Judges 19:4

THE LEVITE WELCOMED BY HIS CONCUBINE'S PARENTS

"And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink; and lodged there. And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose up early in the morning and he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son-in-law, Strengthen thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward ye shall go your way. So they sat down, and did eat and drink; both of them together: and the damsel's father said unto the man, Be pleased, I pray thee, to tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry. And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again. And he arose early in the morning of the fifth day to depart; and the damsel's father said, Strengthen thy heart. I pray thee, and tarry until the day declineth; and they did eat, both of them. And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening; I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thy heart may be merry; and tomorrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home."

"He abode with him three days (Judges 19:4) ... Early in the morning of the fifth day" (Judges 19:8). It requires an eager critic to find a contradiction in this, but Moore declared that, "The fusion of two narratives seems to have added one to the number of days."[5] Such a comment is uncalled for. Any fair reading of the text indicates that the "three days" refers to the period the Levite intended to stay with his concubine's family, and the nearly two days added were due to the insistence and urging of her father. Otherwise, the Levite would have left on the fourth day, not late on the fifth day.

The pleading of the concubine's father is understandable, because her parents probably thought that it might be a long while before they saw her again. The Levite should have stayed another night, as it was very bad judgment on his part to leave in the middle of the afternoon.