16. Travelling

Travelling

1. When a person travelled on foot, he tucked up his skirts with his girdle, so as to leave free action to the leg and knee; he had a staff, wore sandals, and had a small “scrip” or bag suspended from the neck for provisions. If he was going to a distance he took a change of clothes, and sometimes a jar or kid-skin bottle of water (Gen 21:14; Luk 9:3). The cool of the morning or evening, or of the night, was the usual time for travelling; in the heat of the day travellers sought refreshment and rest (Gen 18:1-5). The customary salutations on the road were neglected by hurried travellers (2Ki 4:29).

Khan

2. There were no inns like ours. In the early periods of Scripture history, if a traveller had no friends to whom he could repair in the place to which he came, be waited in the street, or at the gate, till some hospitable person invited him to his house (Gen 19:2; Jdg 19:15-21). In the time of Christ there appear to have been, in the towns, such places of public accommodation as we now find in the East, namely, khans, where strangers are provided with lodging for themselves and beasts, but have to provide provisions, fuel, and beds for themselves. In the stable of such a place, there being no room for his parents in the lodging apartments, the Savior of the world was born (Luk 2:7). Places of the same kind upon the road, for the accommodation of travellers, are called caravanserais: these are of more ancient date, being the “inns” of Gen 42:27; Gen 43:21; Exo 4:24; and Luk 10:34. Under such circumstances, persons making a journey are obliged to make preparation not required among us. This varies with the length and circumstances of the way; a long journey through a thinly peopled country, requiring more preparation than a short one where market towns frequently occur But all preparations may be comprehended under the heads of—l. Provender for the cattle, consisting of barley and chopped straw—2. Provisions and water; the provisions being meal to make bread, or else a kind of hard-baked bread or biscuit, rice, dried dates and other fruits, cheese, and sometimes, but rarely, potted meat; the water is carried in skin bags or bottles, of a size and number proportioned to the journey—3. Conveniences; which are more extensive now since the use of coffee and tobacco has been introduced than formerly; but which may be said to consist of a rug and quilted coverlet for a bed, a copper pot for cooking, a few bowls of wood or of tinned copper, and a ewer for ablutions. Few long journeys are described in Scripture; but in such as are mentioned, preparations like these must be more or less understood, according to the exigencies of the case (Gen 42:25; Gen 42:27; Gen 43:11; Gen 43:21; Gen 45:21; Gen 45:23; Jos 9:11-15).