Judges 19:13-18

Judges 19:13

And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.

Ramah was 2½ miles (4 km) north of Gibeah so either of these towns would have been on the way home as they travelled north.  If there would have been no rooms available for them in Gilead, they would have continued on to Ramah.  Maybe the servant was not an Israelite and did not concern himself with the prohibition given by God for Israelites not to mingle with strange religions.

Judges 19:14

And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.

The reason that the Levite wanted to stay in Gibeah or Ramah was because they were in the hands of the tribe of Benjamin.  They did not want to stay in a place where there was pagan religion instead they wanted to stay in a place which was of Israel.  So the day had finally expired when they were by the town of Gibeah.

Judges 19:15

And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.

So they went into the town of Gibeah and sat down in a street of the city which was probably a main street of the town.  He was probably hoping that someone would invite them into their home to lodge for the night but there was no one who approached him with that offer.  It seems in the town of Gibeah, the people were closed to the idea of helping strangers and this Levite was a stranger to this town.  Maybe they feared that strangers could be enemy implants who would be trying to scout out the towns for an attack against them.

Judges 19:16

And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.

Then the Levite came in contact with someone from his home area of Mount Ephraim.  The word “old” here can be understood as someone “ancient as in very old.”  He must have had a strong body since he was still working out in the fields.  He had sojourned in Gibeah which was among the Benjamites but the reason for his visit is not known. Gibeah was also a place where there were other Levites.  This man was not a citizen of Gibeah yet showed more hospitality than the residents did.

Judges 19:17

And 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?

As he was coming in from the fields he saw the Levite sitting down in the street and the old man approached him and asked him where he was going and where did he come from prior to this.  Normal questions to get the conversation going.

Judges 19:18

And 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.