Inn

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

INN. —Inns in the time of Christ were neither so infrequent nor so ill-equipped as many writers have represented.

Thus Stapfer ( Palestine in the Time of Christ , 1866, p. 232), quoting from the Talmud a story of some Levites, who, travelling from Zoar, left at an inn one of their number who had fallen ill upon the road ( Yeb . xvi. 7), adds the comment, ‘Such hostelries were rare, add were found only in very remote places.’ Other writers convey the impression that the only in as existing in Palestine were a few khans , as bare and comfortless as those now found in many parts of the East, and often described by modern travellers (see, e.g. , Burckhardt, Travels in Syria , 1822, p. 36; Layard, Nin. and Bab . 1853, p. 498; Kinglake, Eothen , ch. xvii.; also Kitto’s Cyc ., art. ‘Caravanserais’; and Vigouroux’s Dict ., art. ‘Caravansérail’).

This seems to the present writer a mistaken inference, arising partly from exaggerated notions of Oriental hospitality, and partly from attributing to the 1st cent. a.d. social conditions which prevailed, it is true, in patriarchal times, and are found even now on the great trade and pilgrim routes across the desert, but did not obtain to anything like the same degree in the busy, populated, and prosperous country of the Herods. The customary hospitality of the East (see Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible , s.v ., and art. ‘Gast’ in Hamburger’s RE ) may, of course, be a reason why inns in the modern sense of the word should be less needed than in Western countries; but the statement that ‘the warm commendations of hospitality in the NT show that even in the Roman period the buildings set apart for strangers to lodge in were of a simple character in Palestine’ ( Encyc. Bibl . art. ‘Inn’), requires considerable modification.

Some of these commendations obviously refer to the interchange of courtesies among members of the Christian community only ( e.g.  Romans 12:13 a,  1 Peter 4:9,  3 John 1:5), while others which definitely mention ‘strangers’ and ‘enemies’ are not necessarily any indication of the rarity and poverty of existing places of entertainment, but a sign of the new Christian spirit ( Romans 12:20,  Hebrews 13:2). Ramsay argues (Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible, Ext. Vol. p. 394a) that the motive of this urging of hospitality was the desire to preserve Christian converts from the corrupting influences among which they would be thrown at the public inns.

Numerous passages are cited from the Talmud to prove the extent to which hospitality prevailed among the Jews; but this traditional virtue was probably more praised than practised in the 1st century. The conditions peculiar to a nomad life came to be very materially modified when the countryside was covered with populous villages and towns. It is true that, at the Passover, if a Jew came up to Jerusalem from any part of the empire, he would find entertainment at a private house. It was the boast of the Rabbis that, notwithstanding the crowds, no man could say, ‘I have not found a bed in Jerusalem to lie in’ (Light-foot, Works , 1823, ix. p. 128); but what if the Jew came at some other time than at one of the great national feasts? What if a Samaritan came? Moreover, there was a large population of heathen; and even if Jewish habits of hospitality to Jews were equal in practice to the theory, no provision was made for the Gentile. Even to a Jew a Jew would shut his door. When Jesus is sending out His disciples to preach, He does not take it for granted that they will always find a ready welcome or free entertainment ( Matthew 10:11-14,  Mark 6:10-11,  Luke 10:10-11).

Nor is it safe to argue from the comparative silence of contemporary records that inns were rare. It would not be guessed by a reader of the Gospels that in Jerusalem there were many synagogues.* [Note: See Talm. Bah. Kethub. 105a; Jerus. Megilla, 73d (although, of course, the 400 is a characteristic exaggeration).] It is quite possible that there were almost as many inns in Jerusalem. At any rate, it is misleading to make the general statement, as though it applied to all periods of Jewish history, that ‘inns in our sense of the term were, as they still are, unknown in the East’ (M‘Clintock and Strong, Cyc. s.v .). A truer view is given in the Jewish Encye . (art. ‘Caravanserai’): ‘By NT times the Holy Land had been sufficiently developed to afford opportunity for real inns.’

The influx of Greeks into Palestine, the constant presence of a large Roman element, civil and military, the mixed retinue attached to the Herodian court, the increase of trade, the importation of foreign workmen, the presence in several towns of companies of gladiators, actors, and the like,—would necessitate not only inns, but various kinds and grades of inns.

There were inns built on a large scale, comfortable and elegant, suited for high officials (see CI L [Note: IL Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum.] iii. 6123, where Mommsen explains praetoria as ‘diversoria nobiliora magistratibus iter facientibus reliquisque honestioribus destinata’). Epictetus draws a picture of a traveller lingering at a fine hotel because he finds everything agreeable there ( Diss . ii. xxiii. 36). Josephus ( Ant . xv. v. 1) relates that when Herod the Great was celebrating games at Caesarea, he entertained a number of ambassadors and other visitors at the public inns (καταγωγαῖς). On the other hand, there were inns of the lowest description. At the same port of Caesarea there would doubtless be a number of taverns for sailors (cf. Josephus BJ i. xxi. 7). The numerous Talmudic references to inns (which, of course, must be used with some degree of caution) indicate that they were a distinct feature of social life, e.g. ‘a public inn in which Israelites come and go’ ( Aboda Zara , v. 3); ‘An Israelite and a heathen were once at an inn drinking wine’ ( ib .); ‘R. Papa used to stand outside the store of the heathen and drink his beer’ (ii. 4). R. Ishmael bar Jose declared that his father used to pray in an inn ( Ber. iv. 7); ‘Cattle must not be placed in the inns of heathen’ ( Aboda Zara , ii. 1).

There can be little doubt that there were numerous taverns where food as well as drink could be obtained (cf. Franz Delitzsch, Jewish Artizan Life in the Time of Christ , p. 47). Not only heathen were innkeepers, but Jews; not only men, but women. ‘A Jewish woman dealing in wine once left her keys in charge of a heathen, and the question came up whether her wine she has in the tavern is allowed’ ( Aboda Zara , v. 3).

Jülicher ( Gleichnisreden , ii. p. 590; cf. Bertholet, Dic Stellung der Israeliten und der Juden zu den Fremden , p. 24) rightly maintains that the inn of  Luke 10:34, to which the good Samaritan took his patient, was a hostelry (‘nicht blos Caravanserai sondern Gasthaus’). The word used in this passage (πανδοχεῖον) is significant. It was taken over into Rabbinic Hebrew, and is the usual word (פנרקא) for ‘inn’ in the Talmud. The Greek name shows that inns were largely a product of the Hellenistic period (see Schürer, P [Note: JP History of the Jewish People.] ii. i. 33). Other Rabbinic terms, אשפיוא and אכסניא, are equivalents of hospitium and ξενία; and as these replace the OT terms מָלוֹן and נִּרוּת, they seem to indicate that something is intended quite different from the khan of the lonely road or the ‘lodging-place of wayfaring men in the wilderness’ ( Jeremiah 9:2).

It is difficult to fix the exact significance of κατάλυμα, the other word used in the Gospels for ‘inn.’ Etymologically, it means ‘the place where burdens were loosed for the night.’ In  Luke 2:7 it is generally taken to mean an inn of the khan type. Polybius uses it in the plural form (ii. xxxvi. 1). Diodorus (xiv. 93) relates that the Romans, in gratitude for the services of one Timasitheus, granted him δημόσιον κατάλυμα.* [Note: In inscriptions in the Hauran we find δημόσιον πανδοχεῖον (Le Bas and Waddington, vol. iii. n. 2462).] The κατάλυμα of  Mark 14:14 and  Luke 22:11, where the Last Supper was eaten, is generally supposed to have been a private house (Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible, art. ‘Inn’); and the use of the verb καταλύω, as in  Luke 19:7, is quite in keeping with this. Nothing very definite, however, can be deduced from these names as to the precise character of the place of lodging.

Did Jesus Himself ever enter or stay at inns? It is usually assumed that His disciples always provided hospitality for Him. Yet the only recorded cases in which He accepted it are those of Peter’s house at Capernaum and the house at Bethany. The words, ‘the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head’ ( Matthew 8:20,  Luke 9:58), suggest that hospitality was not always forthcoming. We know that it was not in Samaria ( Luke 9:52) and among the Gerasenes (8:37). During a considerable part of the year it would be no hardship to spend the night in the open air, and apparently Jesus often preferred this, that He might have opportunity for quiet prayer, and more privacy than would be possible in a house or an inn. (Cf. J. L. Porter, Giant Cities of Bashan , 1866, pp. 157–159; also, for the habits of St. Francis and his followers, P. Sabatier, Vic , 1894, p. 88 f.). There is, however, no reason against His having resorted upon occasion to places of public entertainment. These were sometimes kept by Jews; but, if kept by a Gentile, this would not necessarily deter Him from going in. Strict Jews objected to entering the house of a Gentile, lest they should incur defilement ( John 18:28, cf. Hausrath, Hist. NT Times , ii. 85); but Jesus, while recognizing that His mission was to Jews primarily, never allowed His action to be limited by ceremonial considerations. For instance, He did not hesitate, in spite of protest, to visit the house of Zacchaeus, and the freedom of His intercourse with all kinds of people brought on Him the charge of being a ‘wine-bibber,’ and of consorting with the lowest classes ( Matthew 11:19,  Luke 7:34). His desire to seek ‘the lost’ suggests that He would not avoid the places where these were most likely to be found.

In this connexion it is interesting to note that the Talmud has the following passage: ‘In the time of the Messiah the people will be impudent, and be given to drinking; public-houses will flourish, and the vine will be dear’ ( Sota , quoted in M‘Clintock and Strong’s Cyc ., art. ‘Inn’).

The reputation of inns seems to have been generally bad; they were very often houses of ill-fame, and hostesses were looked upon with suspicion. Yet some of the larger inns would bear a better character and be centres of influence, and there is no reason why Jesus should not have visited them. In most countries and periods the itinerant preacher has found the public inn to be a soil where the word might readily take root. (Cf. Fox, Journal , 1901, vol. i. pp. 118, 261, 258; Wesley, Journal , under March 1738; Borrow, Bible in Spain, passim ).

Literature.—Ramsay, art. ‘Roads and Travel (in NT)’ in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible, Ext. Vol., under Inns and Entertainment .

J. Ross Murray.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

The inns or caravanserais of the east, in which travellers are accommodated, are not all alike, some being simply places of rest, by the side of a fountain, if possible, and at a proper distance on the road. Many of these places are nothing more than naked walls; others have an attendant, who subsists either by some charitable donation, or the benevolence of passengers; others are more considerable establishments, where families reside, and take care of them, and furnish the necessary provisions. "Caravanserais," says Campbell, "were originally intended for, and are now pretty generally applied to, the accommodation of strangers and travellers, though, like every other good institution, sometimes perverted to the purposes of private emolument, or public job. They are built at proper distances through the roads of the Turkish dominions, and afford to the indigent or weary traveller an asylum from the inclemency of the weather, are in general built of the most solid and durable materials, have commonly one story above the ground floor, the lower of which is arched, and serves for warehouses to store goods, for lodgings, and for stables, while the upper is used merely for lodging; beside which they are always accommodated with a fountain, and have cooks' shops and other conveniences to supply the wants of lodgers. In Aleppo, the caravanserais are almost exclusively occupied by merchants, to whom they are, like other houses, rented." "In all other Turkish provinces," observes Antes, "particularly those in Asia, which are often thinly inhabited, travelling is subject to numberless inconveniences, since it is necessary not only to carry all sorts of provisions along with one, but even the very utensils to dress them in, beside a tent for shelter at night and in bad weather, as there are no inns, except here and there a caravanserai, where nothing but bare rooms, and those often very bad, and infested with all sorts of vermin, can be procured." "There are no inns any where," says Volney, "but the cities, and commonly the villages, have a large building called a kan or kervanserai, which serves as an asylum for all travellers. These houses of reception are always built without the precincts of towns, and consist of four wings round a square court, which serves by way of enclosure for the beasts of burden. The lodgings are cells, where you find nothing but bare walls, dust, and sometimes scorpions. The keeper of this kan gives the traveller the key and a mat, and he provides himself the rest; he must therefore carry with him his bed, his kitchen utensils, and even his provisions, for frequently not even bread is to be found in the villages. On this account the orientals contrive their equipage in the most simple and portable form. The baggage of a man who wishes to be completely provided, consists in a carpet, a mattress, a blanket, two sauce pans with lids contained within each other, two dishes, two plates, and a coffee pot, all of copper, well tinned, a small wooden box for salt and pepper, a round leathern table, which he suspends from the saddle of his horse, small leathern bottles or bags for oil, melted butter, water, and brandy, if the traveller be a Christian, a tinder box, a cup of cocoa nut, some rice, dried raisins, dates, Cyprus cheese, and, above all, coffee berries, with a roaster and wooden mortar to pound them." The Scriptures use two words to express a caravanserai, in both instances translated inn: "There was no room for them in the inn," καταλυματι ,  Luke 2:7; the place of untying, that is, of beasts for rest. "And brought him to the inn," πανδοχειον ,  Luke 10:34 , whose keeper is called in the next verse πανδοχευς . This word properly signifies "a receptacle open to all comers." "The serai or principal caravansary at Surat," observes Forbes, "was much neglected. Most of the eastern cities contain one, at least, for the reception of strangers; smaller places, called choultries, are erected by charitable persons, or munificent princes, in forests, plains, and deserts, for the accommodation of travellers. Near them is generally a well, and a cistern for the cattle; a brahmin, or fakeer, often resides there to furnish the pilgrim with food, and the few necessaries he may stand in need of. In the deserts of Persia and Arabia, these buildings are invaluable; in those pathless plains, for many miles together, not a tree, a bush, nor even a blade of grass, is to be seen; all is one undulating mass of sand, like waves on the trackless ocean. In these ruthless wastes, where no rural village or cheerful hamlet, no inn or house of refreshment, is to be found, how noble is the charity that rears the hospitable roof, that plants the shady grove and conducts the refreshing moisture into reservoirs!"

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Hebrew Lin . A lodging place for the night. Κhans or Caravanserais , the halting places of caravans or traveling companies, are places where men and cattle have room to rest, but, no food is provided in them. In the times of the Pentateuch they were not buildings but resting places where tents might be spread near water and pasture ( Exodus 4:24;  Genesis 42:27). The Caravanserai , a square building enclosing an open court, with arcades around and a terrace over them, is alluded to in  Jeremiah 9:2. Though lonely and often filthy, the terrace is tolerably clean, but the court and stabling littered with chopped straw and dirt. The prophet would prefer even it to the comforts of Jerusalem, so as to be away from its pollutions. Christian hospitals (from whence came hostel, hotel) were originally halting places built for pilgrims. Paula, Jerome's friend, built several on the way to Bethlehem; the Scotch and Irish built some for pilgrims of their nation going to Rome.

The "manger" in  Luke 2:7 was a crib in a stable attached to a Khan ( Kataluma , having cells or apartments above for travelers as well as stalls below for the cattle) where there was no host. The inn ( Pandokeion ) in  Luke 10:34-35 had a "host," and so resembled our "inn" with its "innkeeper"; the women connected with such lodging places were often of a loose character ( Joshua 2:1). However, Justin Martyr (Tryph. 78, A.D. 103), who was born only 40 miles off, says Jesus was born in a cave near Bethlehem, one of the caverns in the narrow long grey hill on which it stands, for caves in rocky countries are often used as stables; in the manger in it Jesus was laid. "The habitation of Chimham by Bethlehem" ( Gerut Chimham ) ( Jeremiah 41:17) was a halting place or station in or at the patrimony of David, made over to Barzillai's son Chimham for his father's loyalty ( 2 Samuel 19:34-40).

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Jeremiah 9:2 Exodus 4:24 Genesis 42:27 Genesis 43:21 Joshua 4:3 4:8

By the time of Christ, the situation is quite different. Public inns existed in Greek times and throughout the Roman period. The Greek word for “inn” in the New Testament implies some type of stopping place for travelers. At times it refers to a public inn. Such an inn of the first century consisted primarily of a walled-in area with a well. A larger inn might have small rooms surrounding the court. People and animals stayed together.

Inns generally had a bad reputation. Travelers were subjected to discomfort and at times robbery or even death. The primary services that could be depended upon were water for the family and animals and a place to spread a pallet.

In addition to referring to a public inn, the same Greek word for “inn” at times refers simply to a guest room in a private home ( Mark 14:14;  Luke 22:11 ).

In Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary could find no room at the inn ( Luke 2:7 ). This may have been a guest room in a home or some kind of public inn. The reference in  Luke 10:34 is clearly to a public place where the wounded could be fed and cared for by the innkeeper. See Hospitality; House .

Paul E. Robertson

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Κατάλυμα (Strong'S #2646 — Noun Neuter — kataluma — kat-al'-oo-mah )

see GUESTCHAMBER.

2: Πανδοχεῖον (Strong'S #3829 — Noun Neuter — pandocheion — pan-dokh-i'-on )

lit., "a place where all are received" (pas, "all," dechomai, "to receive"), denotes "a house for the reception of strangers," a caravanserai, translated "inn," in  Luke 10:34 , in the parable of the good samaritan. Cattle and beasts of burden could be sheltered there, and this word must thereby be distinguished from No. 1. Cp. pandocheus in the next verse, "(the) host."

Morrish Bible Dictionary

We read of the inn as early as  Genesis 42:27;  Genesis 43:21 , when Jacob sent to Egypt for corn. As the word malon signifies simply 'lodging place,' at first nothing more may be implied than a place near water, where travellers usually rested. It would soon have been found that persons travelling long distances needed protection and some better resting place at night, which led to such places being provided at certain stations. Those known in the East were merely enclosures walled round for security, with covered compartments attached to the walls, where travellers could recline, and place their goods. It was at an inn that Zipporah circumcised her son.   Exodus 4:24 .

In the N.T. when the Lord was born, the word for 'inn' is κατάλυμα, which is translated 'guest-chamber' in  Mark 14:14;  Luke 22:11; and may refer to a lodging house. Travellers have found such accommodation, and at times cattle occupied part of the house, which might account for a 'manger' being found there. In  Luke 10:34 the word is πανδοχεῖον, 'a house for the reception of strangers,' a road-side inn. As there was a 'host' to whom the injured man was committed, it was doubtless a better place than a Khan.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Inn. In the Bible the "inn" was not a hotel in our sense. The word so translated means either a "lodging-place for the night"—not necessarily a covered place, but a mere station of caravans, where water could be obtained; such was the "inn," R. V. "lodging-place," at which Joseph's brethren stopped, and where Moses was met by the Lord,  Genesis 42:27;  Exodus 4:24—or else a khan or caravanserai, which was, and is, a large square building enclosing an open court, in whose centre is a fountain; the building contains a number of rooms. There is no provision for meals or feed for the animals; the travellers carry such necessaries with them. These caravanserais are often built by benevolent persons.  Jeremiah 9:2. Another kind of "inn" is that mentioned in the parable of the Good Samaritan.  Luke 10:34. This had a host, who was probably paid to attend to the wants of travellers. And it was in one of the stables of a mere caravanserai provided for the horses of travellers that our Lord was born. In modern Syria, in villages where there is no khan, there is a house for the entertainment of travellers, with a man appointed to look after it: for its accommodations, meagre as they are, payment is exacted, and the keeper likewise gets a fee.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Inn. The Hebrew word ( malon ) thus rendered literally signified "A Lodging-Place For The Night". Inns, in our sense of the term were, as they still are, unknown in the East, where hospitality is religiously practiced.

The khans or caravanserais are the representatives of European inns, and these were established but gradually. The halting-place of a caravan was selected originally on account of its proximity to water or pasture, by which the travellers pitched their tents and passed the night. Such was undoubtedly the "inn" at which occurred the incident in the life of Moses narrated in  Exodus 4:24. Compare  Genesis 42:27. On the more frequented routes, remote from towns,  Jeremiah 9:2, caravanserais were, in course of time, erected, often at the expense of the wealthy.

(A caravanserai is a large and substantial square building. Passing through strong gateway, the guest enters a large court, in the centre of which is a spacious raised platform, used for sleeping upon at night or for the devotions of the faithful during the day. Around this court are arranged the rooms of the building. - Editor.)

King James Dictionary

INN, n. Heb. To dwell or to pitch a tent.

1. A house for the lodging and entertainment of travelers. In America, it is often a tavern, where liquors are furnished for travelers and others.

There was no room for them in the inn.  Luke 2 .

2. In England, a college of municipal or common law professors and students formerly, the town-house of a nobleman, bishop or other distinguished personage, in which he resided when he attended the court.

Inns of court, colleges in which students of law reside and are instructed. The principal are the Inner Temple, the Middle Temple, Lincoln's Inn, and Gray's Inn.

Inns of chancery, colleges in which young students formerly began their law studies. These are now occupied chiefly by attorneys, solicitors, &c.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 4:24  Luke 2:7  Mark 14:14  Luke 22:11 Luke 10:34

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Luke 10:34 (c) The inn is a type of the church which should be full of Christians to nurse the new-born babes in the spiritual realm and to bind up the wounds of those who have been hurt in life's battle.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

INN . See Hospitality.

Webster's Dictionary

(pl.) of Ginnee

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( מָלוֹן , Mnaldn,  Genesis 42:27;  Genesis 43:21;  Exodus 4:24, a Lodging- Place, as elsewhere rendered; Κατάλυμα ,  Luke 2:7, a place for Loosing the beasts of their burden, rendered "guest-chamber,"  Mark 14:14;  Luke 23:11; Πανδοχεῖον ,  Luke 10:34, a place for Receiving All comers). Inns, in our sense of the term, were, as they still are, unknown in the East where hospitality is religiously practiced. The khans, or caravanserais, are the representatives of European inns, and these were established but gradually. It is doubtful whether there is any allusion to them in the Old Testament. The halting-place of a caravan was selected originally on account of its proximity to water or pasture, by which the travelers pitched their tents and passed the night. Such was undoubtedly the "inn" at which occurred the incident in the life of Moses narrated in  Exodus 4:24. It was probably one of the halting-places of the Ishmaelitish merchants who traded to Egypt with their camel loads of spices. Moses was on his journey from the land of Midian, and the merchants in Genesis 37 are called indiscriminately Ishmaelites and Midianites. At one of these stations, too, the first which they reached after leaving the city, and no doubt within a short distance from it, Joseph's brethren discovered that their money had been replaced in their wallets ( Genesis 42:27).

Increased commercial intercourse, and, in later times, religious enthusiasm for pilgrimages, gave rise to the establishment of more permanent accommodation for travelers. On the more frequented routes, remote from towns ( Jeremiah 9:2), caravanserais were in course of time erected, often at the expense of the wealthy. The following description of one of those on the road from Baghdad to Babylon will suffice for all: ‘ It is a large and substantial square building, in the distance resembling a fortress, being surrounded with a lofty wall, and flanked by round towers to defend the inmates in case of attack. Passing through a strong gateway, the guest enters a large court, the sides of which are divided into numerous arched compartments, open in front, for the accommodation of separate parties and for the reception of goods. In the center is a spacious raised platform, used for sleeping upon at night, or for the devotions of the faithful during the day. Between the outer wall and the compartments are wide vaulted arcades, extending round the entire building, where the beasts of burden are placed. Upon the roof of the arcades is an excellent terrace, and over the gateway an elevated tower containing two rooms, one of which is open at the sides, permitting the occupants to enjoy every breath of air that passes across the heated plain. The terrace is tolerably clean, but the court and stabling below are ankle-deep in chopped straw and filth" (Loftus, Chaldea, p. 13).

The great khans established by the Persian kings and great men, at intervals of about six miles on the roads from Baghdad to the sacred places, are provided with stables for the horses of the pilgrims. "Within these stables, on both sides, are other cells for travelers" (Layard, Nin. and Bab. p. 478, note). The "stall" or "manger," mentioned in  Luke 2:7, was probably in a stable of this kind. Such khans are sometimes situated near running streams, or have a supply of water of some kind, but the traveler must carry all his provisions with him (Ouseley, Trav. in Persia, 1, 261, note). "At Damascus the khans are, many of them, substantial buildings; the small rooms which surround the court, as well as those above them which are entered from a gallery, are used by the merchants of the city for depositing their goods (Porter's Damascus, 1, 33). The weklehs of modern Egypt are of a similar description (Lane, Mod. Eg. 2, 10). In some parts of modern Syria a nearer approach has been made to the European system. The people of es-Salt, according to Burckhardt, support four taverns (Menzel or Medhale) at the public expense. At these the traveler is furnished with everything he may require, so long as he chooses to remain, provided his stay is not unreasonably protracted. The expenses are paid by a tax on the heads of families, and a kind of landlord superintends the establishment (Trav. in Syria, p. 36). Usually, however, in Syrian towns, where there is no regular khan, the menzel or public house is part of the sheik's establishment, with a keeper who makes a moderate charge for catering to his guests in addition to the cost of provisions. (See Caravanserai).

"The house of paths" ( Proverbs 8:2, Ἐν Οἴκῳ Διόδων , Ven. Vers.), where Wisdom took her stand, is understood by some to refer appropriately to a khan built where many ways met and frequented by many travelers. A similar meaning has been attached to גֵּרוּת כַּמְהָם , ge Ruith Kimham, "the hostel of Chimham" ( Jeremiah 41:17) beside Bethlehem, built by the liberality of the son of Barzillai for the benefit of those who were going down to Egypt (Stanley, Sin. And Palest. p. 163; App. § 90). The Targum says, "which' David gave to Chimham, son of Barzillai the Gileadite" (comp.  2 Samuel 19:37-38). With regard to this passage, the ancient versions are strangely at variance. The Sept. had evidently another reading with ב and ג transposed, which they left translated Γαβηραχαμάα , Alexand. Γηβηρωθχαμάαμ . The Vulgate, if intended to be literal, must have- read גֵּרַים בְּכַמ , peregrinantes in Chanaam. The Arabic, following the Alexandrian MS., read it Ἐν Γῇ Βηρωθχαμάαμ , "in the land of Berothchamaam." The Syriac has Bedre, "in the threshing-floors," as if בְּגָּרְנוֹת , Begornoth. Josephus had a reading different from all, בְּגַדנְרוֹת , Begidroth, "in the folds of" Chimham; for he says the fugitives went "to a certain place called Mandra" ( Μάνδρα Λεγόμενον , Ant. 10, 9, 5), and in this he was followed by Aquila and the Hexaplar Syriac.

The Πανδοκεῖον ( Luke 10:34) probably differed from the Κατάλυμα ( Luke 2:7) in having a "host" or "innkeeper" ( Πανδοκεύς ,  Luke 10:35). who supplied some few of the necessary provisions, and attended to the wants of travelers left to his charge. The word has been adopted in the later Hebrew, and appears in the Mishna (Yebamoth, 16:7) under the form פונדק , Pundak, and the host is פונדקי , Punddki. The Jews were forbidden to put up their beasts at establishments of this kind kept by idolaters (Aboda Zara, 2, 1). It appears that houses of entertainment were sometimes, as in Egypt (Herod. 2, 35), kept by women, whose character was such that their evidence was regarded with suspicion. In the Mishna (Yebanoth, 16, 7) a tale is told of a company of Levites who were travelling to Zoar, the city of Palms, when one of them fell ill on the road and was left by his comrades at an inn, under the charge of the hostess ( פונדקית ,Pundekith = Πανδοκευτρία ). On their return to inquire for their friend, the hostess told them he was dead and buried, but they refused to believe her till she produced his staff, wallet, and roll of the law. In  Joshua 2:1, זונָה , Zonah, the term applied to Rahab, is rendered in the Targum of Jonathan פינדקיתא , ipundekitha, "a woman who keeps an inn." So in  Judges 11:1, of the mother of Jephthah; of Delilah ( Judges 16:1) and the two men who appealed to Solomon ( 1 Kings 3:16). The words, in the opinion of Kimchi on  Joshua 2:1, appear to have been synonymous. (See Khan).

Inner (i.e. Domestic or "Home") Missions is the name given, in the Protestant churches of Germany, to any association of evangelical Christians for the purpose of relieving the spiritual and temporal wants of the community by disseminating the Gospel truth, and affording help in temporal concerns.

I. Origin And Organization. — Christianity commands that faith should manifest itself in deeds of love; hence, as early as the apostolical times, we see deacons and deaconesses appointed to attend to the poor and the sick, distribute alms, etc. This was continued in later days by Origen, St. Anthony, etc. When, in the 4th century; Christianity became the religion of the state, the clergy assumed this office, which, from the abundance of means in the Church, had become a very important one. In subsequent times we find Francis of Assisi, Elizabeth of Thuringia, Francis of Sales, and a number of religious orders, hospitallers, sisters of charity, etc., devoting themselves to the care of the poor, the aged, and the sick. Hospitals, houses of refuge, orphan asylums, etc., were established for these purposes. The Protestant Church, in consequence of its subjection to the state, could exert itself but little in that direction, being oftentimes even prevented by law from the care of the poor. Still efforts were made by private individuals, such as August Hermann Francke, whose orphan asylum at Halle became a model which was imitated in other places; Biblical, missionary, and tract societies were established in Germany, and a number of houses of refuge and infant schools established. In modern times a fresh impulse was given to this evangelical movement by England. The attempts of Howard, Wilberforce, and Buxtoni were continued on an enlarged scale by lord Ashley, the duke of Argyle, Elizabeth Fry, etc. City missions, Magdalen and night asylums, Sabbath and ragged schools, were established. Chalmers, first in the Presbyterian and then in the Free Church of Scotland, restored the diacony and care of the poor on an ecclesiastical basis. Similar efforts were made in France, among the Romanists, by the Sisters of St. Mary and St. Joseph, and St.Regis.

II. Sphere. — The German inner missions endeavor to promote infant, secular, and Sunday school associations, institutions of refuge, intercourse with the families, etc. They at the same time take part in the social questions of the day, and labor to systematize the aid given to the poor, to promote personal intercourse between the giver and the receiver, the purification of morals; and for these purposes they have established female benevolent associations, diaconies, nurseries, labor societies, etc. The influx of communistic ideas they seek to counterbalance by establishing schools for apprentices and adults, societies for the education of servants, both male and female, and for the propagation of good books. They oppose unchristian and unecclesiastical tendencies by promoting the study of the Scriptures, establishing family worship, awakening religious feelings in the families, organizing book and tract societies, sending out colporteurs and street preachers, and opposing prostitution, drunkenness, and all other immorality. They discountenance revolution as subversive of political organization, and as the enemy of religion and of morality: in this department they act through political speeches and the press, in raising the standard of popular literature, and especially by their influence over the rising generation. They also attend to the prisons, trying to promote Christian love in the hearts of the officers entrusted with their charge, and forming persons for that office in their institutions. Aside from the protective associations for culprits who have finished their time of imprisonment, they endeavor also to establish asylums for them.

III. Extent. — In Germany the inner missions embrace some eleven to twelve million Protestants, not regularly connected with any Church, the floating population, the workmen's associations, which are often a prey to atheism and communism, travelers and strangers, etc. In this manner they become a friendly ally of the government, of which all they require is the protection of their associations and freedom of worship. With regard to the Church, they labor for the evangelizing of the masses according to a truly Christian spirit, bat-without entering into any of the disputes of the different confessions, and without seeking to gain proselytes. Their agents are women as well as men; for instance, Elizabeth Fry, Sarah Martin, Amelia Sieveking, etc. The absolute necessity of such an association was shown by statistical statements of the wants of the population, which were especially collected by Wichern. From this starting-point the institution in question developed its labors. Aside from the organization of societies, which were soon propagated throughout the country, it directed its attention to the establishing of houses of refuge, to which that established by Wichern at Horn, near Hamburg, served as model, and of which, in 1858, there were some 140 in existence in Germany. For the care of the poor it was difficult to do much, as the inner missions could not well associate themselves with the municipal organizations for that purpose, yet in some places, as at Erlangen and at Ansbach, the voluntary system of relief has produced good results. The inner missions also labor to promote the observance of the Sabbath, and to distribute Bibles. Their most important results, so far, in Germany, are the establishing of Bible depots, of associations to meet the wants of the ignorant, the improvement of the prison systems, which has been adopted in a number of countries, etc.

The interest of Germany in the cause of inner missions has of late greatly increased. The Congress for Inner Missions, which in 1848 was organized in connection with the Church Diet (Kirchentag), has ever since held annual or biennial general meetings in connection with the sittings of the Church Dict. At these meetings reports are made on the condition of religious life in Germany, and the proper remedies for the existing evils are discussed. The establishment of houses of refuge and of Christian lodging- houses, the care of the poor and of discharged prisoners, the solution of the social question, the extension of Young Men's Christian Associations, and of Bible and other religious societies, are the chief subjects which engage the attention of every congress. In addition to the General Congress for Inner Missions, a number of provincial associations for the same purpose have been organized. Thus a South-western Conference for Inner Missions was established in 1865; a central association for the inner mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the kingdom of Saxony in 1868. The Central Committee for Inner Missions, which is elected at every meeting of the Congress for Inner Missions, and is composed of some of the most prominent clergymen and laymen of Germany, endeavors to carry out the resolutions of the congresses, and to invoke the proper legislation of the state government for the suppression of vice and immorality, especially of prostitution. Germany has a number of papers advocating the cause of inner missions, the most important of which, the Flieggende Blatter fur innere Mission, is published by Wichern (established in 1850). See also Merz, Armuth u. Christenthum (1841); Wichern Denkschijft (1849); Braune, F Ü nf Vorlesungen (1850); Buss (Roman Catholic), Die Volksmissionen (1851); Pierer, Universal Lexikon, 8:919. For a fuller account of the subject, especially with regard to America, Eng. land, and other countries, (See Home Missions).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Caravanserais

In the days of the elder patriarchs there seem to have been no places specially devoted to the reception of travelers, at least in the pastoral districts frequented by those venerable nomads; for we find Abraham, like the Oriental shepherds of the present day, under a strong sense of the difficulties and privations with which journeying in those regions was attended, deeming it a sacred duty to keep on the outlook, and offer the wayfaring man the rites of hospitality in his own tent. Nor could the towns of Palestine, as it would seem, at that remote period, boast of any greater advance with respect to establishments of this sort (see ); from which it is evident that the custom, which is still frequently witnessed in the cities of the East, was then not uncommon, for travelers who were late in arriving, and who had no introductions to a private family, to bivouac in the streets, or wrapping themselves up in the ample folds of their hykes, to pass the night as they best could in the open air (see also ). In the Arab towns and villages, however, when a traveler arrives in the daytime, the sheikh, or some principal person of the place, goes out to welcome him, and treats him with great civility in his own house; or else he conducts him to the menzil, which, though a place of rather a nondescript character, is understood to be the house occupied by those who entertain strangers, when there are no other lodgings, and to which the women in the sheikh's house, having surveyed the number of the guests, send provisions of every kind, according to the season, and provide every accommodation the place can afford.

The first mention of an inn, or house set apart for the accommodation of travelers, occurs in the account of the return of Jacob's sons from Egypt and as it was situated within the confines of that country, and at the first stage from the metropolis, it is probable that the erection of such places of entertainment originated with the Egyptians, who were far superior to all their contemporaries in the habits and the arts of civilized life. The Egyptian inn, where the sons of Israel halted to bait their asses, was probably, from the remote period to which it belonged, of a rude and humble description, in point both of appearance and accommodation; and such is the low state of art, or the tyrannical force of custom in the East, that establishments of this kind in the present day can, with few exceptions, boast of improvements, that render them superior to the mean and naked poverty of those which received the pilgrims of the patriarchal age.

Khan, or karavanserai, is the name which this kind of building bears; and though the terms are often applied indiscriminately, there is an acknowledged distinction, which seems to be, that khan is applied to those which are situated in or near towns, whereas caravanserais (a lodge for caravans, as the compound word imports) is the more appropriate designation of such as are erected in desert and sequestered places. Some of these buildings are provided at the public expense, or owe their existence to devoted Mussulmans, who bestow a portion of their wealth, as a meritorious act of charity, in promoting the comfort and refreshment of pilgrims; while others are erected by the contributions of private merchants for their own accommodation. The latter, of course, are the most spacious, the most elegant, and best appointed; but though varying in character and size, this class of establishments preserves so generally the same uniform plan of construction, that a description of one may serve to convey an idea of all. The caravanserai then is a large edifice presenting the form of a square, the sides of which, about 100 yards in length each, are surrounded by an external wall of fine brickwork, based on stone, rising generally to the height of twenty feet. In the middle of the front wall there is a wide and lofty archway, having on one or both sides a lodge for the porter and other attendants; while the upper part of it, being faced with carving or ornamental mason-work, and containing several rooms, surmounted by elegant domes, is considered the most honorable place of the building, and is therefore appropriated to the use of the better sort. This archway leads into a spacious rectangle, the area forming a courtyard for cattle, in the midst of which is a well or fountain. Along the sides of the rectangle are piazzas extending the whole length, and opening at every few steps into arched and open recesses, which are the entrances into the travelers' apartments. An inner door behind each of these conducts to a small oblong chamber, deriving all its light from the door, or from a small open window in the back wall entirely destitute of furniture, and affording no kind of accommodation in the way of presses or shelves, except some rude niches excavated in the thick walls. This cell is intended for the dormitory of the traveler, who generally prefers, however, the recess in front for sitting in under shade during the daytime, as well as for sleeping in during the night, when the season allows. There being no other door but the entrance arch, each occupant remains isolated in his own quarters, and is cut off from all communication with the other inmates of the caravanserai. But in the middle of one of the three sides, or in large caravanserais of each of the sides, there is a large hall, which serves as a travelers' room, where all may indiscriminately assemble: while at the end of each side there is a staircase leading to the flat roof of the house, where the cool breeze and a view of the surrounding country may be enjoyed. These chambers generally stand on the ground-floor, which is a few feet above the level of the court-yard; but in the few buildings of this sort which have two stories, the travelers are accommodated above, while the under flat is reserved for the use of their servants, or appropriated as warehouses for goods. And in such establishments there is found one other additional advantage in having a supply of servants and cooks, as well as a shop in the porter's house, where all commodities may be procured. Caravanserais of this superior class, however, are rarely to be met with. The most part are but wretched lodging-places—filled, it may be, with dirt and vermin—consisting only of bare walls, in which not an article of furniture is to be seen, nor a cooking utensil to be found, nor provisions of any sort to be obtained for love or money. The traveler must carry along with him, as well as provide with his own hands, whatever is necessary for his use and comfort. He must also subsist on the supply of food and articles of luxury he may have had the foresight to provide, as no addition to his stores can be made till he reaches the next town. In short, in many of the khans or caravanserais to which he may come, he can look for nothing from the keeper except to show him the way to his chamber, and give him the key if it is furnished with a door. One assistance only he may depend upon, and it is no inconsiderable one—that of receiving some attendance and aid if overtaken by sickness; for one of the requisite qualifications for the office is, that the functionary possess a knowledge of simples, and the most approved practice in case of fracture or common ailments. And hence the good Samaritan in the parable , although he was obliged, in the urgency of the case, himself to apply from his own store a few simple remedies for the relief of the distressed man, left him with full confidence to be treated and nursed by the keeper of the khan, whose assiduities in dressing the wounds and bruises of his patient might be quickened, perhaps, by the liberal remuneration he was promised, as well as by the example of the humane traveler.

Among the Egyptians, and indeed among the ancients generally, the keepers of houses of public entertainment were always women; and hence we can easily account for the ready admission which the spies obtained into the house of Rahab, 'on the wall of Jericho,' situated, as such houses were, for the reception of strangers, for the most part at the gate or entrance into the town . This woman is called a harlot in our translation, but the original Hebrew admits of being translated by another word, to which no degrading or infamous associations are attached.

Although it is probable that the state of Judea in the time of Christ and the Apostles was, in respect to means of communication, much superior to that of any Oriental country in the present day, yet the warm commendations of hospitality so frequently met with in the works of contemporary classical writers, as well as the pressing exhortations of the inspired Apostle to the practice of that virtue, too plainly prove that travelers were then chiefly dependent on the kindness of private individuals. The strong probability is, that the 'inns' mentioned in the New Testament find their true and correct representations in the Eastern khans and caravanserais of the present day; and that the Jews of that period had experience of nothing better than the bare walls and cell-like apartments of such edifices as we have described above.

This subject acquires additional interest from its connection with the birth of our Lord; and there has been a good deal of controversy both respecting the character of the building from which Mary was excluded by the influx of company, and also the nature of the place where she 'brought forth her first-born son.' No explanation, however, that we have met with, appears so satisfactory, and conveys such an intelligible picture to the eye, as that given by the editor of the Pictorial Bible with whose words we shall conclude this article. 'The most complete establishments have very excellent stables in covered avenues, which extend behind the ranges of apartments—that is, between the back wall of these ranges of building and the external wall of the khan; and the entrance to it is by a covered passage at one of the corners of the quadrangle. The stable is on a level with the court, and consequently below the level of the buildings, by the height of the platform on which they stand. Nevertheless, this platform is allowed to project behind into the stable, so as to form a bench, to which the horses' heads are turned, and on which they can, if they like, rest the nose-bag of hair-cloth, from which they eat, to enable them to reach the bottom when its contents get low. It also often happens that not only this bench exists in the stable, but also recesses corresponding to those in front of the apartments, and formed by the side walls which divide the rooms, being allowed to project behind into the stable, just as the projection of the same walls into the great area forms the recesses in front. These recesses in the stable, or the bench if there are no recesses, furnish accommodation to the servants and others who have charge of the beasts; and when persons find on their arrival that the apartments usually appropriated to travelers are already occupied, they are glad to find accommodation in the stable, particularly when the nights are cold or the season inclement. It is evident, then, from this description, that the part of the stable called 'the manger,' could not reasonably have been other than one of those recesses, or at least a portion of the bench which we have mentioned, as affording accommodation to travelers under certain circumstances.'

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

( מלון , mālōn  ; πανδοχεῖον , pandocheı́on , κατάλυμα , katáluma ):

1. Earliest Night Resting-Places

The Hebrew word mālōn means literally, a "night resting-place," and might be applied to any spot where caravans (  Genesis 42:27;  Genesis 43:21 the King James Version), individuals (  Exodus 4:24;  Jeremiah 9:2 ), or even armies ( Joshua 4:3 ,  Joshua 4:8;  2 Kings 19:23;  Isaiah 10:29 ) encamped for the night. In the slightly altered form melūnāh , the same word is used of a nightwatchman's lodge in a garden ( Isaiah 1:8;  Isaiah 24:20 , the King James Version "cottage"). The word in itself does not imply the presence of any building, and in the case of caravans and travelers was doubtless originally, as very often at the present day, only a convenient level bit of ground near some spring, where baggage might be unloaded, animals watered and tethered, and men rest on the bare ground. Nothing in the Old Testament suggests the occupancy of a house in such cases. The nearest approach to such an idea occurs in  Jeremiah 41:17 margin, where gērūth kimhām is translated "the lodging-place of Chimham," but the text is very doubtful and probably refers rather to sheepfolds. We cannot say when buildings were first used, but the need of shelter for caravans traveling in winter, and of protection in dangerous times and districts, would lead to their introduction at an early period in the history of trade.

2. Public Inns

It is noteworthy that all the indisputable designations of "inn" come in with the Greek period. Josephus ( Ant. , XV, v, 1; Bj , I, xxi, 7) speaks of "Public inns" under the name of katagogaı́ , while in the Aramaic Jewish writings we meet with )u4shp|4za4) , from Latin hospitium , and 'akhṣanyā' from the Greek xenı́a  ; the New Testament designation pandocheion has passed into the Aramaic pundhek) and the Arabic funduḳ . All these are used of public inns, and they all correspond to the modern "khan" or "caravanserai." These are to be found on the great trade routes all over the East. In their most elaborate form they have almost the strength of a fortress. They consist of a great quadrangle into which admission is gained through a broad, strong gateway. The quadrangle is enclosed on all sides by a 2-story building, the windows in the case of the lower story opening only to the interior. The upper story is reached by stairways, and has a gangway all around, giving access to the practically bare rooms which are at the disposal of travelers.

3. Their Evil Name

There is usually a well of good water in the center of the quadrangle, and travelers as a rule bring their own food and often that of their animals ( Judges 19:19 ) with them. There are no fixed payments, and on departure, the arranging of haqq el - khan generally means a disagreeable dispute, as the innkeepers are invariably untruthful, dishonest and oppressive. They have ever been regarded as of infamous character. The Roman laws in many places recognize this. In Mishna, Yebhāmōth , xvi. 7 the word of an innkeeper was doubted, and Mishna, ‛Ăbbōdhāh Zārāh , ii.4 places them in the lowest scale of degradation. The New Testament is quite clear in speaking of "Rahab the harlot " ( Hebrews 11:31;  James 2:25 ). The Targum designates her an "innkeeper," while Rashi translates zōnāh as "a seller of kinds of food," a meaning the word will bear. Ḳimḥı̄ , however, accepts both meanings. This evil repute of publicinns, together with the Semitic spirit of hospitality, led the Jews and the early Christians to prefer to recommend the keeping of open house for the entertainment of strangers. In the Jewish Morning Prayers, even in our day, such action is linked with great promises, and the New Testament repeatedly ( Hebrews 13:2;  1 Peter 4:9;  3 John 1:5 ) commends hospitality. It is remarkable that both the Talmud ( Shab 127 a ) and the New Testament ( Hebrews 13:2 ) quote the same passage ( Genesis 18:3 ) in recommending it.

The best-known khans in Palestine are Khan Jubb - Yusuf , North of the Lake of Galilee, Khan et - Tujjar , under the shadow of Tabor, Khan el - Lubbān (compare   Judges 21:19 ), and Khan Ḥaḍrur , midway between Jerusalem and Jericho. This last certainly occupies the site of the inn referred to in  Luke 10:34 , and it is not without interest that we read in Mishna, Yebhāmōth , xvi.7, of another sick man being left at that same inn. See illustration, p. 64.

4. Guest Chambers

The Greek word kataluma , though implying a "loosing" for the night, seems rather to be connected with the idea of hospitality in a private house than in a public inn. Luke with his usual care distinguishes between this and pandocheion , and his use of the verb katalúō (  Luke 9:12;  Luke 19:7 ) makes his meaning clear. In the Septuagint, indeed, mālōn is sometimes translated kataluma , and it appears in  1 Samuel 9:22 for lishkāh , the King James Version "parlour." It is the word used of the "upper room" where the Last Supper was held ( Mark 14:14;  Luke 22:11 , "guest-chamber"), and of the place of reception in Bethlehem where Joseph and Mary failed to find quarters ( Luke 2:7 ). It thus corresponds to the spare or upper room in a private house or in a village, i.e. to the manzil adjoining the house of the sheikh, where travelers received hospitality and where no payment was expected, except a trifle to the caretaker. In Jerusalem such payments were made by leaving behind the earthenware vessels that had been used, and the skins of the animals that had been slaughtered ( Yōmā ) 12 a ).

5. Birth of Christ

Judging from the word used, and the conditions implied, we are led to believe that Joseph and Mary had at first expected reception in the upper room or manzil at the house of the sheikh of Bethlehem, probably a friend and member of the house of David; that in this they were disappointed, and had to content themselves with the next best, the elevated platform alongside the interior of the stable, and on which those having the care of the animals generally slept. It being now the season when they were in the fields (  Luke 2:8 ), the stable would be empty and clean. There then the Lord Jesus was born and laid in the safest and most convenient place, the nearest empty manger alongside of this elevated platform. Humble though the circumstances were, the family were preserved from all the annoyance and evil associations of a public khan, and all the demands of delicacy and privacy were duly met.