The old man is the first resident of Gibeah to have eye contact with the visitors. Rather than ignore them like the locals do, he lifted up his eyes,
he looks up, and sees the traveller, likely the Levite. And he inquires where the party is from and where they are going.
17 And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city. And the old man said, “Where are you going? And where do you come from?”