Judges 19
1 In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a certain Levite living on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took for himself a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah.
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the lower edge of the mountain of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine out of Beth-lechem-judah.
2 His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father’s house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there for four months.
And his concubine became faithless unto him, and she went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lechem-judah, and was there one year and four months.
3 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. She brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
And then her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, to bring her back; and he had his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4 His father-in-law, the young lady’s father, kept him there; and he stayed with him three days. So they ate and drank, and stayed there.
And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, detained him; and he abode with him three days: and they ate and drank, and lodged there.
5 On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning, and he rose up to depart. The young lady’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.”
And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart; but the damsel's father said unto his son-in-law, Comfort thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward can ye go your way.
6 So they sat down, ate, and drank, both of them together. Then the young lady’s father said to the man, “Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.”
And they sat down, and both of them ate together and drank; and the damsel's father said unto the man, Do consent, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry.
7 The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he stayed there again.
Still the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he turned back and lodged there.
8 He arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the young lady’s father said, “Please strengthen your heart and stay until the day declines;” and they both ate.
And when he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart, the damsel's father said, Comfort thy heart, I pray thee, and tarry until the decline of the day: and both of them did eat.
9 When the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the young lady’s father, said to him, “Behold, now the day draws toward evening, please stay all night. Behold, the day is ending. Stay here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow go on your way early, that you may go home.”
And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, tarry all night, I pray you: behold, it is the resting time of day, lodge here, and let thy heart be merry; and you may get early tomorrow on your way, and go then to thy tent.
10 But the man would not stay that night, but he rose up and went near Jebus (also called Jerusalem). With him were a couple of saddled donkeys. His concubine also was with him.
But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and went away, and came as far as opposite Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and he had with him two saddled asses, and his concubine also was with him.
11 When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, “Please come and let’s enter into this city of the Jebusites, and stay in it.”
When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in unto this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
12 His master said to him, “We will not enter into the city of a foreigner that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.”
And his master said unto him, We will not turn into one of the cities of the stranger, that are not belonging to the children of Israel; but we will pass on as far as Gib'ah.
13 He said to his servant, “Come and let’s draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.”
And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places; and let us lodge all night in Gib'ah, or in Ramah.
14 So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
And they passed on and went forward; and the sun went down unto them by Gib'ah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
15 They went over there, to go in to stay in Gibeah. He went in, and sat down in the street of the city; for there was no one who took them into his house to stay.
And they turned aside thither, to go in to lodge in Gib'ah; and when he went in, he sat down in the street of the city; for there was no man that brought them into his house to lodge.
16 Behold, an old man came from his work out of the field at evening. Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he lived in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites.
And, behold, an old man was coming from his work out of the field at evening, and this man was from the mountain of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gib'ah; but the men of the place were Benjamites.
17 He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city: and then said the old man, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
18 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. I am going to the LORD’s house; and there is no one who has taken me into his house.
And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth-lechem-judah toward the lower edge of the mountain of Ephraim; from there am I, and I went as far as Beth-lechem-judah; but I am going to the house of the Lord; and there is no man that bringeth me into his house.
19 Yet there is both straw and feed for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your servant, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything.”
Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there are also bread and wine for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man who is with thy servants; there is no want of any thing.
20 The old man said, “Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but do not sleep in the street.”
And the old man said, Peace be with thee; only let all thy wants lie upon me; at least lodge not in the street.
21 So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder. Then they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
So he brought him to his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and they ate and drank.
22 As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain wicked fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we can have sex with him!”
As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless people, beset the house round about, knocking at the door; and they said to the master of the house, the old man, thus, Bring forth the man that in come to thy house, that we may know him.
23 The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, “No, my brothers, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not do this folly.
And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, No, my brethren, I pray you, act not wickedly; since this man is once come into my house, do not this scandalous thing.
24 Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. I will bring them out now. Humble them, and do with them what seems good to you; but to this man do not do any such folly.”
Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine; let me bring them out now, and humble ye them, and do to them what seemeth good in your eyes; but unto this man do not this scandalous thing.
25 But the men would not listen to him; so the man grabbed his concubine, and brought her out to them; and they had sex with her, and abused her all night until the morning. When the day began to dawn, they let her go.
But the men would not hearken to him; so the man took hold of his concubine, and brought her forth unto them into the street; and they knew her, and ill-used her all the night until the morning; and they let her go when the day began to dawn.
26 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, until it was light.
Then came the woman [home] in the early part of the morning, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, [and lay] till it was light.
27 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 had fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.
And when her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go on his way: behold, the woman, his concubine, was lying at the door of the house, with her hands upon the threshold.
28 He said to her, “Get up, and let’s get going!” but no one answered. Then he took her up on the donkey; and the man rose up, and went to his place.
And he said unto her, Rise up, and let us be going; but no one answered. Then he took her upon the ass, and the man rose up, and went unto his place.
29 When he had come into his house, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.
And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, according to her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her about in all the territory of Israel.
30 It was so, that all who saw it said, “Such a deed has not been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day! Consider it, take counsel, and speak.”
And it happened, that whoever saw it said, There hath no such deed been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day: reflect well on it, give advice, and speak.
