Judges 19:7-12

Judges 19:7

And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

Then on the fourth day the Levite was ready to depart home with his servant and concubine but her father had urged him to stay another night and he agreed so he stayed there the fourth night.

Judges 19:8

And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

The Levite was ready to depart on the fifth morning but once again his plans to depart were thwarted by her father’s insistent hospitality.  This time they had wound up staying till the afternoon and they had another good meal together.  The part of the afternoon in view here was the late afternoon when the sun had started going down so normally they would be unable to leave until the next morning.

Judges 19:9

And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.

Even though it was late afternoon and the sun was beginning to go down, the Levite had made another attempt to leave with his servant and concubine, her father had thought he convinced him to stay overnight.  They would have another good meal and they would have some wine together and some time for fellowship and then he assured him that tomorrow he could go on his way back home.

Judges 19:10

But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.

This time the Levite did not desire to stay instead he decided to leave for home.  As he started he came to Jebus which was the earlier name for Jerusalem.  It was the home of the Jebusites.  He came there with his asses saddled and with his concubine and his servant.  Apparently where they were staying at the woman’s father’s home, Jebus was between that place and Mount Ephraim.

Judges 19:11

And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

It was obviously getting dark so instead of risking being attacked by highwaymen, the servant had made the suggestion that they go into Jebus and stay the night.  The Jebusites still held Jerusalem because the Benjamites did not remove them.  And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day. (Judges 1:21, KJV)  Instead of driving them out, they chose to live with them and that was the problem that Israel caused itself by letting the influence of false religions remain.

Judges 19:12

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.