Judges 19:20

THE MESSAGE

The old man said, "It's going to be all right; I'll take care of you. You aren't going to spend the night in the town square." He took them home and fed the donkeys. They washed up and sat down to a good meal.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Welcome!” said the old man. “I’ll take care of everything you need. Only don’t spend the night in the square.”

Hebrew Names Version
The old man said, Shalom be to you; howsoever let all your wants lie on me; only don't lodge in the street.

King James Version
And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

Lexham English Bible
And the old man said, "Peace to you. I will take care of your needs; however, you must not spend the night in the open square."

English Standard Version
And the old man said, "Peace be to you; I will care for all your wants. Only, do not spend the night in the square."

New Century Version
The old man said, "You are welcome to stay at my house. Let me give you anything you need, but don't spend the night in the public square."

New English Translation
The old man said, "Everything is just fine! I will take care of all your needs. But don't spend the night in the town square."

Amplified Bible
Then the old man said, "Peace be to you. Only leave all your needs to me; and do not spend the night in the open square."

New American Standard Bible
Then the old man said, "Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the public square."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the olde man sayde, Peace bee with thee: as for all that thou lackest, shalt thou finde with me: onely abide not in the streete al night.

Legacy Standard Bible
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

Contemporary English Version
The old man said, "You are welcome to spend the night in my home and to be my guest, but don't stay out here!"

Complete Jewish Bible
The old man said, "You're welcome to stay with me. I'll take care of anything you lack; just don't spend the night out in the open."

Darby Translation
Then the old man said, Peace be with thee; only let all thy wants lie on me; but lodge not in the street.

Easy-to-Read Version
The old man said, "You are welcome to stay at my house. I will give you anything you need, but don't stay the night in the public square."

George Lamsa Translation
And the old man said to him, Peace be with you; anything that you may lack I will provide for you; only do not spend the night in the street.

Good News Translation
The old man said, "You are welcome in my home! I'll take care of you; you don't have to spend the night in the square."

Literal Translation
And the old man said, Peace to you. Only, all that you lack shall be on me. Only, do not spend the night in the open.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The olde man sayde: Peace be with the: what soeuer thou wantest, thou findest it wt me, onely tarye not in the strete all nighte.

American Standard Version
And the old man said, Peace be unto thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

Bible in Basic English
And the old man said, Peace be with you; let all your needs be my care; only do not take your rest in the street.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The olde man sayd: Peace be with thee, all that thou lackest shalt thou fynde with me: Only abyde not in the streate [all nyght].

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the old man said: 'Peace be unto thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the broad place.'

King James Version (1611)
And the olde man said, Peace be with thee; howsoeuer, let all thy wants lie vpon me; only lodge not in the street.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the old man said, Peace be to thee; only be every want of thine upon me, only do thou by no means lodge in the street.

English Revised Version
And the old man said, Peace be unto thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

Berean Standard Bible
"Peace to you," said the old man. "Let me supply everything you need. Only do not spend the night in the square."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom the eld man answeride, Pees be with thee; Y schal yyue alle `thingis, that ben nedeful; oneli, Y biseche, dwelle thou not in the street.

Young's Literal Translation
And the old man saith, `Peace to thee; only, all thy lack [is] on me, only in the broad place lodge not.'

Update Bible Version
And the old man said, Peace be to you; however let all your wants lie on me; only don't lodge in the street.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the old man said, Peace [be] with thee; however, [let] all thy wants [lie] upon me; only lodge not in the street.

World English Bible
The old man said, Peace be to you; howsoever let all your wants lie on me; only don't lodge in the street.

New King James Version
And the old man said, "Peace be with you! However, let all your needs be my responsibility; only do not spend the night in the open square."

New Living Translation
"You are welcome to stay with me," the old man said. "I will give you anything you might need. But whatever you do, don't spend the night in the square."

New Life Bible
The old man said, "Peace to you. Let me take care of all your needs. But do not stay the night in the street."

New Revised Standard
The old man said, "Peace be to you. I will care for all your wants; only do not spend the night in the square."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the old man said - Thou art welcome! only, all thy wants, be on me, - by no means, in the broadway, mayest thou lodge.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the old man answered him: Peace be with thee: I will furnish all things that are necessary: only I beseech thee, stay not in the street.

Revised Standard Version
And the old man said, "Peace be to you; I will care for all your wants; only, do not spend the night in the square."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
The old man said, "Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the open square."

Contextual Overview

¹⁶The Levite It was an era when there was no king in Israel. A Levite, living as a stranger in the backwoods hill country of Ephraim, got himself a concubine, a woman from Bethlehem in Judah. But she quarreled with him and left, returning to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there four months. Then her husband decided to go after her and try to win her back. He had a servant and a pair of donkeys with him. When he arrived at her father's house, the girl's father saw him, welcomed him, and made him feel at home. His father-in-law, the girl's father, pressed him to stay. He stayed with him three days; they feasted and drank and slept. On the fourth day, they got up at the crack of dawn and got ready to go. But the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen yourself with a hearty breakfast and then you can go." So they sat down and ate breakfast together. The girl's father said to the man, "Come now, be my guest. Stay the night—make it a holiday." The man got up to go, but his father-in-law kept after him, so he ended up spending another night. On the fifth day, he was again up early, ready to go. The girl's father said, "You need some breakfast." They went back and forth, and the day slipped on as they ate and drank together. But the man and his concubine were finally ready to go. Then his father-in-law, the girl's father, said, "Look, the day's almost gone—why not stay the night? There's very little daylight left; stay another night and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get an early start and set off for your own place." But this time the man wasn't willing to spend another night. He got things ready, left, and went as far as Jebus (Jerusalem) with his pair of saddled donkeys, his concubine, and his servant. At Jebus, though, the day was nearly gone. The servant said to his master, "It's late; let's go into this Jebusite city and spend the night." But his master said, "We're not going into any city of foreigners. We'll go on to Gibeah." He directed his servant, "Keep going. Let's go on ahead. We'll spend the night either at Gibeah or Ramah." So they kept going. As they pressed on, the sun finally left them in the vicinity of Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. They left the road there to spend the night at Gibeah. The Levite went and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them in to spend the night. Then, late in the evening, an old man came in from his day's work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and lived temporarily in Gibeah where all the local citizens were Benjaminites. When the old man looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, he said, "Where are you going? And where are you from?" The Levite said, "We're just passing through. We're coming from Bethlehem on our way to a remote spot in the hills of Ephraim. I come from there. I've just made a trip to Bethlehem in Judah and I'm on my way back home, but no one has invited us in for the night. We wouldn't be any trouble: We have food and straw for the donkeys, and bread and wine for the woman, the young man, and me—we don't need anything." The old man said, "It's going to be all right; I'll take care of you. You aren't going to spend the night in the town square." He took them home and fed the donkeys. They washed up and sat down to a good meal. They were relaxed and enjoying themselves when the men of the city, a gang of local hell-raisers all, surrounded the house and started pounding on the door. They yelled for the owner of the house, the old man, "Bring out the man who came to your house. We want to have sex with him." He went out and told them, "No, brothers! Don't be obscene—this man is my guest. Don't commit this outrage. Look, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. I'll bring them out for you. Abuse them if you must, but don't do anything so senselessly vile to this man." But the men wouldn't listen to him. Finally, the Levite pushed his concubine out the door to them. They raped her repeatedly all night long. Just before dawn they let her go. The woman came back and fell at the door of the house where her master was sleeping. When the sun rose, there she was. It was morning. Her master got up and opened the door to continue his journey. There she was, his concubine, crumpled in a heap at the door, her hands on the threshold. "Get up," he said. "Let's get going." There was no answer. He lifted her onto his donkey and set out for home. When he got home he took a knife and dismembered his concubine—cut her into twelve pieces. He sent her, piece by piece, throughout the country of Israel. And he ordered the men he sent out, "Say to every man in Israel: ‘Has such a thing as this ever happened from the time the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until now? Think about it! Talk it over. Do something!'" ¹⁷The Levite It was an era when there was no king in Israel. A Levite, living as a stranger in the backwoods hill country of Ephraim, got himself a concubine, a woman from Bethlehem in Judah. But she quarreled with him and left, returning to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there four months. Then her husband decided to go after her and try to win her back. He had a servant and a pair of donkeys with him. When he arrived at her father's house, the girl's father saw him, welcomed him, and made him feel at home. His father-in-law, the girl's father, pressed him to stay. He stayed with him three days; they feasted and drank and slept. On the fourth day, they got up at the crack of dawn and got ready to go. But the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen yourself with a hearty breakfast and then you can go." So they sat down and ate breakfast together. The girl's father said to the man, "Come now, be my guest. Stay the night—make it a holiday." The man got up to go, but his father-in-law kept after him, so he ended up spending another night. On the fifth day, he was again up early, ready to go. The girl's father said, "You need some breakfast." They went back and forth, and the day slipped on as they ate and drank together. But the man and his concubine were finally ready to go. Then his father-in-law, the girl's father, said, "Look, the day's almost gone—why not stay the night? There's very little daylight left; stay another night and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get an early start and set off for your own place." But this time the man wasn't willing to spend another night. He got things ready, left, and went as far as Jebus (Jerusalem) with his pair of saddled donkeys, his concubine, and his servant. At Jebus, though, the day was nearly gone. The servant said to his master, "It's late; let's go into this Jebusite city and spend the night." But his master said, "We're not going into any city of foreigners. We'll go on to Gibeah." He directed his servant, "Keep going. Let's go on ahead. We'll spend the night either at Gibeah or Ramah." So they kept going. As they pressed on, the sun finally left them in the vicinity of Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. They left the road there to spend the night at Gibeah. The Levite went and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them in to spend the night. Then, late in the evening, an old man came in from his day's work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and lived temporarily in Gibeah where all the local citizens were Benjaminites. When the old man looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, he said, "Where are you going? And where are you from?" ¹⁸The Levite said, "We're just passing through. We're coming from Bethlehem on our way to a remote spot in the hills of Ephraim. I come from there. I've just made a trip to Bethlehem in Judah and I'm on my way back home, but no one has invited us in for the night. We wouldn't be any trouble: We have food and straw for the donkeys, and bread and wine for the woman, the young man, and me—we don't need anything." ²⁰The old man said, "It's going to be all right; I'll take care of you. You aren't going to spend the night in the town square." He took them home and fed the donkeys. They washed up and sat down to a good meal.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Peace be: Judges 6:23, Genesis 43:23, Genesis 43:24, 1 Samuel 25:6, 1 Chronicles 12:18, Luke 10:5, Luke 10:6, John 14:27, 1 Corinthians 1:3

let all thy wants: Here was genuine hospitality: "Keep your bread and wine for yourselves, and your straw and provender for your asses; you may need them before you finish your journey: I will supply all your wants for this night; only do not lodge in the street." Romans 12:13, Galatians 6:6, Hebrews 13:2, James 2:15, James 2:16, 1 Peter 4:9, 1 John 3:18

lodge not: Genesis 19:2, Genesis 19:3, Genesis 24:31-33

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 4:8 - she constrained him Job 31:32 - The stranger Isaiah 58:7 - bring Acts 16:15 - come

Cross-References

Genesis 19:30
Lot left Zoar and went into the mountains to live with his two daughters; he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his daughters.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the old man said, peace be with you,.... All happiness attend thee, particularly ease and tranquillity of mind, let nothing disturb or distress thee:

howsoever, let all thy wants lie upon me; signifying, that if he had neither bread nor wine for himself, his wife, and his servant, nor any litter nor provender for his asses, he was welcome to all from him; and whatever his wants were, he would supply them, which was nobly and generously said:

only lodge not in the street: that I cannot bear to think of, as if he should say; for a stranger, an Israelite, one of my own country, a good man, a Levite going to the house of God, to take up a lodging in the streets, let it not be said.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 19:20. All thy wants lie upon me — Here was genuine hospitality: "Keep your bread and wine for yourselves, and your straw and provender for your asses; you may need them before you finish your journey; I will supply all your wants for this night, therefore do not lodge in the street."