Dommer 19
1 I de Dage, da der ingen Konge var i Israel, var der en Mand, en Levit, der boede som fremmed i Udkanten af Efraims Bjerge. Han tog sig en Kvinde fra Betlehem i Juda til Medhustru.
There was a certain Levite, who dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim, who took a wife of Bethlehem Juda:
2 Men Medhustruen blev vred paa ham, forlod ham og tog til sin Faders Hus i Betlehem i Juda. Da hun havde været der en fire Maaneders Tid,
And she left him and returned to her father’s house in Bethlehem, and abode with him four months.
3 drog hendes Mand af Sted efter hende for at overtale hende til at vende tilbage. Han havde sin Tjener og et Par Æsler med. Da han kom til hendes Faders Hus, fik den unge Kvindes Fader Øje paa ham og kom ham glad i Møde;
And her husband followed her, willing to be reconciled with her, and to speak kindly to her, and to bring her back with him, having with him a servant and two asses: and she received him, and brought him into her father’s house. And when his father in law had heard this, and had seen him, he met him with joy,
4 og hans Svigerfader, den unge Kvindes Fader, holdt paa ham, saa at han blev hos ham i tre Dage; og de spiste og drak og overnattede der.
And embraced the man. And the son in law tarried in the house of his father in law three days, eating with him and drinking familiarly.
5 Tidligt om Morgenen den fjerde Dag gjorde han sig rede til at drage bort; men den unge Kvindes Fader sagde til sin Svigersøn: »Styrk dig først med en Bid Brød, saa kan I siden drage bort!«
But on the fourth day arising early in the morning he desired to depart. But his father in law kept him, and said to him: Taste first a little bread, and strengthen thy stomach, and so thou shalt depart.
6 De blev da og spiste og drak begge to sammen, og den unge Kvindes Fader sagde til Manden: »Bestem dig til at blive Natten over og gør dig til gode!«
And they sat down together, and ate and drank. And the father of the young woman said to his son in law: I beseech thee to stay here today, and let us make merry together.
7 Men Manden gjorde sig rede til at drage bort. Da nødte hans Svigerfader ham, saa han atter overnattede der.
But he rising up began to be for departing. And nevertheless his father in law earnestly pressed him, and made him stay with him.
8 Tidligt om Morgenen den femte Dag vilde han drage bort, men den unge Kvindes Fader sagde til ham: »Styrk dig først!« De ventede da, til Dagen hældede, og spiste og drak begge to.
But when morning was come, the Levite prepared to go on his journey. And his father in law said to him again: I beseech thee to take a little meat, and strengthening thyself, till the day be farther advanced, afterwards thou mayest depart. And they ate together.
9 Saa gjorde Manden sig rede til at drage bort med sin Medhustru og sin Tjener. Men hans Svigerfader, den unge Kvindes Fader, sagde til ham: »Se, det lider mod Aften, overnat dog her; se, Dagen hælder, bliv dog her i Nat og gør dig til gode, saa kan I i Morgen tidlig begive eder paa Vej og du drage til dit Hjem!«
And the young man arose to set forward with his wife and servant. And his father in law spoke to him again: Consider that the day is declining, and draweth toward evening: tarry with me today also, and spend the day in mirth, and tomorrow thou shalt depart, that thou mayest go into thy house.
10 Men Manden vilde ikke blive Natten over; han begav sig paa Vej og kom ud for Jebus, det er Jerusalem, fulgt af sine to belæssede Æsler, sin Medhustru og sin Tjener.
His son in law would not consent to his words: but forthwith went forward and came over against Jebus, which by another name is called Jerusalem, leading with him two asses laden, and his concubine.
11 Da de var i Nærheden af Jebus og Dagen hældede stærkt, sagde Tjeneren til sin Herre: »Kom, lad os tage ind her i Jebusiternes By og blive der Natten over!«
And now they were come near Jebus, and the day was far spent: and the servant said to his master: Come, I beseech thee, let us turn into the city of the Jebusites, and lodge there.
12 Men hans Herre svarede: »Vi vil ikke tage ind i en By, der ejes af fremmede, som ikke hører til Israeliterne, men vi vil drage videre til Gibea!«
His master answered him: I will not go into the town of another nation, who are not of the children of Israel, but I will pass over to Gabaa:
13 Og han sagde til sin Tjener: »Kom, lad os tage hen til et af de andre Steder og overnatte i Gibea eller Rama!«
And when I shall come thither, we will lodge there, or at least in the city of Rama.
14 De drog saa videre, og Solen gik ned, som de var ved Gibea i Benjamin.
So they passed by Jebus, and went on their journey, and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gabaa, which is in the tribe of Benjamin:
15 Saa bøjede de af i den Retning for at naa til Gibea og overnatte der. Da han var kommet derind, Blev han paa Byens Torv; men der var ingen, som bød dem ind i sit Hus for Natten.
And they turned into it, to lodge there. And when they were come in, they sat in the street of the city, for no man would receive them to lodge.
16 Saa kom der om Aftenen en gammel Mand fra sit Arbejde paa Marken, og Manden var fra Efraims Bjerge og boede som fremmed i Gibea, medens Stedets Indbyggere var Benjaminiter;
And behold they saw an old man, returning out of the field and from his work in the evening, and he also was of mount Ephraim, and dwelt as a stranger in Gabaa; but the men of that country were the children of Jemini.
17 og da den gamle Mand saa op og fik Øje paa den vejfarende Mand paa Byens Torv, spurgte han: »Hvorhen gælder Rejsen, og hvorfra kommer du?«
And the old man lifting up his eyes, saw the man sitting with his bundles in the street of the city, and said to him: Whence comest thou? and whither goest thou?
18 Han svarede ham: »Vi er paa Rejse fra Betlehem i Juda til Udkanten af Efraims Bjerge, hvor jeg har hjemme; jeg har været i Betlehem i Juda og er nu paa Vejen hjem; men der er ingen, som byder mig ind i sit Hus,
He answered him: We came out from Bethlehem Juda, and we are going to our home, which is on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence we went to Bethlehem: and now we go to the house of God, and none will receive us under his roof:
19 skønt jeg har baade Straa og Foder til vore Æsler og Brød og Vin til mig selv, din Trælkvinde og din Træls Tjener; vi mangler intet!«
We have straw and hay for provender of the asses, and bread and wine for the use of myself and of thy handmaid, and of the servant that is with me: we want nothing but lodging.
20 Da sagde den gamle Mand: »Vær velkommen! Lad kun alt, hvad du trænger til, være min Sag; men paa Torvet maa du ikke overnatte!«
And the old man answered him: Peace be with thee: I will furnish all things that are necessary: only I beseech thee, stay not in the street.
21 Saa førte han ham ind i sit Hus og sørgede for Foder til Æslerne; og da de havde tvættet deres Fødder, spiste de og drak.
And he brought him into his house, and gave provender to his asses: and after they had washed their feet, he entertained them with a feast.
22 Men medens de gjorde sig til gode, se, da omringede Mændene i Byen, Niddinger som de var, Huset og hamrede paa Døren og raabte til den gamle Mand, Husets Ejer: »Før Manden, som er taget ind i dit Hus, herud, saa at vi kan stille vor Lyst paa ham!«
While they were making merry, and refreshing their bodies with meat and drink, after the labour of the journey, the men of that city, sons of Belial, (that is, without yoke, ) came and beset the old man’s house, and began to knock at the door, calling to the master of the house, and saying: Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may abuse him.
23 Men Manden, der ejede Huset, gik ud til dem og sagde til dem: »Nej, mine Brødre, gør dog ikke noget ondt! Naar denne Mand er taget ind i mit Hus, maa I ikke øve saadan en Skændselsdaad!
And the old man went out to them, and said: Do not so, my brethren, do not so wickedly: because this man is come into my lodging, and cease I pray you from this folly.
24 Se, her er min Datter, som er Jomfru; hende fører jeg herud, saa kan I skænde hende og handle med hende, som I finder for godt! Men mod denne Mand maa I ikke øve saadan en Skændselsdaad!«
I have a maiden daughter, and this man hath a concubine, I will bring them out to you, and you may humble them, and satisfy your lust: only, I beseech you, commit not this crime against nature on the man.
25 Men Mændene vilde ikke høre ham. Saa greb Manden sin Medhustru og førte hende ud paa Gaden til dem, og de stillede deres Lyst paa hende og mishandlede hende Natten igennem til om Morgenen; først da Morgenen gryede, slap de hende.
They would not be satisfied with his words; which the man seeing, brought out his concubine to them, and abandoned her to their wickedness: and when they had abused her all the night, they let her go in the morning.
26 Ved Morgenens Frembrud kom Kvinden og faldt sammen ved Indgangen til den Mands Hus, hvor hendes Herre var, og laa der, til det blev lyst.
But the woman, at the dawning of the day, came to the door of the house where her lord lodged, and there fell down.
27 Og da hendes Herre om Morgenen lukkede Husets Dør op og gjorde sig rede til at drage videre, se, da laa Kvinden, hans Medhustru, ved Indgangen til Huset med Hænderne paa Tærskelen.
And in the morning the man arose, and opened the door that he might end the journey he had begun: and behold his concubine lay before the door with her hands spread on the threshold.
28 Han sagde da til hende: »Rejs dig og lad os komme af Sted!« Men der kom intet Svar. Saa løftede han hende op paa Æselet og rejste til sit Hjem.
He thinking she was taking her rest, said to her: Arise, and let us be going. But as she made no answer, perceiving she was dead, he took her up, and laid her upon his ass, and returned to his house.
29 Men da han kom hjem, greb han en Kniv, tog sin Medhustru, skar hende i tolv Stykker, Ledemod for Ledemod, og sendte Stykkerne rundt i hele Israels Land;
And when he was come home he took a sword, and divided the dead body of his wife with her bones into twelve parts, and sent the pieces into all the borders of Israel.
30 og han gav de Mænd, han udsendte, den Befaling: »Saaledes skal I sige til alle Israels Mænd: Er sligt hidtil hændet, siden Israeliterne drog op fra Ægypten? Overvej Sagen, hold Raad og sig eders Mening!« Og enhver, som saa det, sagde: »Sligt er ikke hidtil hændet eller set, siden Israeliterne drog op fra Ægypten!«
And when every one had seen this, they all cried out: There was never such a thing done in Israel from the day that our fathers came up out of Egypt, until this day: give sentence, and decree in common what ought to be done.
