‘And when the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine, and his servant.'
Interestingly this is the first indication that we know that the concubine had agreed to go back with him, although the hospitality shown did suggest it. Night was now approaching and he wanted to be on his way as quickly as possible.
‘His father-in-law, the damsel's father, said to him, “See, the day now draws (literally ‘weakens') towards evening, I pray you stay all night. Look, the day grows to an end. Lodge here that your heart may be merry. And tomorrow get you early on your way, that you may go home (literally ‘to your tents', a colloquialism).” '
“The day weakens.” The sun's heat and light were abating. ‘The day grows to an end.' Literally the day was ‘making its encampment' for the night. Once again his father in law suggested he stay the night. This had no doubt been his intention all along. And he tried to play on the fact of how much more attractive it would be to eat and drink the night away, rather than start on a journey as darkness approached, and find lodgings which would be far less comfortable. The day was ‘camping down' for the night, why did he not do the same?
“And tomorrow get you early on your way, that you may go to your tents.” His father-in-law realised that the Levite's patience was now strained. There comes a time when too much hospitality can become an embarrassment. So he promised that he would let him go first thing the next day. ‘Go to your tents' is probably not to be taken literally, unless he is hinting at the fact that for the next night or so they will have to tent out. It was probably an ancient phrase which meant ‘your home', coming from a time when their tents were their homes.