Luke 11:7

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) Trouble me not.—As afterwards in the parable of the Unjust Judge, so here, the illustrative matter cannot be pressed into an interpretation. It seems, indeed, to have been purposely so stated that it could only suggest an à fortiori argument. Thus man might answer, but so does not God. If prayer prevails over apathy and impatience, how much more will it prevail when we pray to One who knows our necessities before we ask Him? The picture drawn is obviously from a poor man’s house, children and parents sleeping in the same room, the younger children (the Greek word is a diminutive) in the same bed. The word here, however, differs from the other two commonly translated “bed” (e.g., Matthew 9:2; Matthew 9:6; Mark 2:4; Mark 2:9), and probably means the divan or raised platform, which often filled nearly half a room in a Jewish or Eastern house.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:5-13 Christ encourages fervency and constancy in prayer. We must come for what we need, as a man does to his neighbour or friend, who is kind to him. We must come for bread; for that which is needful. If God does not answer our prayers speedily, yet he will in due time, if we continue to pray. Observe what to pray for; we must ask for the Holy Spirit, not only as necessary in order to our praying well, but as all spiritual blessings are included in that one. For by the influences of the Holy Spirit we are brought to know God and ourselves, to repent, believe in, and love Christ, and so are made comfortable in this world, and meet for happiness in the next. All these blessings our heavenly Father is more ready to bestow on every one that asks for them, than an indulgent parent is to give food to a hungry child. And this is the advantage of the prayer of faith, that it quiets and establishes the heart in God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them ... - Jesus proceeds to show that, in order to obtain the blessing, it was necessary to "persevere" in asking for it. For this purpose he introduces the case of a friend's asking bread of another for one who had come to him unexpectedly. His design is solely to show the necessity of being "importunate" or persevering in prayer to God.

At midnight - A time when it would be most inconvenient for his friend to help him; an hour when he would naturally be in bed and his house shut.

Three loaves - There is nothing particularly denoted by the number "three" in this place. Jesus often threw in such particulars merely to fill up the story, or to preserve the consistency of it.

My children are with me in bed - This does not necessarily mean that they were in the "same bed" with him, but that they were "all" in bed, the house was still, the door was shut, and it was troublesome for him to rise at that time of night to accommodate him. It should be observed, however, that the customs of Orientals differ in this respect from our own. Among them it is not uncommon indeed it is the common practice for a whole family - parents, children, and servants - to sleep in the same room. See "The Land and the Book," vol. i. p. 180. This is "not" to be applied to God, as if it were troublesome to him to be sought unto, or as if "he" would ever reply to a sinner in that manner. All that is to be applied to God in this parable is simply that it is proper to "persevere" in prayer. As a "man" often gives because the request is "repeated," and as one is not discouraged because the favor that he asks of his neighbor is "delayed," so God often answers us after long and importunate requests.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7. Trouble me not—the trouble making him insensible both to the urgency of the case and the claims of friendship.

I cannot—without exertion which he would not make.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 11:5"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he from within shall answer and say,.... The friend within doors, shall reply to him that is without at his door, in the street:

trouble me not; by knocking at the door, and importuning to rise and lend loaves; whereby his rest would be disturbed, and trouble given him;

the door is now shut; being very late at night, and which could not be opened without noise and inconvenience:

and my children are with me in bed: sleeping, as the Persic version adds; there were none, children, or servants up, to let him in:

I cannot rise; without disturbing them:

and give thee; the loaves desired.

Geneva Study Bible

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 11:7. μή μοι, etc.: similar phrase in Luke 18:5. Cf. Matthew 26:10, Mark 14:6. Here = don’t bother me!—κέκλεισται, has been barred for the night, a thing done and not to be undone for a trifling cause.—εἰς τὴν κοίτην: they have gone to bed and are now sleeping in bed, and he does not want to risk waking them (ἵνα μὴ ἀφυπνίσῃ αὐτά, Euthym.).—οὐ δύναμαι: οὐ θέλω would have been nearer the truth.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. Trouble me not] The answer is rough and discouraging. He does not say ‘friend.’ His phrase implies irritation. The details are of course not to be pressed. The parable is merely an illustration a fortiori.

is now shut] Literally, “has been already shut” with the implication ‘shut for the night, and I do not mean to open it.’

I cannot] Only a modified form for ‘I will not.’

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 11:7. Κέκλεισται, has been shut) with a bolt (long since): such as is removed with greater difficulty.—μετʼ ἐμοῦ, with me) It is the duty of parents to guard their children, especially at night.—οὐ δύναμαι, I cannot) namely, without great inconvenience and trouble.

Luke 11:7

Vincent's Word Studies

My children are with me in bed

"A whole family - parents, children, and servants - sleep in the same room" (Thomson," Land and Book"). Tynd., my servants are with me in the chamber.