שופטים, פרק י״ט, פסוק ט׳

A traveler preparing to depart late in the day often faces the practical concerns of an impending nightfall. Despite the late hour, the Levite decides to gather his concubine and servant to begin their journey home. However, the father of the young woman steps in, attempting to persuade his son-in-law to remain for one more night by presenting a series of logical arguments about the time of day and the physical challenges of the road ahead [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The father-in-law first draws attention to the fading daylight. The primary approach among commentators notes that the sun's heat and light reach their absolute peak at midday, after which their power steadily weakens until sunset [מצודת ציון]. Building on this, the host points out that the natural time for resting has arrived. This idea is understood in two distinct ways. The primary approach focuses on human behavior, explaining that the late afternoon is the standard hour when travelers finish their daily progress, seek shelter, and settle indoors for the night [רש״י, רד״ק]. A contrasting perspective focuses on nature itself, suggesting that it is the sun that rests. As evening falls and the sun slips from human sight, it creates the illusion that it has finished its daily route and is stopping to rest from its movement [רד״ק].

Using the reality of the setting sun, the father-in-law delivers his main argument. He calculates that in the brief window of daylight remaining, the Levite will simply not have enough time to reach his destination. As a result, the travelers will inevitably be forced to stop mid-journey and spend the night in an unfamiliar place. He reasons that since they must stop to sleep regardless, it is far better to spend the night in the comfort and happiness of his home rather than out on the open road. To seal his argument, he promises the Levite that with a simple change of plans, they can wake up early the next morning, complete the entire journey in a single day, and completely avoid the need to sleep on the road [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].