< 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 Medhustu.
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah.
2 Men Medhustruen blev vred på ham, forlod ham og tog til sin Faders Hus i Betlehem i Juda. Da hun havde været der en fire Måneders Tid,
And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-judah, and was there the space of 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 på ham og kom ham glad i Møde;
And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into her father's house, and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4 og hans Svigerfader, den unge Kvindes Fader, holdt på ham, så at han blev hos ham i tre Dage; og de spiste og drak og overnattede der.
And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days. So they ate and drank, and lodged there.
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, så kan I siden drage bort!"
And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart. And the damsel's father said to his son-in-law, Strengthen thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward ye shall go your way.
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!"
So they sat down, and ate and drank, both of them together. And the damsel's father said to the man, Be pleased, I pray thee, to tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry.
7 Men Manden gjorde sig rede til at drage bort. Da nødte hans Svigerfader ham, så han atter overnattede der.
And the man rose up to depart, but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.
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.
And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart. And the damsel's father said, Strengthen thy heart, I pray thee, and tarry ye until the day declines. And they ate, both of them.
9 Så 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, så kan I i Morgen tidlig begive eder på Vej og du drage til dit Hjem!"
And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said to him, Behold, now the day draws toward evening, I pray you tarry all night. Behold, the day grows to an end, lodge here that thy heart may be merry, and tomorrow get early on your way that thou may go home.
10 Men Manden vilde ikke blive Natten over; han begav sig på Vej og kom ud for Jebus, det er Jerusalem, fulgt af sine to belæssede Æsler, sin Medhustru og sin Tjener.
But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came opposite Jebus (the same is Jerusalem). And there were with him a couple of saddled donkeys. His concubine was also with him.
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!"
When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent, and the servant said to his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
12 Men hans Herre svarede: "Vi vil ikke tage ind i en By, der ejes af fremmede, som ikke hører til Israelitterne, men vi vil drage videre til Gibea!"
And his master said to him, We will not turn aside into the city of a foreigner that is not of the sons of Israel, but we will pass over to Gibeah.
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 he said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places, and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
14 De drog så videre, og Solen gik ned, som de var ved Gibea i Benjamin.
So they passed on and went their way. And the sun went down upon them near to Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
15 Så bøjede de af i den Retning for at nå til Gibea og overnatte der. Da han var kommet derind, Blev han på Byens Torv; men der var ingen, som bød dem ind i sit Hus for Natten.
And they turned aside there, to go in to lodge in Gibeah. And he went in, and sat down in the street of the city, for there was no man that took them into his house to lodge.
16 Så kom der om Aftenen en gammel Mand fra sit Arbejde på Marken, og Manden var fra Efraims Bjerge og boede som fremmed i Gibea, medens Stedets Indbyggere var Benjaminiter;
And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening. Now the man was of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.
17 og da den gamle Mand så op og fik Øje på den vejfarende Mand på Byens Torv, spurgte han: "Hvorhen gælder Rejsen, og hvorfra kommer du?"
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city. And the old man said, Where do thou go? And from where do thou come?
18 Han svarede ham: "Vi er på Rejse fra Betlehem i Juda til Udkanten af Efraims Bjerge, hvor jeg har hjemme; jeg har været i Betlehem i Juda og er nu på Vejen hjem; men der er ingen, som byder mig ind i sit Hus,
And he said to him, We are passing from Bethlehem-judah to the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem-judah. And I am now going to the house of Jehovah, and there is no man that takes me into his house.
19 skønt jeg har både Strå og Foder til vore Æsler og Brød og Vin til mig selv, din Trælkvinde og din Træls Tjener; vi mangler intet!"
Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys, and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man who is with thy servants. There is no want of anything.
20 Da sagde den gamle Mand: "Vær velkommen! Lad kun alt, hvad du trænger til, være min Sag; men på Torvet må du ikke overnatte!"
And the old man said, Peace be to thee. However let all thy wants lie upon me, only do not lodge in the street.
21 Så førte han ham ind i sit Hus og sørgede for Foder til Æslerne; og da de havde tvættet deres Fødder, spiste de og drak.
So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
22 Men medens de gjorde sig til gode, se, da omringede Mændene i Byen, Niddinger som de var, Huset og hamrede på Døren og råbte til den gamle Mand, Husets Ejer: "Før Manden, som er taget ind i dit Hus, herud, så at vi kan stille vor Lyst på ham!"
As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door. And they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man who came into thy house, that we may know him.
23 Men Manden, der ejede Huset, gik ud til dem og sagde til dem: "Nej, mine Brødre, gør dog ikke noget ondt! Når denne Mand er taget ind i mit Hus, må I ikke øve sådan en Skændselsdåd!
And the man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brothers, I pray you, do not so wickedly, seeing that this man has come into my house. Do not this folly.
24 Se, her er min Datter, som er Jomfru; hende fører jeg herud, så kan I skænde hende og handle med hende, som I finder for godt! Men mod denne Mand må I ikke øve sådan en Skændselsdåd!"
Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine. I will bring them out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seems good to you, but to this man do not any such folly.
25 Men Mændene vilde ikke høre ham. Så greb Manden sin Medhustru og førte hende ud på Gaden til dem, og de stillede deres Lyst på hende og mishandlede hende Natten igennem til om Morgenen; først da Morgenen gryede, slap de hende.
But the men would not hearken to him. So the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her forth to them. And they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning, and when the day began to spring, they let her go.
26 Ved Morgenens Frembrud kom Kvinden og faldt sammen ved Indgangen til den Mands Hus, hvor hendes Herre var, og lå der, til det blev lyst.
Then the woman came in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
27 Og da hendes Herre om Morgenen lukkede Husets Dør op og gjorde sig rede til at drage videre, se, da lå Kvinden, hans Medhustru, ved Indgangen til Huset med Hænderne på Tærskelen.
And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way, and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands upon the threshold.
28 Han sagde da til hende: "Rejs dig og lad os komme af Sted!" Men der kom intet Svar. Så løftede han hende op på Æselet og rejste til sit Hjem.
And he said to her, Up, and let us be going, but there was no answering. Then he took her up upon the donkey, and the man rose up, and got to his place.
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 came into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.
30 og han gav de Mænd, han udsendte, den Befaling: "Således skal I sige til alle Israels Mænd: Er sligt hidtil hændet, siden Israelitterne drog op fra Ægypten? Overvej Sagen, hold Råd og sig eders Mening!" Og enhver, som så det, sagde: "Sligt er ikke hidtil hændet eller set, siden Israelitterne drog op fra Ægypten!"
And it was so, that all who saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the sons of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, take counsel, and speak.

< Dommer 19 >