Bible Dictionary: Inn

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Smith's Bible Dictionary

Inn

The Hebrew word (malon) thus rendered literally signified "a lodging-place for the night." Inns, in our sense of the term were, as they still are, unknown in the East, where hospitality is religiously practiced. The khans or caravanserais are the representatives of European inns, and these were established but gradually. The halting-place of a caravan was selected originally on account of its proximity to water or pasture, by which the travellers pitched their tents and passed the night. Such was undoubtedly the "inn" at which occurred the Incident in the life of Moses narrated in (Exodus 4:24) comp. Genesis42:27 On the more frequented routes, remote from towns, (Jeremiah 9:2) caravanserais were in course of time erected, often at the expense of the wealthy. "A caravanserai is a large and substantial square building... Passing through strong gateway, the guest enters a large court, in the centre of which is a spacious raised platform, used for sleeping upon at night or for the devotions of the faithful during the day. Around this court are arranged the rooms of the building."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

In the modern sense, unknown in the East. The khans or caravanserais, which correspond to the European inn, are not alluded to in the Old Testament. The "inn" mentioned in Exodus 4:24 was just the halting-place of the caravan. In later times khans were erected for the accommodation of travellers. In Luke 2:7 the word there so rendered denotes a place for loosing the beasts of their burdens. It is rendered "guest-chamber" in Mark 14:14 and Luke 22:11. In Luke 10:34 the word so rendered is different. That inn had an "inn-keeper," who attended to the wants of travellers.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A place of shelter; hence, dwelling; habitation; residence; abode.

2. (n.) A house for the lodging and entertainment of travelers or wayfarers; a tavern; a public house; a hotel.

3. (n.) The town residence of a nobleman or distinguished person; as, Leicester Inn.

4. (n.) One of the colleges (societies or buildings) in London, for students of the law barristers; as, the Inns of Court; the Inns of Chancery; Serjeants' Inns.

5. (v. i.) To take lodging; to lodge.

6. (v. t.) To house; to lodge.

7. (v. t.) To get in; to in. See In, v. t.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

INN

(malon; pandocheion, kataluma):

1. Earliest Night Resting-Places:

The Hebrew word malon means literally, a "night resting-place," and might be applied to any spot where caravans (Genesis 42:27; Genesis 43:21 the King James Version), individuals (Exodus 4:24 Jeremiah 9:2), or even armies (Joshua 4:3, 8 2 Kings 19:23 Isaiah 10:29) encamped for the night. In the slightly altered form melunah, the same word is used of a nightwatchman's lodge in a garden (Isaiah 1:8; Isaiah 24:20, the King James Version "cottage"). The word in itself does not imply the presence of any building, and in the case of caravans and travelers was doubtless originally, as very often at the present day, only a convenient level bit of ground near some spring, where baggage might be unloaded, animals watered and tethered, and men rest on the bare ground. Nothing in the Old Testament suggests the occupancy of a house in such cases. The nearest approach to such an idea occurs in Jeremiah 41:17 margin, where geruth kimham is translated "the lodging-place of Chimham," but the text is very doubtful and probably refers rather to sheepfolds. We cannot say when buildings were first used, but the need of shelter for caravans traveling in winter, and of protection in dangerous times and districts, would lead to their introduction at an early period in the history of trade.

2. Public Inns:

It is noteworthy that all the indisputable designations of "inn" come in with the Greek period. Josephus (Ant., XV, v, 1; BJ, I, xxi, 7) speaks of "Public inns" under the name of katagogal, while in the Aramaic Jewish writings we meet with 'ushpiza', from Latin hospitium, and 'akhcanya' from the Greek xenia; the New Testament designation pandocheion has passed into the Aramaic pundheqa' and the Arabic funduq. All these are used of public inns, and they all correspond to the modern "khan" or "caravanserai." These are to be found on the great trade routes all over the East. In their most elaborate form they have almost the strength of a fortress. They consist of a great quadrangle into which admission is gained through a broad, strong gateway. The quadrangle is enclosed on all sides by a 2-story building, the windows in the case of the lower story opening only to the interior. The upper story is reached by stairways, and has a gangway all around, giving access to the practically bare rooms which are at the disposal of travelers. 3. Their Evil Name:

There is usually a well of good water in the center of the quadrangle, and travelers as a rule bring their own food and often that of their animals (Judges 19:19) with them. There are no fixed payments, and on departure, the arranging of haqq el-khan generally means a disagreeable dispute, as the innkeepers are invariably untruthful, dishonest and oppressive. They have ever been regarded as of infamous character. The Roman laws in many places recognize this. In Mishna, Yebhamoth, xvi. 7 the word of an innkeeper was doubted, and Mishna, `Abbodhah Zarah, ii.4 places them in the lowest scale of degradation. The New Testament is quite clear in speaking of "Rahab the harlot" (Hebrews 11:31 James 2:25). The Targum designates her an "innkeeper," while Rashi translates zonah as "a seller of kinds of food," a meaning the word will bear. Chimchi, however, accepts both meanings. This evil repute of public inns, together with the Semitic spirit of hospitality, led the Jews and the early Christians to prefer to recommend the keeping of open house for the entertainment of strangers. In the Jewish Morning Prayers, even in our day, such action is linked with great promises, and the New Testament repeatedly (Hebrews 13:2 1 Peter 4:9; 1 Peter 3 John 1:5) commends hospitality. It is remarkable that both the Talmud (Shab 127a) and the New Testament (Hebrews 13:2) quote the same passage (Genesis 18:3) in recommending it.

The best-known khans in Palestine are Khan Jubb-Yusuf, North of the Lake of Galilee, Khan et-Tujjar, under the shadow of Tabor, Khan el-Lubban (compare Judges 21:19), and Khan Chadrur, midway between Jerusalem and Jericho. This last certainly occupies the site of the inn referred to in Luke 10:34, and it is not without interest that we read in Mishna, Yebhamoth, xvi.7, of another sick man being left at that same inn. See illustration, p. 64.

4. Guest Chambers:

The Greek word kataluma, though implying a "loosing" for the night, seems rather to be connected with the idea of hospitality in a private house than in a public inn. Luke with his usual care distinguishes between this and pandocheion, and his use of the verb kataluo (Luke 9:12; Luke 19:7) makes his meaning clear. In the Septuagint, indeed, malon is sometimes translated kataluma, and it appears in 1 Samuel 9:22 for lishkah, the King James Version "parlour." It is the word used of the "upper room" where the Last Supper was held (Mark 14:14 Luke 22:11, "guest-chamber"), and of the place of reception in Bethlehem where Joseph and Mary failed to find quarters (Luke 2:7). It thus corresponds to the spare or upper room in a private house or in a village, i.e. to the manzil adjoining the house of the sheikh, where travelers received hospitality and where no payment was expected, except a trifle to the caretaker. In Jerusalem such payments were made by leaving behind the earthenware vessels that had been used, and the skins of the animals that had been slaughtered (Yoma' 12a).

5. Birth of Christ:

Judging from the word used, and the conditions implied, we are led to believe that Joseph and Mary had at first expected reception in the upper room or manzil at the house of the sheikh of Bethlehem, probably a friend and member of the house of David; that in this they were disappointed, and had to content themselves with the next best, the elevated platform alongside the interior of the stable, and on which those having the care of the animals generally slept. It being now the season when they were in the fields (Luke 2:8), the stable would be empty and clean. There then the Lord Jesus was born and laid in the safest and most convenient place, the nearest empty manger alongside of this elevated platform. Humble though the circumstances were, the family were preserved from all the annoyance and evil associations of a public khan, and all the demands of delicacy and privacy were duly met.

W. M. Christie

Greek

3829. pandocheion -- an inn
... an inn. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: pandocheion Phonetic Spelling:
(pan-dokk-i'-on) Short Definition: an inn Definition: an inn, khan, hotel. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3829.htm - 6k

2646. kataluma -- a lodging place
... a lodging place. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: kataluma Phonetic
Spelling: (kat-al'-oo-mah) Short Definition: an inn, lodging-place Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2646.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

4411. malon -- a lodging place, inn, khan
... 4410, 4411. malon. 4412 . a lodging place, inn, khan. Transliteration: malon
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-lone') Short Definition: place. ... inn, place where. ...
/hebrew/4411.htm - 6k

Library

Preaching in the Inn Yard
... Chapter 12. Wesley's Letter to an Editor; Impositions and Declarations; the
Speaking Statue; Wesley's Pentecost Preaching in the Inn Yard. ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/preaching in the inn yard.htm

About the Young Man who Killed the Maiden.
... to do something good. I was in love with a certain woman living outside
of the city in an inn, and she loved me. And I having heard ...
/.../unknown/acts of the holy apostle thomas/about the young man who.htm

Parable of the Good Samaritan.
... the village of Bethany, and for the rest of the eighteen miles it passes through
desolate mountain ravines without any habitation save the inn, the ruins of ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxxxiv parable of the good.htm

Jesus is Born in Bethlehem
... An inn is a large house that people stay at when they are on a journey. ... Near that
inn there was a place in which asses and camels were kept. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/the good shepherd/chapter ii jesus is born.htm

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
... Society of Gray's Inn, &c. ... WH Karslake, MA=, Assistant Preacher at Lincoln's-Inn,
Vicar of Westcott, Dorking, late Fellow and Tutor at Merton College, Oxford. ...
/.../the kingdom of heaven what is it/society for promoting christian knowledge.htm

Account of the Bishops Euphratas and vincentius, and of the Plot ...
... the preconcerted signal, and learning that the folk privy to the plot were on the
spot, he went to the gate of the courtyard belonging to the inn where the ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/chapter vii account of the bishops.htm

The Birth of Jesus. Ch. 2:1-20
... 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/e the birth of jesus.htm

The Angels of the Advent.
... and Mary came to Bethlehem they found it full of people who had also come home to
write their names for the Emperor, and there was no room for them in the inn. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter i the angels of.htm

Go Forth, O Ye Daughters of Zion, and Behold King Solomon with the ...
... The centre of the soul may be regarded, in short, as a sort of halfway house or
inn, by which the traveller must necessarily pass, but, in leaving which, he is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/11 go forth o ye.htm

How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... who used to be very curious in observing everything in the city, and did not take
them for enemies; but at even they retired to a certain inn that was near to ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how joshua the.htm

Thesaurus

Inn (7 Occurrences)
... In the modern sense, unknown in the East. The khans or caravanserais, which correspond
to the European inn, are not alluded to in the Old Testament. ...
/i/inn.htm - 17k

Guest-chamber (4 Occurrences)
... The spare room on the upper floor of an Eastern dwelling (Mark 14:14; Luke
22:11). In Luke 2:7 the word is translated "inn" (qv). Int. ...
/g/guest-chamber.htm - 8k

Guestchamber (2 Occurrences)
... The spare room on the upper floor of an Eastern dwelling (Mark 14:14; Luke
22:11). In Luke 2:7 the word is translated "inn" (qv). Int. ...
/g/guestchamber.htm - 8k

Mary (50 Occurrences)
... required that they should proceed to Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), some 80 or 90 miles
from Nazareth; and while they were there they found shelter in the inn or khan ...
/m/mary.htm - 72k

Chimham (4 Occurrences)
... The "habitation of Chimham" (Jeremiah 41:17) was probably an inn or khan, which
is the proper meaning of the Hebrew geruth, rendered "habitation", established ...
/c/chimham.htm - 10k

Khan
... formerly governed by them. 2. (n.) An Eastern inn or caravansary. Int.
Standard Bible Encyclopedia. KHAN. kan, kan. See INN. ...
/k/khan.htm - 6k

Innards (15 Occurrences)

/i/innards.htm - 10k

Manger (7 Occurrences)
... denotes "the ledge or projection in the end of the room used as a stall on which
the hay or other food of the animals of travellers was placed." (see INN.). ...
/m/manger.htm - 10k

Caravansary
... (n.) A kind of inn, in the East, where caravans rest at night, being a large, rude,
unfurnished building, surrounding a court. Int. ... kar-a-van'-sa-ri. See INN. ...
/c/caravansary.htm - 6k

Star (16 Occurrences)
... It is said that when they had reached Bethlehem, apparently nearly at mid-day,
one of them went to the well of the inn in order to draw water. ...
/s/star.htm - 29k

Bible Concordance

Inn (7 Occurrences)

Luke 2:7 She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Luke 10:34 came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 42:27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Genesis 43:21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Exodus 4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Psalms 13:2 Till when do I set counsels in my soul? Sorrow inn my heart daily? Till when is mine enemy exalted over me?
(YLT)

Psalms 51:1 To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David, in the coming inn unto him of Nathan the prophet, when he hath gone in unto Bath-Sheba. Favour me, O God, according to Thy kindness, According to the abundance of Thy mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
(YLT)

Subtopics

Inn

Inn: General Scriptures Concerning

Related Terms

Guest-chamber (4 Occurrences)

Guestchamber (2 Occurrences)

Mary (50 Occurrences)

Chimham (4 Occurrences)

Khan

Innards (15 Occurrences)

Manger (7 Occurrences)

Caravansary