Judges 19:16

16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening, who [was] also of mount Ephraim; and he dwelt in Gibeah: but the men of the place [were] Benjaminites.

Judges 19:16 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 19:16

And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the
field at even
Which is the time that men come from their labour, and take their rest; and this man, though a man in years, and of some substance, as appears by what follows, yet attended the business of his calling, which was very commendable in him:

which was also of Mount Ephraim;
as the Levite was, which when the old man understood, he was the more ready no doubt to receive him into his house:

and he sojourned in Gibeah;
he was not a native of the place, and yet more kind to strangers than such as were; nor does he appear to be a Levite, though it was a Levitical city; on what account he sojourned here is not manifest:

but the men of the place were Benjamites:
for as yet the number of Levites were not large, others dwelt in the cities besides them, even such as were of the tribe to which they belonged.

Judges 19:16 In-Context

14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them [when they were] by Gibeah, which [belongeth] to Benjamin.
15 And they turned aside thither, to go in [and] to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat down in a street of the city: for [there was] no man that took them into his house to lodge.
16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening, who [was] also of mount Ephraim; and he dwelt in Gibeah: but the men of the place [were] Benjaminites.
17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a way-faring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
18 And he said to him, We [are] passing from Beth-lehem-Judah towards 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 into [his] house.
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