And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel’s father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.
On the fourth day, when they got up early in the morning and the man was ready to leave, the young woman's father said to his son-in-law, 'Have some food to strengthen yourself, and then you can go on your way.'
The writer is showing how the father-in-law keeps offering hospitality and delaying his son-in-law's departure by encouraging him to eat before traveling.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is set in the time of the Judges, a chaotic period in Israel's history after Joshua's death, when the nation lacked a central king and moral standards were deteriorating. The story involves a Levite traveling with his concubine to visit her father in Bethlehem, where the father extends hospitality by urging the Levite to eat before departing, reflecting ancient Near Eastern customs of honoring guests and family ties. Such hospitality was crucial in a society where protection and alliance often depended on these social rituals.
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