Judges 19:17-21 · Bible study
Judges 19:17-21 Commentary: Hospitality at Gibeah
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the ancient hospitality customs in Judges 19:17-21, where an old man’s question leads to shelter for a Levite, contrasting with Gibeah’s wickedness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The passage models ancient Near Eastern hospitality, seeing the stranger, asking his story, supplying all needs, offering shelter and shared food.
- Key words: Ayin (nothing, lack), esh (there is, existence), rechov (open square), shalom (peace, welfare), rak (only, certainly).
- Main debate: Whether “house of the Lord” (v. 18) refers to Shiloh or is a scribal emendation of an original “my house” (see Cambridge Bible).
- Theological theme: God’s people are called to welcome the vulnerable, even when the surrounding culture is corrupt.
- Best use: Sermon or small-group study on hospitality, especially in contexts where indifference or fear of strangers prevails.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
17When he looked up and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going, and where have you come from?”
18The Levite replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote hill country of Ephraim, where I am from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and now I am going to the house of the LORD; but no one has taken me into his home,
19even though there is both straw and feed for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me and the maidservant and young man with me. There is nothing that we, your servants, lack.”
20“Peace to you,” said the old man. “Let me supply everything you need. Only do not spend the night in the square.”
21So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.
WEB World English Bible 2000
17He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”
18He said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem Judah to the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem Judah. I am going to Yahweh’s house; and there is no one who has taken me into his house.
19Yet there is both straw and feed for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your servant, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything.”
20The old man said, “Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but don’t sleep in the street.”
21So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder. Then they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
KJV King James Version 1769
17And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
18And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth–lehem–judah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Beth–lehem–judah, but I am now going to the house of the Lord; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
19Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
20And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
21So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
17And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
18And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah unto the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim; from thence am I, and I went to Beth-lehem-judah: and I am now going to the house of Jehovah; and there is no man that taketh me into his house.
19Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man that is with thy servants: there is no want of anything.
20And the old man said, Peace be unto thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
21So he brought him into his house, and gave the asses fodder; and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
17And he lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the man, the traveller, in a broad place of the city, and the aged man saith, `Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?'
18And he saith unto him, `We are passing over from Beth-Lehem-Judah unto the sides of the hill-country of Ephraim--thence I am , and I go unto Beth-Lehem-Judah; and to the house of Jehovah I am going, and there is no man gathering me into the house,
19and both straw and provender are for our asses, and also bread and wine there are for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man with thy servants; there is no lack of anything.'
20And the old man saith, `Peace to thee; only, all thy lack is on me, only in the broad place lodge not.'
21And he bringeth him in to his house, and mixeth food for the asses, and they wash their feet, and eat and drink.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
17And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the open place of the city; and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
18And he said to him, We are travelling from Bethlehem-Judah towards the further side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I; and I went to Bethlehem-Judah, and I have to do with the house of Jehovah; and there is no man that receives me into his house.
19And we have both straw and provender for our asses; and I have bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man with thy servants: there is no lack of anything.
20Then the old man said, Peace be with thee; only let all thy wants lie on me; but lodge not in the street.
21And he brought him into his house, and gave the asses provender; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
17And the old man lifting up his eyes, saw the man sitting with his bundles in the street of the city, and said to him: Whence comest thou? and whither goest thou?
18He answered him: We came out from Bethlehem Juda, and we are going to our home, which is on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence we went to Bethlehem: and now we go to the house of God, and none will receive us under his roof:
19We have straw and hay for provender of the asses, and bread and wine for the use of myself and of thy handmaid, and of the servant that is with me: we want nothing but lodging.
20And the old man answered him: Peace be with thee: I will furnish all things that are necessary: only I beseech thee, stay not in the street.
21And he brought him into his house, and gave provender to his asses: and after they had washed their feet, he entertained them with a feast.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 19:17
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this passage illustrates the high value placed on hospitality in ancient Israel. When the old man sees the Levite stranded in the city square, his opening question, “Where are you going? Where have you come from?”, is not mere curiosity. As Gill notes, the old man likely judged the man a stranger by his dress and circumstances; the inquiry is a standard doorway to offering help. The Levite’s reply stresses that he carries his own provisions, straw, fodder, bread, wine, and yet “no one has taken me into his house”. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observe that Oriental travelers always carried supplies, but shelter remained a separate need. The old man’s generous response, “Peace be to you! Let me supply all your needs”, reflects a settled custom: the host provides everything, while the guest keeps his stocks for the rest of the journey. Matthew Henry highlights the contrast: though the townsmen were wicked, this one Ephraimite resident showed the proper care. Clarke adds that the host’s first concern was the animals (fodder for the donkeys), then the guests (foot-washing, food). The passage thus holds up the old man as a model of the hospitality ethic that Israel was called to, even in a morally corrupt place.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Shiloh interpretation: The Levite says he is going to ‘the house of the Lord,’ which Barnes identifies as Shiloh based on Judges 18:31 and 1 Samuel 1:3.
- Textual emendation view: Cambridge Bible suggests the original may have been ‘my house,’ noting a possible scribal confusion of bētī and bēt-yhwh.
- Hospitality as duty: Most commentators agree the passage reinforces the sacred obligation of sheltering strangers, regardless of the exact destination.
What is clear: The old man’s act of taking in a vulnerable traveler and providing all he needed remains a powerful example of the hospitality that God’s people are called to show.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Destination of the Levite | The Levite says he is going to 'the house of the Lord,' indicating a religious sanctuary. | Some scholars (Barnes) identify this as Shiloh, the central sanctuary. The Cambridge Bible suggests a possible scribal error: the Hebrew text may originally have read 'my house' (bētī) rather than 'house of Yahweh' (bēt-yhwh). Both readings are defended in the manuscript tradition. |
| The old man's motivation | He offers hospitality freely, insisting that the Levite not sleep in the street. | Jamieson-Fausset-Brown think he was aware of Gibeah’s infamous practices. Others, like Matthew Henry, suggest he simply followed the normal customs of hospitality. The text does not state his motive explicitly. |
| Significance of the Levite's self-sufficiency claim | The Levite states he has his own provisions, to show he is not asking for charity, only shelter. | Gill sees this as a polite refusal to be a burden. Clarke’s commentary treats it as an honest statement of fact that the host overrides. The tension between having enough and still needing a host remains. |
| Comparison with Sodom | Both stories involve strangers left in the city square and a resident who takes them in. | Some interpreters (Ellicott) draw a strong parallel to Genesis 19; others note that the violence at Gibeah unfolds differently (the victim is a concubine, not the male guests). The connection is illustrative, not exact. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Travel in the hill country of Ephraim and Benjamin during the period of the judges was precarious. There were no inns or hotels; a traveler depended entirely on village hospitality. The city square (rechov in Hebrew, translated “street” or “open place”) was the natural gathering point at day’s end, but to sleep there, especially as a stranger, was to invite danger. Ellicott’s Commentary notes that the square was often outside the city walls, echoing the vulnerability of Lot in Sodom (Genesis 19:1-2).
The Levite’s animals carried the standard travel kit: straw and provender for the donkeys, bread and wine for the people. Clarke explains that straw was chopped fine and mixed with barley or date kernels to form feed; this was normal, since hay was rare in pastoral regions. The Levite’s statement that he was “going to the house of the Lord” likely refers to the central sanctuary at Shiloh (cf. Judges 18:31; 1 Samuel 1:3,7), suggesting he may have been one of those who ministered at the tabernacle, as Barnes speculates.
The old man himself was an Ephraimite residing in Gibeah, a Benjaminite town. He was a sojourner, not a native, which may explain his sensitivity to the stranger’s plight. His urgent plea, “only do not sleep in the street”, probably arises from knowledge of the town’s reputation, which the following verses tragically confirm. The foot-washing and shared meal that follow are the classic gestures of Middle Eastern hospitality, still practiced today in many parts of the region.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one significant textual question. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges observes that the phrase “house of the LORD” in verse 18 may represent a scribal revision: the final letter of the Hebrew word bētī (“my house”) could have been taken as the initial letter of the divine name Yahweh, producing “house of Yahweh.” A converse mistake occurs in Jeremiah 6:11, where “fury of Yahweh” became “my fury” in the Septuagint. The other commentaries (Gill, Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) accept the Masoretic reading as referring to the sanctuary at Shiloh. No other variants of consequence are reported in the supplied material.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been read as a vivid illustration of the biblical duty to welcome the stranger. Early Christian commentators often compared the old man’s hospitality to Lot’s welcome of the angels in Sodom (Genesis 19); both accounts demonstrate the danger of ignoring travelers and the virtue of providing shelter. In the medieval period, the story was used in homilies on the works of mercy, particularly “sheltering the homeless.” The Reformation-era Geneva Bible notes emphasize the contrast between the old man’s kindness and the townsmen’s brutality. Modern readers continue to find in these verses a call to open homes and hearts, especially in contexts where fear of the “other” runs deep. The foot-washing detail also connects to Jesus’ act in John 13, linking the old man’s service to the servant leadership Christ embodied.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Seeing the stranger: The old man notices the traveler in the square and initiates contact. Hospitality begins with awareness of those who have no place.
- Listening to the need: The Levite explains his situation. He has provisions but lacks shelter. The host does not assume he knows what is needed; he asks.
- Generous provision: The old man insists on supplying everything. The host does more than the minimum, he restores the traveler’s security and dignity.
Five-Point Outline
- The setting (vv. 17a): evening, city square, a vulnerable wayfarer.
- The question (vv. 17b): “Where are you going? Where have you come from?” A door opens.
- The traveler’s report (vv. 18-19): He is a Levite, headed toward Ephraim and Shiloh; he has all he needs except a welcome.
- The host’s response (vv. 20-21a): Peace, supplied needs, care for animals, washing of feet.
- The shared meal (v. 21b): Eating and drinking together, restoration and fellowship.
Illustration Hooks
- The late-night traveler: A motorist stranded in a small town after dark; every house is dark. One light goes on, and someone waves them inside. That “one light” changes everything.
- The stranger at church: A new person sits alone during fellowship hour. One member walks over, asks their name, and offers to sit with them. That simple question, like the old man’s, opens the door to belonging.
- The “I have everything” claim: Like the Levite with his supplies, many people say, “I don’t need anything.” But what they really need is someone to see them, to offer not just resources but a place to rest.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- “How can I practice hospitality when I feel like my home isn’t nice enough?”
- “What if I help a stranger and it turns out badly?”
- “Is hospitality a duty for everyone, or only for those with extra resources?”
Leading a Discussion
This passage invites small groups to reflect on hospitality as a core biblical value. The old man could have ignored the traveler; instead, he acted. Notice the structure: a question, a story, an offer, a welcome.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think the old man asked the Levite where he was going and where he had come from? What did that question accomplish?
- The Levite made a point of saying he had plenty of supplies. Why might he have said that? How does his attitude differ from our typical approach to receiving help?
- In verses 19, 20, the old man insists on providing everything. What does this tell us about the ideal of hospitality in the ancient world, and for us?
- Foot-washing is mentioned in verse 21. What did this act symbolize? How does it connect to Jesus’ foot-washing in John 13?
- The old man was a stranger himself in Gibeah (v. 16). How might his own experience of being an outsider have shaped his response to the Levite?
- What barriers to hospitality exist in our community? Which of those barriers are fears, and which are legitimate concerns?
- Think of a time someone offered you genuine hospitality. What made it memorable? How can you offer that same gift to someone else this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 16:8 | He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.” |
| Genesis 32:17 | He commanded the foremost, saying, “When Esau, my brother, meets you, and asks you, saying, ‘Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose are these before you?’ |
| Joshua 18:1 | The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued before them. |
| Judges 18:31 | So they set up for themselves Micah’s engraved image which he made, and it remained all the time that God’s house was in Shiloh. |
| Judges 19:5 | On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning, and he rose up to depart. The young lady’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.” |
| Judges 20:18 | The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” Yahweh said, “Judah first.” |
| I Samuel 1:3 | This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there. |
| I Samuel 1:7 | So year by year, when she went up to Yahweh’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the host's extraordinary hospitality: he not only offers shelter but tells the guests to keep their own bread, wine, and animal feed for later, because he will supply everything they need that night. This goes beyond basic provision to genuine, unstinting generosity.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the house of the Lord as likely Shiloh, the tabernacle site. He notes that the Levite who ministered there was a man of means, with two donkeys and a servant, and that he also maintained his own home.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator argues that the phrase "the house of the Lord" likely arose from an early scribal mistake: the final letter of the Hebrew word for "my house" was misread as the first letter of God's name. He also notes that "provender" in this context probably refers to grain, not straw.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the Levite's careful provision: he had ample supplies for himself, his family, and his animals and needed only a roof. The old man's horror at even the possibility of a fellow Israelite spending the night in the street drives his generous, immediate offer of shelter and care.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that in the East, travelers carry their own food and fodder because inns provide only shelter, not provisions. The old man's urgent warning against lodging in the street reflects his firsthand knowledge of Gibeah's notorious wickedness, not just general caution.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that the wicked men of Gibeah did not use pretended hospitality to trap the Levite, either from lack of cunning or not yet enough wickedness to deceive. He also notes that evil people in a group make each other far worse than any would be alone.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.