Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. I will bring them out now. Humble them, and do with them what seems good to you; but to this man don’t do any such folly.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 24. I have, and so forth A similar proposal was made by Lot; (Genesis 19:8,) and hence the old man, who was brought up to hard labour, and the young Levite might, through ignorance, suppose it lawful for them to do the like. Menochius.—IT is lawful to advise a man, who is about to commit two crimes, to be satisfied with the less: but we cannot persuade any one to do even the smallest offence, that good may ensue. Romans 3:8. The ignorance or good intention of these people might extenuate, but could hardly excuse their conduct, as it was unjust to the woman, whom the people of Gabaa did not ask for; and they ought rather to have encountered the utmost fury of the populace. Had the latter even come to the extremity proposed, if the Levite had made all possible resistance, his virtue could not have been injured. Calmet.—His crown would have been doubled, as S. Lucy observed when the judge threatened to have her prostituted. Castitas mihi duplicabitur ad coronam. Dec. xiii. Bible.—Perhaps in the agitation of mind, caused by such a brutal proposal, the old man might have been so disturbed, as scarcely to know what he was saying, and he did not afterwards expose his daughter. Calmet.—But the Levite, seeing him in such a dilemma, on his account ( Bible.) took this wife by force. Hebrew and so forth See Tostat. Bonfrere. E. Calmet.—Against nature. Hebrew “unto this man do not so vile a thing.”