Luke 11:5

5 And He said unto them, "Which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at midnight and say unto him, `Friend, lend me three loaves,

Luke 11:5 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:5

And he said unto them, which of you shall have a friend,
&c.] A neighbour, or acquaintance:

and shall go unto him at midnight;
which may seem a very unseasonable time, and which nothing but real distress, not knowing what otherwise to do, would put a man upon:

and say unto him, friend, lend me three loaves:
it was usual of the Jews to borrow bread of one another, and certain rules are laid down, when, and on what condition, this is to be done; as for instance, on a sabbath day ^F11,

``a man may ask of his friend vessels of wine, and vessels of oil, only he must not say, lend me: and so a woman, (twrkk htrybxm) , "bread of her friend".''

Again ^F12,

``so said Hillell, let not a woman lend (htrbxl rkk) "bread to her friend", till she has fixed the price; lest wheat should be dearer, and they should be found coming into the practice of usury.''

For what was lent, could not be demanded again under thirty days ^F13.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F11 Misn. Sabbat, c. 23. sect. 1.
F12 Misn. Bava Metzia. c. 5. sect. 9.
F13 T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 3. 2. Jarchi in T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 148. 1. Bartenona in Misn. Sabbat, c. 23. sect. 1.

Luke 11:5 In-Context

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

5 And He said unto them, "Which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at midnight and say unto him, `Friend, lend me three loaves,

6 for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him';

7 and he from within shall answer and say, `Trouble me not; the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed, and I cannot rise and give to thee'?