EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)
(3)
To speak friendly unto her.—Literally,
to speak to her heart—
i.e.,to bring about a kindly reconciliation (
Genesis 34:3;
Genesis 1:21;
Ruth 2:13).
A couple of asses.—One was meant to convey back his wife on her return.
17:7-13 Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.
Played the whore against him - Perhaps only meaning that she ran away from him, and left him, for she returned to her father's house.
3, 4. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her—Hebrew, "speak to her heart," in a kindly and affectionate manner, so as to rekindle her affection. Accompanied by a servant, he arrived at the house of his father-in-law, who rejoiced to meet him, in the hope that a complete reconciliation would be brought about between his daughter and her husband. The Levite, yielding to the hospitable importunities of his father-in-law, prolonged his stay for days.
To speak friendly unto her, or, to speak to her heart, i.e. kindly and comfortably, as that phrase is taken,
Ge 1 21 Ho 2:14, to offer, her pardon and reconciliation, and restitution to her former state.
To bring her again, to wit, to his own house.
A couple of asses; partly for himself or his wife to ride upon, as there was occasion; and partly for carrying their provision, as appears from
Judges 19:19.
He rejoiced to meet him, hoping the breach would be made up by this means.
And her husband arose,.... From the place where he lived:
and went after her; to Bethlehemjudah, where her father lived:
to speak comfortably to her "or to her heart" (l); having heard perhaps that she repented of her sin, or if it was only upon a quarrel between them, his anger might cool and subside, and therefore sought for a reconciliation; and which was the more commendable in him, as he did not put her away, but she departed from him: and
to bring her again; to his own city, and to his own house and bed, as before:
having his servant with him, and a couple of asses; one of them for her to ride upon, and the other to carry provisions on:
and she brought him into her father's house; it seems she met with him before he came thither, in the fields, or in the street; and by this it appears that she was glad to see him, and received him in a loving manner, and introduced him into her father's house, so that things looked well, and promised success:
and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him; having a good opinion of him, and perhaps understood, even by his daughter's story, that she was most in fault, and therefore was well pleased to see him come after her; though he ought before this time to have sent her home, or sought for a reconciliation of her to her husband.
(l) "ad cor", Pagninus.
And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.