Judges 19:8

8 And he rose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the father of the damsel said, Strengthen now thine heart, and quit thyself as a soldier till the day decline; and the two ate.

Judges 19:8 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 19:8

And he rose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart,
&c.] With a full intention to take his leave of his father, and be gone:

and the damsel's father said, comfort thine heart, I pray thee;
with a meal's meat, with a breakfast, before he set out on his journey, that he might be heartier and stronger for it:

and they tarried until afternoon;
or "until the decline of the day" {m}, when the sun had passed the meridian, and was declining, as it immediately does when noon is past:

and they did eat both of them;
the man stayed and took a dinner with his father-in-law; and though no mention is made of the concubine, neither in this, nor in the other instances, no doubt she ate with them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Mwyh twjn de) "usque ad declinare diem", Montanus; to the same purpose Pagninus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Judges 19:8 In-Context

6 So they two sat down together and ate and drank: and the father of the damsel said to her husband, Tarry now the night, and let thy heart be merry.

7 And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law constrained him, and he stayed and lodged there.

8 And he rose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the father of the damsel said, Strengthen now thine heart, and quit thyself as a soldier till the day decline; and the two ate.

9 And the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine, and his young man; but his father-in-law the father of the damsel said to him, Behold now, the day has declined toward evening; lodge here, an let thy heart rejoice; and ye shall rise early to-morrow for your journey, and thou shalt go to thy habitation.

10 But the man would not lodge there, but he arose and departed, and came to the part opposite Jebus, (this is Jerusalem,) and with him a pair of asses saddled, and his concubine with him.

Footnotes

• [a]. prepare to march by the time the day declines.