And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.
The man who owned the house went outside to them and said, 'No, my brothers, please don't do such a wicked thing! Since this man has come into my house as my guest, don't commit this terrible act.'
The homeowner is pleading with the violent mob outside his door to not harm his guest, appealing to their sense of right and wrong and the sacred duty of hospitality.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Judges, Israel was in a period of moral decline without a central king, leading to widespread lawlessness and violence among the tribes. This verse occurs during a story in Gibeah, where a Levite traveler and his concubine are guests in a man's home, and the host pleads with the men of the city not to commit a grave wickedness against them. The narrative highlights the cultural breakdown and lack of hospitality norms in that era, similar to other accounts of societal corruption in the Old Testament.
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