Judges 19:20
WEB
The old man said, “Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but don’t sleep in the street.”
BSB
“Peace to you,” said the old man. “Let me supply everything you need. Only do not spend the night in the square.”
KJV
And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H559
v — say
Derivation: a primitive root;
to say (used with great latitude)
KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.
vb — utter
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
1. Say
2. Say in the heart (= think)
3. Promise
4. Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
H376
n-m — man
Derivation: contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant);
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), none, one, people, person, steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare 802.
n.m — man
אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)
H2205
a — old
Derivation: from 2204;
old
KJV: aged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man, men and...women), senator.
adj — old
זָקֵן adj. old
1. old, of human beings
2. usu. as subst.
a. old man (or woman)
b. elder
H7965
n-m — safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare
Derivation: or שָׁלֹם; from 7999;
safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace
KJV: × do, familiar, × fare, favour, friend, × great, (good) health, (× perfect, such as be at) peace(-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous), rest, safe(-ty), salute, welfare, (× all is, be) well, × wholly.
n.m — completeness
שָׁלוֹם 237 n.m. completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
1. completeness in no.
2. safety, soundness, in body
3. welfare, health, prosperity
4. peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment
5. peace, friendship
6. peace from war
7. as adj. those at peace with him
H7535
adv — leanness, limitation, merely, although
Derivation: the same as 7534 as a noun;
properly, leanness, i.e. (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, although
KJV: but, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless, nothing but, notwithstanding, only, save, so (that), surely, yet (so), in any wise.
adj — emaciated
רַק
1. adj. thin
2. adv. with restrictive force, only, altogether, surely
H3605
n-m — whole, all, any, every
Derivation: or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל; from 3634;
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).
n.m — the whole
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
1. with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
2. Absolutely:
a. without the art., all things, all
b. with the art. הַכֹּל
(a). where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
(b). in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
H4270
n-m — deficiency, impoverishment
Derivation: or מַחְסֹר; from 2637;
deficiency; hence, impoverishment
KJV: lack, need, penury, poor, poverty, want.
n.[m.] — need
מַחְסוֹר, מַחְסֹר n.[m.] need, thing needed, poverty
1. need = thing needed
2. lack, want
3. in gen., need, poverty
H5921
prep — above, over, upon, against
Derivation: properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following);
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.
forasmuch as
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
subst — above
עַל, עָ֑ל
I. subst. height
II. As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1. Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
a. —
(a). of clothing, etc., which any one wears
(b). With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
b. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
c. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
d. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
e. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
f. Of the ground or basis, on which a thing is done
2. It expresses excess
3. It denotes elevation or pre-eminence
4. It expresses addition
5. It expresses the idea of being extended, or suspended over anything, without however being in contact with it, above, over
6. From the sense of inclining or impending over, על comes to denote contiguity or proximity, Engl. by (or sts. on)
7. In connection with verbs of motion (actual or fig.)
8. By writers of the silver age, על is sts. used with the force of a dative
9. With other particles:
III. As conj.
a. עַל אֲשֶׁר because that
b. עַל כִּי similar in meaning, but less frequent
c. עַל alone:
(a). because
(b). notwithstanding that, although
IV. Compounds:
1. with כְּ (rare and late)
a. as concerning, as upon
b. the like of their deeds is the like of (that which) he will repay
2. מֵעַל from upon, from over, from by
H7339
n-f — width, avenue, area
Derivation: or רְחוֹב; from 7337;
a width, i.e. (concretely) avenue or area
KJV: broad place (way), street. See also 1050.
n.f — broad open place
רְחוֹב n.f. broad open place, plaza
H408
adv — not, nothing
Derivation: a negative particle (akin to 3808);
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
KJV: nay, neither, + never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.
adv. of negation — not
אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
H3885
v — stop, stay permanently, be obstinate
Derivation: or לִין; a primitive root;
to stop (usually over night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to complain)
KJV: abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure, grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night, in, -ing, this night), (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all night, that night).
vb — murmur
[לוּן] vb. murmur
Niph. murmur against
Hiph. murmur; cause to murmur
vb — lodge
לוּן, לִין vb. lodge, pass the night, fig. abide
Qal
1. lodge, pass the night
2. fig. abide, remain
Hiph. cause to rest, lodge
Hithpalp. dwell, abide, of eagle
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Verses 16–21
Judges 19:16–21
Though there as not one of Gibeah, yet it proved there was one in Gibeah, that showed some civility to this distressed Levite, who was glad that any one took notice of him. It was strange that some of those wicked people, who, when it was dark, designed so ill to him and his concubine, did not, under pretence of kindness, invite them in, that they might have a fairer opportunity of perpetrating their villany; but either they had not wit enough to be so designing, or not wickedness enough to be so deceiving. Or, perhaps, none of them separately thought of such a wickedness, till in the black and dark night they got together to contrive what mischief they should do. Bad people in confederacy make one another much worse than any of them would be by themselves. When the Levite, and his wife, and servant, were beginning to fear that they must lie in the street all night (and as good have laid in a den of lions) they were at length invited into a house, and we are here told,
I. Who that kind man was that invited them. 1. He was a man of Mount Ephraim, and only sojourned in Gibeah, Jdg 19:16. Of all the tribes of Israel, the Benjamites had most reason to be kind to poor travellers, for their ancestor, Benjamin, was born upon the road, his mother being then upon a journey, and very near to this place, Gen 35:16, Gen 35:17. Yet they were hard-hearted to a traveller in distress, while an honest Ephraimite had compassion on him, and, no doubt, was the more kind to him, when, upon enquiry, he found that he was his countryman, of Mount Ephraim likewise. He that was himself but a sojourner in Gibeah was the more compassionate to a wayfaring man, for he knew the heart of a stranger, Exo 23:9; Deu 10:19. Good people, that look upon themselves but as strangers and sojourners in this world, should for this reason be tender to one another, because they all belong to the same better country and are not at home here. 2. He was an old man, one that retained some of the expiring virtue of an Israelite. The rising generation was entirely corrupted; if there was any good remaining among them, it was only with those that were old and going off. 3. He was coming home from his work out of the field at eventide. The evening calls home labourers, Psa 104:23. But, it should seem, this was the only labourer that this evening brought home to Gibeah. The rest had given themselves up to sloth and luxury, and no marvel there was among them, as in Sodom, abundance of uncleanness, when there was among them, as in Sodom, abundance of idleness, Eze 16:49. But he that was honestly diligent in his business all day was disposed to be generously hospitable to these poor strangers at night. Let men labour, that they may have to give, Eph 4:28. It appears from Jdg 19:21 that he was a man of some substance, and yet had been himself at work in the field. No man's estate will privilege him in idleness.
II. How free and generous he was in his invitation. He did not stay till they applied to him to beg for a night's lodging; but when he saw them (Jdg 19:17) enquired into their circumstances, and anticipated them with his kindness. Thus our good God answers before we call. Note, A charitable disposition expects only opportunity, not importunity, to do good, and will succour upon sight, unsought unto. Hence we read of a bountiful eye, Pro 22:9. If Gibeah was like Sodom, this old man was like Lot in Sodom, who sat in the gate to invite strangers, Gen 19:1. Thus Job opened his doors to the traveller, and would not suffer him to lodge in the street, Job 31:32. Observe, 1. How ready he was to give credit to the Levite's account of himself when he saw no reason at all to question the truth of it. Charity is not apt to distrust, but hopeth all things (Co1 13:7) and will not make use of Nabal's excuse for his churlishness to David, Many servants now-a-days break away from their masters, Sa1 25:10. The Levite, in his account of himself, professed that he was now going to the house of the Lord (Jdg 19:18), for there he designed to attend, either with a trespass-offering for the sins of his family, or with a peace-offering for the mercies of his family, or both, before he went to his own house. And, if the men of Gibeah had any intimation of his being bound that way, probably they would therefore be disinclined to entertain him. The Samaritans would not receive Christ because his face was towards Jerusalem, Luk 9:53. But for this reason, because he was a Levite and was now going to the house of the Lord, this good old man was the more kind to him. Thus he received a disciples in the name of a disciple, a servant of God for his Master's sake. 2. How free he was to give him entertainment. The Levite was himself provided with all necessaries (Jdg 19:19), wanted nothing but a lodging, but his generous host would be himself at the charge of his entertainment (Jdg 19:20): Let all thy wants be upon me; so he brought him into his house, Jdg 19:21. Thus God will, some way or other, raise up friends for his people and ministers, even when they seem forlorn.
Cross-references: Judg 19:16 · Gen 35:16 · Gen 35:17 · Exod 23:9 · Deut 10:19 · Ps 104:23 · Ezek 16:49 · Eph 4:28 · Judg 19:21 · Judg 19:17 · Prov 22:9 · Gen 19:1 · Job 31:32 · 1Cor 13:7 · 1Sam 25:10 · Judg 19:18 · Luke 9:53 · Judg 19:19 · Judg 19:20