And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
His master replied, 'We won't stop here in this foreign city where people who aren't Israelites live. Instead, we'll continue on to Gibeah.'
The Levite is refusing to stay in a non-Israelite city, preferring to travel further to find lodging among his own people in Gibeah.
📚 Historical Context
In the time of the Judges, around 1200-1000 BC, Israel was a loose confederation of tribes without a central king, making travel dangerous due to ongoing conflicts with non-Israelite groups. In this story, a Levite and his concubine are journeying through territory partially controlled by the Jebusites, and the Levite decides to bypass their city for safety, preferring to stay among his own people in Gibeah. This reflects the cultural and ethnic divisions in Canaan, highlighting the lack of unity that often led to violence in that era.
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