Hospitality — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Biblical concept often used with the terms “guest,” “stranger,” and “sojourner.” It is useful to limit the meaning of “hospitality” to benevolence done to those outside one’s normal circle of friends, as is implied in the literal meaning of the Greek word meaning “love of strangers.” Although the concept is thoroughly endorsed in the Bible, it is clearly found in nonbiblical cultures as well, especially among the nomadic peoples, where definite obligations to provide food, shelter, and protection are recognized.

The normal exercise of hospitality in the OT can be seen in the examples of Abraham and the three visitors (Gn 18:2-8, 16 OET GEN 18:2–8 · OET GEN 18:16), Laban’s reception of Abraham’s servant (24:15-61), and Manoah’s treatment of the angel (Jgs 13:15). But there are also cases in which the host felt compelled to take extreme steps to protect his guest, even to the harm of his own family (Gn 19:1-8; Jgs 19:14-24). The hospitality of the Shunammite family is also noteworthy, although Elisha was no stranger to them (2 Kgs 4:10).

Show passage in OET: GEN 18:2–8; GEN 18:16

OET-RV GEN 18:2

2 Avraham looked up and was surprised to see three men standing a short distance away. He ran from the tent opening to meet them and bowed respectfully,

OET-RV GEN 18:3

3 and said, “My masters, if I’ve found favour in your eyes, please don’t just carry on past your slave.

OET-RV GEN 18:4

4 Let me get some water so that you can wash your feet and rest here under this tree.

OET-RV GEN 18:5

5 I’ll go and get some food so that you can refresh yourselves before you leave, since you’ve come to your slave.”
¶ “Alright, do as you have said,” they answered.

OET-RV GEN 18:6

6 So Avraham hurried into the tent and told Sarah, “Quickly, grind three measures of fine flour and knead it and make some bread.”

OET-RV GEN 18:7

7 He ran to the herd and selected a tender and choice calf and took it to a slave who hurried to prepare it.

OET-RV GEN 18:8

8 Then he took yogurt and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set the meal down in front of the visitors, standing there under the tree by them while they ate.

OET-RV GEN 18:16

16 Then the three men got up to leave and looked down toward Sedom, and Avraham went with them to see them off.

OET-LV GEN 18:2

2 And_he _lifted _up eyes _of_his and_he/it _saw and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE three men were_standing on/upon/above_him/it and_he/it _saw and_he _ran to_meet_them from_the _opening _of the _tent and_he _bowed _down ground_to_the.

OET-LV GEN 18:3

3 And_he _said my_master if please I _have _found favour in_eyes _of_your do _not please pass _by from_under servant _of_your.

OET-LV GEN 18:4

4 Let _it _be _brought please a _little _of water and_wash feet _of_your(pl) and_support _yourselves(pl) under the_tree.

OET-LV GEN 18:5

5 And_let _me _bring a _piece _of bread and_sustain heart _of_your(pl) after you(pl)_will _pass _on if/because therefore yes/correct/thus/so you(pl)_have _passed _by at servant _of_your(pl) and_they _said thus you _will _do just_as you _have _said.

OET-LV GEN 18:6

6 And_ ʼAⱱrāhām _he _hurried to_the_tent to Sārāh and_he/it _said bring _quickly three seahs flour fine _flour knead_it and_make bread _cakes.

OET-LV GEN 18:7

7 And_near/to the_herd ʼAⱱrāhām he _ran and_he/it _took a _young _one _of the_herd tender and_good and_he/it _gave to the_servant and_he _hurried for_doing DOM_him/it.

OET-LV GEN 18:8

8 And_he/it _took curd[s] and_milk and_the _young _one _of the _herd which he _had _prepared and_he/it _gave before_them and_he was_standing with_them under the_tree and_they _ate.

OET-LV GEN 18:16

16 And_they _arose from_there the_men and_they _looked _down on the _face _of Şədom and_ʼAⱱrāhām was_walking with_them to_send_them _off.

Show passage in OET: JDG 13:15

OET-RV JDG 13:15

15 “Please stay a little longer,” Manoah asked Yahweh’s messenger, “so that we can prepare a meal of tender goat meat to honour your presence.”

OET-LV JDG 13:15

15 And_ Mānōaḩ _he/it _said to the _messenger _of YHWH let _us _detain please you so_that _we _may _prepare to_your_face a _kid _of goats.

Show passage in OET: GEN 19:1–8

OET-RV GEN 19:1

19 So the two messengers arrived at Sedom in the evening, and Lot was sitting at the city gate. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and knelt down in front of them with his face to the ground.

OET-RV GEN 19:2

2 Then he said, “Listen, my masters: Come with me to your slave’s home and wash your feet and stay the night. Then you can get up early and continue on your way.”
¶ But they said, “No, rather we’ll just spend the night in the street.”

OET-RV GEN 19:3

3 However, Lot insisted, so they followed him off the main road and went into his house. Then he prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

OET-RV GEN 19:4

4 However, before they went to bed, the men of Sedom surrounded the house—there were young and old from all parts of the city—

OET-RV GEN 19:5

5 and they called out to Lot, “Where are the men who came to your place tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can ‘use’ them.”

OET-RV GEN 19:6

6 So Lot went out to them at the entrance of the house and shut the door behind him

OET-RV GEN 19:7

7 and said, “My brothers, don’t do this evil.

OET-RV GEN 19:8

8 Listen, I’ve got two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you and you can treat them however you like. But don’t do anything to these men, because they’ve entered my house and so I’m responsible for them.”

OET-LV GEN 19:1

19 And_ the _two _of the_messengers _they _came towards_Sedom in_evening and_Lōţ was_sitting in_the _gate _of Şədom and_ Lōţ _he/it _saw and_he/it _rose _up to_meet_them and_he _bowed _down face ground_to_the.

OET-LV GEN 19:2

2 And_he/it _said HERE please my _masters _of_my turn _aside please to the _house _of your _servant _of_your(pl) and_stay _the _night and_wash feet _of_your(pl) and_you(pl)_will _rise _early and_you(pl)_will _go to_way _of_your(pl) and_they _said no if/because in_place we _will _stay _the _night.

OET-LV GEN 19:3

3 And_he _urged (in)_them exceedingly and_they _turned _aside to_him/it and_they _came into house _of_his and_he/it _made to/for_them a _feast and_unleavened _bread(s) he _baked and_they _ate.

OET-LV GEN 19:4

4 Before they _lay _down and_the _men _of the_city the _men _of Şədom they _surrounded (on) the_house from_young _man and_unto old_man all _of the_people from_the_end.

OET-LV GEN 19:5

5 And_they _called to Lōţ and_they _said to_him/it where are_the_men who they _came to_you the_night bring_them to_us so_that _we _may _know DOM_them.

OET-LV GEN 19:6

6 And_he/it _went _out to_them Lōţ to_the_entrance and_the_door he _closed behind_him.

OET-LV GEN 19:7

7 And_he _said do _not please my _brothers _of_my do _evil.

OET-LV GEN 19:8

8 HERE please to_me two _of daughters who not they _have _known a _man let _me _bring _out please them to_you(pl) and_do to_them according_the _good in_eyes _of_your(pl) only to_men (the)_these do _not do anything if/because therefore yes/correct/thus/so they _have _come in_the _shadow _of my _roof_my.

Show passage in OET: JDG 19:14–24

OET-RV JDG 19:14

14 So they passed Yevus and went on, but the sun went down as they neared Giveah (in Benyamite territory)

OET-RV JDG 19:15

15 so they went into Giveah to spend the night there. They went and sat in the open plaza of the city, but no one invited them into their home for the night.

OET-RV JDG 19:16

16 But then in late evening, an old man came in from his work in the field. He was from the Efrati hill country but currently staying in the Giveah area where the residents were Benyamites.

OET-RV JDG 19:17

17 He looked up and noticed them in the open plaza of the city and asked the man, “Where are you going, and where have you come from?”

OET-RV JDG 19:18

18 “We’re passing through from Beyt -Lehem (Bethlehem) in Yehudah (Judah),” the Levite replied. “Going to the remote parts of the Efrati hill country where I’m from. I went to Beyt-Lehem, and I’m going to Shiloh where Yahweh’s house is. However, no one here has invited us into their home.

OET-RV JDG 19:19

19 We have our own food and straw for our donkeys, and enough food and wine for the three of us so we don’t need anything else.

OET-RV JDG 19:20

20 “Peace to you all,” said the old man. “Let me supply everything you need—only don’t spend the night here in the square.”

OET-RV JDG 19:21

21 Then he took them to his house and fed their donkeys. They washed their feet, and they all ate and drank.

OET-RV JDG 19:22

22 They were having a good time, but suddenly the men of the city—wicked men—had surrounded the house—pounding repeatedly on the door. They called out to the old man who owned the house, “Hey, bring out the man who came to your place, so we can have fun with him.”

OET-RV JDG 19:23

23 The man who owned the house went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, please you mustn’t act wickedly. That man is a guest in my house—you all mustn’t do this disgraceful thing.

OET-RV JDG 19:24

24 My virgin daughter and his slave-wife are here. Please let me bring them out so you can ravish them and do whatever you want to them. But don’t do that wicked thing to that man.”

OET-LV JDG 19:14

14 And_they _passed _on and_they _went and_it _went to/for_them the_sun beside (the)_Giⱱˊāh which belongs_to_Binyāmīn.

OET-LV JDG 19:15

15 And_they _turned _aside there to_go to_spend _the _night in_Giⱱˊāh and_he _went and_he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_the _open _square _of the_city and_there_was_not anyone who _was_receiving them to_the_house to_spend _the _night.

OET-LV JDG 19:16

16 And_BEHOLD/LO/SEE a _man old was_coming from work _of_his from the_field in_evening and_the_man from_hill of _ʼEfrayim and_he was_sojourning in_Giⱱˊāh and_the _men _of the _place were_Ben-_of jaminites.

OET-LV JDG 19:17

17 And_he _lifted _up eyes _of_his and_he/it _saw DOM the_man who_was_travelling in_the _open _square _of the_city and_he/it _said the_man (the)_old where are _you _going and_from_where are _you _coming.

OET-LV JDG 19:18

18 And_he/it _said to_him/it we are_passing from_Bēyt- food/grain/bread Yəhūdāh/(Judah) to the _remotest _parts _of the _hill _country _of ʼEfrayim from_there I and_I _went to Bēyt- leḩem Yəhūdāh and_DOM the _house _of YHWH I am_going and_there_was_not anyone who _was_receiving me to_the_house.

OET-LV JDG 19:19

19 And_also straw as _well _as fodder there_are for_donkeys _of_our and_also food and_wine there_are to_me and_for_maidservant _of_your and_for_servant with your_servants there_is_not lack _of any _of thing.

OET-LV JDG 19:20

20 And_ the_man (the)_old _he/it _said peace to/for_you(fs) certainly all _of lack _of_your is_on_me only in_square do _not spend _the _night.

OET-LV JDG 19:21

21 And_he_brought _him to_house _of_his and_he _fed (to)_donkeys and_they _washed feet _of_their and_they _ate and_they _drank.

OET-LV JDG 19:22

22 They were_making _good DOM heart _of_their and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE the _men _of the_city men _of sons _of worthlessness they _surrounded DOM the_house beating _violently on the_door and_they _said to the_man the _master _of the _house (the)_old to_say bring _out DOM the_man who he _came to house _of_your so_that_we _may _know _him.

OET-LV JDG 19:23

23 And_he/it _went _out to_them the_man the _master _of the _house and_he/it _said to_them no my _brothers _of_my do _not do _evil please after that the_man the_this he _has _come not house _of_my do _not do DOM the _disgraceful_folly (the)_this.

OET-LV JDG 19:24

24 HERE daughter _of_my the_virgin and_concubine _of_his let _me _bring _out please them and_afflict them and_do to/for_them the_good in_eyes _of_your(pl) and_to_man the_this not you(pl)_must _do the _thing _of (the)_disgraceful _folly (the)_this.

Show passage in OET: KI2 4:10

OET-RV KI2 4:10

10 Please, can we make a small upstairs room on our flat roof? And we could put a bed and a lampstand in it for him, plus a table and chair. Then whenever he’s passing through here, he’ll have his own spot to stay.”

OET-LV KI2 4:10

10 Let _us _make please an _upper _room _of a _wall small and_let _us _put to_him/it there a _bed and_a _table and_a _chair and_a _lampstand and_it _was when_comes_he to_us he _will _turn _aside to_(to).

Jump to OET GEN 18:2–8 section. · OET GEN 18:16 section.

Jump to OET JDG 13:15 section.

Jump to OET GEN 19:1–8 section.

Jump to OET JDG 19:14–24 section.

Jump to OET KI2 4:10 section.

According to the NT, Jesus relied on the general practice of hospitality in sending out the disciples (Lk 10:7), as well as in his own travels. As the gospel was spread by traveling missionaries, Christians were commended for entertaining them in their homes (Heb 13:2; 1 Pt 4:9; 3 Jn 1:5-8). Church leaders must not exempt themselves from this ministry (1 Tm 3:2; Ti 1:8); to do so is grounds for judgment (Mt 25:43-46).