Judges 19:23

‘ And the man, the master of the house, went out to them. And he said to them, “No, my brothers, I pray you, do not behave so wickedly, seeing that this man has come to my house. Do not do this folly.” '

Bravely the old man opened the door and went out to speak with the men. He hoped to appeal to them by reason.

“And he said to them, ‘No, my brothers, I pray you, do not behave so wickedly, seeing that this man has come to my house. Do not do this folly.” He made the strongest plea he could think of, that the man was enjoying his hospitality. Once a man had received hospitality the host had a sacred duty to protect him, and the crowd knew that. But he also made clear to them that their actions were wicked. They were ‘folly'. The word indicated action of the basest kind which was seen as a slight on God Himself. It is regularly used of sexual misbehaviour. He also possibly had in mind that the man was a Levite. Not to have welcomed such a man with hospitality was a breach of their sacred duty towards God's own (Deuteronomy 23:4).