in Gibeah against the Levite's concubine.
Judges 19:13 is part of a larger narrative about a Levite and his concubine who are traveling. They are nearing the end of their journey as evening approaches, and the verse reflects their decision-making process about where to spend the night. Let's break it down:
"He said to his servant..." The "He" refers to the Levite. He is the master or leader in this situation, and the servant is dependent on him for guidance and decisions.
"...“Come and let us draw near to one of these places..." The Levite is suggesting that they should get closer to one of the towns they see in the distance before nightfall. It's about finding a place to stay for the night and not traveling in the dark.
"...and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.”" This specifies the two towns they are considering:
Gibeah: A Benjamite city. This will become significant later in the story.
Ramah: A city in the territory of Ephraim.
The Levite is presenting two options. He is saying, "Let's go to either Gibeah or Ramah, and we will stay there for the night." The implication is that they need to choose one of these towns for safety and shelter.
In essence, the verse means:
The Levite, realizing it's getting late, tells his servant they should head towards either Gibeah or Ramah to find a place to spend the night. They need to pick a town and find lodging before it gets completely dark.
Significance in the larger narrative:
This verse is important because it sets the stage for the tragic events that follow. The Levite's choice of where to lodge (which ultimately leads them to Gibeah, though not directly by choice) will have devastating consequences and will lead to a civil war in Israel as the people of Israel avenge the crime committed in Gibeah against the Levite's concubine.
