Up until now, she has been referred to as a woman, a concubine
(Judges 19:1), concubine
(Judges 19:2, Judges 19:9, Judges 19:24, Judges 19:25), a young woman
(Judges 19:3, Judges 19:4, Judges 19:5, Judges 19:6, Judges 19:8, Judges 19:9), or a maidservant
(Judges 19:19). For the first time she is referred to simply as the woman.
This is the only time she is referred to without connection to her male relatives. She was prostituted by her husband, abandoned by her father, and now she lies raped and dying, having been discarded by all. Her identity is taken away, such that she is now only called woman.
26 And as morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, until it was light.