Judges 19:21 (KJV)

What does Judges 19:21 mean?

Judges 19:21 describes how a man welcomed travelers into his house, provided food for their donkeys, and allowed them to wash their feet before they ate and drank together. This verse shows the host’s hospitality and care for both his guests and their animals.

The setting is in the town of Gibeah, where an old man invites a Levite, his concubine, and their servant into his home after they had trouble finding lodging. The verse highlights the basic acts of hospitality in ancient Israel: feeding animals (using the word for "provender"), washing feet after travel, and sharing a meal. These actions set the stage for the events that follow in the story.

The Hebrew behind Judges 19:21

• "Provender" (בְּלִיל, belil) refers to mixed feed or fodder for animals, showing the host’s attention to the needs of the travelers’ donkeys, not just the people.
• "Washed" (רָחַץ, rachats) and "feet" (רֶגֶל, regel) together point to the common custom of washing dusty feet after a journey, a practical and welcoming gesture in a dry, dusty land.
• "Eat" (אָכַל, akhal) and "drink" (שָׁתָה, shatah) are straightforward but together emphasize the completeness of the hospitality—providing both food and drink.

Why Judges 19:21 matters

• This verse clarifies that hospitality in ancient Israel included caring for both people and their animals, not just offering a meal.
• The attention to washing feet and feeding animals shows the host’s respect and thoroughness, which contrasts sharply with the later actions of the townspeople in the story.
• Understanding these customs helps the reader see how shocking the later events in Gibeah are, since they violate the basic standards of hospitality shown here.