His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father’s house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there for four months.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 2. Left him. Hebrew thozne. Now tizne, ( D.) “his concubine, fell into fornication against (Junius improperly translates with) him.” Chal. “She despised went from him.” Septuagint “She was vexed at or she left him.” Calmet.—Josephus, “as he was deeply in love with her on account of her beauty, he was displeased that she did not correspond with his love. Hence a quarrel ensuing, the woman would not bear his continual expostulations, and leaving her husband, after four months, returns to her parents. Hither, overcome by his love for her, he follows, and, by the mediation of her parents, he is reconciled to his wife, both agreeing to lay aside all complaints.” Ant. verse 2.—It is clear that the Septuagint Vulg. and so forth have read the text in a different manner from what we do at present, and their explanation seems more rational than the Hebrew. For, is it probable that a Levite should go to be reconciled to an adulteress, contrary to the intention of the law (Deuteronomy 24:2. Jeremiah 3:1. Proverbs 18:22) and the custom of the Jews, as well as of pagan nations, who looked upon those with contempt, who kept a woman of this character? The word concubine, we have often remarked, signifies a wife without a dowry, and so forth ( Calmet.) such as the Mahometans still maintain as lawful wives. Busbec. ii.—Months. Josephus explain this of the time she had remained with her husband.