Judges 19:17 Meaning and Explanation
“And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The old man sees the traveler in the square and asks where he is coming from and going to.
What Does Judges 19:17 Mean?
The old man lifts up his eyes and sees the wayfaring man sitting in the street, and he speaks to him: where are you going, and where have you come from? It is the question of a concerned host, the opening of a door that the rest of the town has kept shut. By simply looking up and noticing, he begins to undo the city's neglect.
To lift up the eyes and truly see the one in need is the beginning of all mercy. The old man does not pass by; he looks, he sees, and he speaks. His questions are not idle curiosity but the first reaching out of compassion, the way a stranger becomes a guest. Scripture is full of this movement from seeing to caring, and it is the very pattern of God, who looks upon the afflicted and draws near. In a chapter where so many eyes are turned away, this old man's willingness to see is itself an act of grace.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 19:17
What does Judges 19:17 mean?
The old man sees the traveler in the square and asks where he is coming from and going to.