When the man got up to depart with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is drawing to a close. Please spend the night. See, the day is almost over. Spend the night here, that your heart may be merry. Then you can get up early tomorrow for your journey home.”
The domestic affairs of this Levite would not have been related thus largely but to make way for the following story of the injuries done him, in which the whole nation interested themselves. Bishop Hall's first remark upon this story is, That there is no complain of a public ordered state but there is a Levite at one end of it, either as an agent or as a patient.
Commenting on Judges 19:1-15
And when the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine, and his servant,.... Rose up from table, having comfortably refreshed themselves: his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, behold, now the day draweth towards evening; or is "remiss", or "weak" (n); that is, the heat, light, and strength of the sun abated, and became weaker and more remiss, as it...
the day draweth toward evening--Hebrew, "the pitching time of day." Travellers who set out at daybreak usually halt about the middle of the afternoon the first day, to enjoy rest and refreshment. It was, then, too late a time to commence a journey. But duty, perhaps, obliged the Levite to indulge no further delay.