Judges 19:20

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

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) Peace be with thee.—The words are not here a greeting, but an assurance of help.

Only lodge not in the street.—Genesis 19:2.

Benson Commentary

Jdg 19:20-21. Let all thy wants lie upon me — It matters not whether thou wantest nothing or every thing; I will take care to supply all thy wants. They washed their feet — As they used to do to travellers in those hot countries.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:7-13 Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The house of the Lord - Probably at Shiloh (marginal references). The Levite was probably one of those who ministered at the tabernacle. His two donkeys and servant show him to have been in good circumstances, and he had a home of his own.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

20. only lodge not in the street—As this is no rare or singular circumstance in the East, the probability is that the old man's earnest dissuasive from such a procedure arose from his acquaintance with the infamous practices of the place.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

It matters not whether thou wantest nothing or every thing, I will take care to supply all thy wants.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire 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.

Geneva Study Bible

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

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - They washed their feet. See Genesis 18:4; Genesis 19:2; Luke 7:34; 1 Timothy 5:10, etc. Judges 19:20

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The old man replied, "Peace to thee," assuring him of a welcome by this style of greeting; "only all thy wants upon me," i.e., let me provide for them. Thus the friendly host declined the offer made by his guest to provide for himself. "Only do not pass the night in the market-place."