Of Inns and Resting Places in the Days of Old

In the days when the earth was young with dust and the sun beat hot upon the roads of men, there were places appointed for rest—humble inns, tents of hospitality, and chambers above the homes of kind-hearted hosts. And these served the weary traveler, the merchant from afar, the prophet upon his mission, and the pilgrim drawn by the call of the sacred.

Lo, the Scriptures speak often of such places. When Joseph and Mary journeyed to Bethlehem, there was no room at the inn (Luke 2:7), and thus the Child of Promise was laid in a manger, beneath the stars of heaven. For even in that blessed town, travelers thronged the streets, and the places of lodging were filled.

In the time of Abraham, he pitched his tent in the plains of Mamre and sat at the door thereof in the heat of the day (Genesis 18:1). And when strangers approached, he hastened to bring water for their feet, a morsel of bread for their strength, and a place of rest under the tree. Thus was hospitality not merely a custom but a sacred trust, a sign of righteousness in the eyes of the Lord.

Along the roads of the Roman Empire—those vast and well-laid ways trodden by soldiers, merchants, and apostles—there were public inns, called mansiones, where the emperor’s couriers and travelers of means might find lodging. Yet for the common man, the place of rest was often the open field, the village hearth, or the mercy of strangers.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:34), the man wounded by robbers was set upon a beast and taken to an inn. There, the Samaritan gave two denarii to the innkeeper, saying, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.” Thus, the inn was a place of mercy and healing, and its keeper a steward of grace.

The early Church, scattered across cities and regions, met in the upper rooms of houses (Acts 1:13), and travelers bearing the Gospel found refuge with brethren of like faith. For the Apostle wrote, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2).

And so it was, and so it remains—that to offer shelter is to mirror the kindness of God, who spreads the heavens as a tent for all creation. In days of old, the inns and resting places were more than stone and timber; they were signs of fellowship, of covenant, and of care between man and man, and between God and His people.

Blessed is he who opens his door and prepares a place for the sojourner. For such hospitality is remembered in the courts of heaven.