And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel’s father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
When the man got up to leave with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law (the woman's father) said to him, 'Look, the day is getting late and evening is coming. Please stay the night! The day is almost over, so stay here and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get up early and head home.'
The father-in-law is urging his son-in-law to stay another night rather than traveling in the evening, offering hospitality and encouraging him to relax and enjoy himself before departing the next morning.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Judges, which describes a period of moral and social disorder in Israel before the monarchy, this verse is part of a story about a Levite traveling to retrieve his concubine from her father's home. The father-in-law insists that the Levite stay overnight due to the approaching evening, reflecting the ancient cultural emphasis on hospitality and the dangers of night travel in that era. This scene highlights the lack of centralized authority and sets up the tragic events that unfold later in the chapter.
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