And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
He answered, 'We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah toward the hill country of Ephraim, where I'm from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, but now I'm heading to the house of the LORD, and no one has offered us a place to stay.'
The Levite is explaining to a local that he and his companions are travelers heading home to Ephraim after visiting Bethlehem, but they can't find anyone willing to give them shelter for the night.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the dark period of the judges when Israel had no king and moral chaos prevailed. The Levite was a religious leader traveling with his concubine, and hospitality to travelers was considered a sacred duty in ancient Middle Eastern culture. The fact that no one would offer them shelter shows how far Israel had fallen from God's standards of love and care for others.
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