The Church Fathers on this verse

Judges 19:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He answered him: We came out from Bethlehem Juda, and we are going to our home, which is on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence we went to Bethlehem: and now we go to the house of God, and none will receive us under his roof:

Douay-Rheims

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו עֹבְרִ֨ים אֲנַ֜חְנוּ מִבֵּֽית־לֶ֣חֶם יְהוּדָה֮ עַד־יַרְכְּתֵ֣י הַר־אֶפְרַיִם֒ מִשָּׁ֣ם אָנֹ֔כִי וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ עַד־בֵּ֥ית לֶ֖חֶם יְהוּדָ֑ה וְאֶת־בֵּ֤ית יְהוָה֙ אֲנִ֣י הֹלֵ֔ךְ וְאֵ֣ין אִ֔ישׁ מְאַסֵּ֥ף אוֹתִ֖י הַבָּֽיְתָה׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Ambrose of Milan

4th centuryChurch Father

The elder saw him and inquired about his destination and his departure point. The man responded, “I am coming back from Bethlehem in Judah, headed to Mount Ephraim, and my wife accompanies me. Look, I have arrived here, but there is no one to provide us shelter and allow us to rest.” He sought neither food nor drink nor hay for the livestock; all he desired was to find refuge. Despite possessing many things, he was denied even the most basic shelter, longing only for a place to call home.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.