And his concubine became angry with him: The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered And introduces the first incident involving the Levite and his concubine. In this context another possible connector is “But one day.” According to Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, the Hebrew verb rendered became angry (zanah) can mean “play the harlot,” “be angry,” “detest,” or even “go away.” Thus Contemporary English Version, New International Version, and New American Bible say the woman “was unfaithful” to him, which means she was sexually unfaithful (compare verse 2.17, where this verb refers to spiritual unfaithfulness). This interpretation might perhaps foreshadow her rape, or explain why the Levite had so little consideration for her. A few scholars suggest she “went away,” that is, she “deserted” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) her husband. Revised Standard Version and many other versions (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) follow the Septuagint by referring to the woman’s anger. Though translators are free to choose one interpretation and include alternatives in a footnote, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends “she became angry with (him).” In many cultures, especially in Africa, when a woman becomes angry, she goes back to her parents and waits for her husband to come and explain himself and beg for her return. Thus this reading fits well in the context. Whichever reading is chosen, it is obvious there has been serious conflict in this couple’s life, not a surprising fact, given that in this part of the book, multiple laws and customs are violated.
And she went away from him to her father’s house at Bethlehem in Judah: The Levite’s concubine went back to her father’s house. As noted above, this practice is common and at times a woman’s only recourse in times of trouble. In many cultures, as here, the marriage is an agreement between two families, with the husband’s family paying a dowry to the wife’s family. If his wife flees, he has to go and negotiate her return. If no agreement can be reached, the father of the bride must pay back the dowry. This may explain, in part, the father’s extreme hospitality and why he tries to treat the Levite so well. This clause may be rendered “and she left him and went home to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah.”
And was there some four months is literally “and she was there days of four months,” an idiomatic way of saying that she stayed about four months. Many languages use the word “moon” for month. In many cultures, especially in Africa, four months is realistic in terms of how long a husband might wait before deciding to go fetch his wife. This clause may be expressed as a dependent clause introducing the next verse, for example, “When she was there about four months, 3 her husband….”
Translation models for this verse are:
• But the woman decided to leave her husband,* so she went back to Bethlehem in Judah to her father’s house, where she stayed for about four months.
* The Greek text says “got angry with him.” Some think the Hebrew verb here means “was unfaithful to him.”
• But one day the woman got angry with him* and returned to her father’s home in Bethlehem in Judah. When she had been there around four months….
* The Hebrew verb here can have many meanings. The Greek text says she “got angry with him,” but some think the Hebrew text means she “was unfaithful to him” or “decided to leave him.”
Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .