‘And as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, beating at the door --.'
“Making -- merry.” With food and wine and good conversation. A traveller was often especially welcome because he could bring news of events from afar.
“Behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, beating at the door.” What a sudden change in atmosphere. While all was content inside the creatures of the night gathered to the house. They were the men of the city, men of darkness, come to do what they had been planning ever since the travellers had arrived. They are seen as representing the whole city.
“Sons of Belial.” See Deuteronomy 13:13; 1Sa 2:12; 1 Samuel 10:27; 1 Samuel 25:17; 1 Samuel 25:25 etc. The ‘sons of Belial' led Israel astray into idolatry and the sexual perversions associated with it. The sons of Eli were sons of Belial because they kept for themselves what belonged to the Lord. Nabal was a son of Belial denoting that he was a most unpleasant person. It indicated people of the very basest kind. ‘Belial' means worthlessness, thus here ‘worthless men'. Alternately, repointed, it could mean ‘swallow up'. Thus the sons of Belial would then be those who do harm, they swallow men up.
“Beset the house round about.” They surrounded it, a crowd slavering with lust and evil desire, intent on perversion and murder, and this to one who was holy before God. There was no way he would escape. ‘Beat at the door.' In order to gain entrance. They were almost out of control in their perverted lust. Their behaviour was intended to demonstrate that no one could say them nay.
‘And they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him.”'
As a result of the noise and clamour made the old man went to the door, to enquire what the meaning of all the noise was, although he probably in his heart knew. They replied, making their full intentions clear. They were not even ashamed of the actions and activities they had in mind.
“Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him.” There was no evasion. They wanted to engage in gang rape on the man. To ‘know' meant ‘to have sexual relations with'. So low had these people of Israel fallen as a result of being influenced by the Canaanites, probably the Jebusites, that they openly declared their intended sin. Indeed in their hearts they had sinned already. If only Israel had previously heeded Yahweh's commands this would not have happened (Joshua 17:13).