“Returning” to the Hospitality of the Lord 391 escorted their guests to their next destination (e.g., Acts 17,14-15; 21,5.16; Acts Pil. 14.3; 15.4), supplied them with provisions for their journey (e.g., Acts 28,10; Gos. Thom. 88; Acts Pil. 14.3), and sent them on in peace (Acts Pil. 14.3). To sum up, we can see that hospitality was a well known and virtually universal custom in antiquity (24). Furthermore, we can detect a variety of recurring elements that are present in the ancient Israelite expression of hospitality and that are also important for our reading of Ps 23,5-6. These features include: the host often sees the travelers from a distance and runs out to offer hospitality to them (25); hospitality appears to be ratified when the guest is brought into the host’s dwelling (26); the host always provides food, which is often more extravagant than originally promised (27), and may provide lodging (28); the host protects the guests during their stay from abuse by the host’s fellow citizens and/or the guests’ enemies (29); the guest generally stays for a short period of time (30); and once the relationship is established, it is assumed that the guest can return at any point in the future and receive a hospitable reception (31). 3. Hospitality in Ps 23,5-6 In this article, we are contending that the metaphor of God as host in Ps 23,5-6 drew upon the common Israelite custom of hospitality. The metaphor of God as host would have likely evoked a picture of this custom in the minds of the hearers that was as vivid as the metaphor of God as shepherd (Ps 23,1- 4). In fact, each line of Ps 23,5-6 correlates with standard Israelite hospitality and can therefore be understood without first theorizing about an original, historical or liturgical life setting for the psalm (32). a) Ps 23,5a – “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” This phrase alludes to the two most prominent components of hospitality. As we have seen, hosts were expected to provide food for their guests at their table, and they were expected to protect their guests from enemies. Regardless (24) For a more complete definition of hospitality in ancient Israelite, Greco-Roman, and early Christian contexts see A.E. ARTERBURY, Entertaining Angels. Early Christian Hospitality in its Mediterranean Setting (Sheffield - forthcoming). (25) Gen 18,2; 19,1 and 24,29. (26) Gen 19,3; 24,29; 43,17; Josh 2,1 and Judg 19,21. (27) Gen 18,5-7; 19,3; 24,33; 43,34; Judg 19,6.21; 1 Sam 9,24; 10,4; 2 Sam 12,4; 1 Kgs 17,13-16; 2 Kgs 4,8. Cf Tob 7,9; Josephus, Ant. 1.252 and Philo, Abr. 108. (28) Gen 19,2; 24,25; Josh 2,8; Judg 19,4; 19,21; 1 Sam 9,25; 2 Kgs 4,10. Cf Tob 6,11 and Jos. Asen. 21.1. (29) Gen 19,7-8; Josh 2,4; Judg 9,18 and 19,23. Cf Judg 4,17-22 and Jer 14,8. (30) Gen 18,1-33 and 1 Sam 9,19.26. (31) Judg 4,17 and 2 Kgs 4,8-36. (32) Since ancient hospitality was expressed in dynamic relationships between hosts and guests we have not applied R. Alter’s notion of “literary type-scenes” to these texts. It is not surprising to see some variation in the way ancient authors narrated hospitality encounters. See R. ALTER, The Art of Biblical Narrative (New York 1981) 47-62.