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A caravansary, also known as a khan or caravanserai, is a roadside inn designed to accommodate travelers and their animals, particularly those journeying in caravans across long distances. These structures were vital in ancient times, especially in the Middle East and along trade routes such as the Silk Road, providing a safe haven for rest and resupply.

Biblical Context

While the term "caravansary" itself does not appear in the Bible, the concept is closely related to the inns and lodging places mentioned in Scripture. In the ancient Near East, where the Bible's events largely unfold, caravansaries would have been common, serving as essential stops for merchants, pilgrims, and other travelers.

Old Testament References

The Old Testament provides several instances where travelers would have required such accommodations. For example, inGenesis 24:10-11, Abraham's servant takes ten camels and sets out to find a wife for Isaac, stopping at a well outside the city of Nahor. While the text does not specify a caravansary, the presence of a well suggests a location where travelers and their animals could rest and refresh.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the concept of a caravansary is indirectly referenced in the account of the Good Samaritan. InLuke 10:34, the Samaritan takes the injured man to an inn and cares for him: "He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him" . This inn would have functioned similarly to a caravansary, providing shelter and care for travelers.

Additionally, the nativity account inLuke 2:7 mentions that there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn: "And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" . The "inn" here is often understood as a guest room or lodging place, akin to a caravansary, where travelers would stay.

Cultural and Historical Significance

Caravansaries were strategically located along trade routes, often spaced a day's journey apart. They provided not only lodging but also a marketplace for exchanging goods and news. These establishments were typically fortified to protect against bandits, offering a courtyard for animals and rooms for travelers.

In biblical times, the presence of caravansaries would have facilitated the movement of people and goods, contributing to the cultural and economic exchanges that shaped the ancient world. They served as hubs of interaction, where diverse groups could meet, trade, and share accounts, thus playing a crucial role in the spread of ideas and cultures.

Spiritual Implications

From a spiritual perspective, the concept of a caravansary can be seen as a metaphor for the Christian journey. Just as travelers in biblical times relied on these inns for rest and sustenance, believers are called to find their rest and refuge in God.Psalm 91:1-2 reminds us, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, 'You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" This imagery underscores the importance of seeking spiritual nourishment and protection in the Lord as we navigate the journey of life.(n.) A kind of inn, in the East, where caravans rest at night, being a large, rude, unfurnished building, surrounding a court.CARAVANSARY

kar-a-van'-sa-ri.

SeeINN.

General Index
... 218 Capital sins . . . . . 59Caravansary . . . . . 75 Cardinals . . . . ....

The Epistle to the Philippians.
... At present there is not even a village on the site, but only acaravansary, a mile
or more from the ruins, which consist of a theatre, broken marble columns...

In Jerusalem when Herod Reigned
... [566] Besides, everycaravansary, or khan (qatlis, atlis, katlusis), was a sort
of mart, where goods were unloaded, and especially cattle set out [567] for sale...

Philippians i. 11-Aug
... And as the body, when parched and worn down by struggling against the violence of
the sunbeams, is brought to acaravansary with many fountains, and the...

Chapter xlii
... that some one of their number found it necessary to supplement what fodder he had
been provided with in "the lodging place," ie, thecaravansary used for such...

Index i. Of Subjects
... Kabbalah, the, i.44; En?Soph in, 45; Sephiroth in, 45; what so called, 102. Kal
va Chomer, argument by, ii.285, 286. Khan, orcaravansary, i.117....

Period iii. The Critical Period: AD 140 to AD 200
... insulting it oft with unseemly lusts. And the heart seems to be treated
somewhat like acaravansary. For the latter has holes and...

Caravansary
... large, rude, unfurnished building, surrounding a court. Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia.CARAVANSARY. kar-a-van'-sa-ri. See INN....

Khan
... now or formerly governed by them. 2. (n.) An Eastern inn orcaravansary.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. KHAN. kan, kan. See INN....

Caraway (2 Occurrences)

Caravans (5 Occurrences)

Host (261 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary An entertainer (Romans 16:23); a tavern-keeper, the keeper
of acaravansary (Luke 10:35). In warfare, a troop or military force....

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