Judges 19
1 Also in those dayes, when there was no king in Israel, a certaine Leuite dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim, and tooke to wife a concubine out of Beth-lehem Iudah,
In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a man, a Levite, living for a while in the most remote area of the hill country of Ephraim. He took for himself a woman, a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
2 And his concubine played ye whore there, and went away from him vnto her fathers house to Beth-lehem Iudah, and there continued the space of foure moneths.
But his concubine was unfaithful to him; she left him and went back to her father's house in Bethlehem of Judah. She stayed there for four months.
3 And her husband arose and went after her, to speake friendly vnto her, and to bring her againe: he had also his seruant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him vnto her fathers house, and when the yong womans father sawe him, he reioyced of his comming.
Then her husband got up and went after her in order to persuade her to come back. His servant was with him, and a pair of donkeys. She brought him into her father's house. When the girl's father saw him, he was glad.
4 And his father in lawe, the yong womans father reteined him: and he abode with him three dayes: so they did eate and drinke, and lodged there.
His father-in-law, the girl's father, persuaded him to stay for three days. They ate and drank, and they spent the night there.
5 And when the fourth day came, they arose earely in the morning, and he prepared to depart: then the yong womans father said vnto his sonne in lawe, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and then go your way.
On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to go, but the girl's father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen yourself with a bit of bread, then you may go.”
6 So they sate downe, and did eate and drinke both of them together. And the yong womans father said vnto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tary all night, and let thine heart be merie.
So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Then the girl's father said, “Please be willing to spend the night and have a good time.”
7 And when the man rose vp to depart, his father in lawe was earnest: therefore he returned, and lodged there.
When the Levite got up to leave, the father of the young woman urged him to stay, so he changed his plan and spent the night there again.
8 And he arose vp earely the fifth day to depart, and the yong womans father saide, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee: and they taryed vntill after midday, and they both did eate.
On the fifth day he woke up early to leave, but the girl's father said, “Strengthen yourself, and wait until the afternoon.” So the two of them had a meal.
9 Afterwarde when the man arose to depart with his concubine and his seruant, his father in lawe, the yong womans father said vnto him, Beholde nowe, the day draweth towarde euen: I pray you, tary all night: beholde, the sunne goeth to rest: lodge here, that thine heart may be merie, and to morowe get you earely vpon your way, and goe to thy tent.
When the Levite and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart, his father-in-law, the girl's father said to him, “See, now the day is advancing toward evening. Please stay another night, and have a good time. You can get up early tomorrow and go back home.”
10 But the man would not tarry, but arose and departed, and came ouer against Iebus, (which is Ierusalem) and his two asses laden, and his concubine were with him.
But the Levite was not willing to spend the night. He got up and left. He went toward Jebus (that is Jerusalem). He had a pair of saddled donkeys—and his concubine was with him.
11 When they were neere to Iebus, the day was sore spent, and the seruant said vnto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let vs turne into this citie of the Iebusites, and lodge all night there.
When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, “Come, let us turn aside to the city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.”
12 And his master answered him, We will not turne into the citie of strangers that are not of the children of Israel, but we will goe forth to Gibeah.
His master said to him, “We will not turn aside into a city of foreigners who do not belong to the people of Israel. We will go on to Gibeah.”
13 And he said vnto his seruant, Come, and let vs drawe neere to one of these places, that wee may lodge in Gibeah or in Ramah.
The Levite said to his young man, “Come, let us go to one of those other places, and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”
14 So they went forward vpon their way, and the sunne went downe vpon them neere to Gibeah, which is in Beniamin.
So they went on, and the sun set as they came near to Gibeah, in the territory of Benjamin.
15 Then they turned thither to goe in and lodge in Gibeah: and when he came, he sate him downe in a streete of the citie: for there was no man that tooke them into his house to lodging.
They turned aside there to spend the night in Gibeah. They went and sat down in the city square, but no one took them into his house for the night.
16 And beholde, there came an old man from his work out of the field at euen, and the man was of mount Ephraim, but dwelt in Gibeah: and the men of the place were the children of Iemini.
But then an old man was coming from his work in the field that evening. He was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was staying for a while in Gibeah. But the men living in that place were Benjamites.
17 And when he had lift vp his eyes, he sawe a wayfairing man in the streetes of the citie: then this olde man sayde, Whither goest thou, and whence camest thou?
He raised his eyes and saw the traveler in the city square. The old man said, “Where are you going? Where are you coming from?”
18 And hee answered him, Wee came from Beth-lehem Iudah, vnto the side of Mout Ephraim: from thence am I: and I went to Beth-lehem Iudah, and go now to the house of the Lord: and no man receiueth mee to house,
The Levite said to him, “We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to the most remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, which is where I come from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of Yahweh, but there is no one who will take me into his house.
19 Although we haue straw and prouader for our asses, and also bread and wine for me and thine handmayde, and for the boy that is with thy seruant: we lacke nothing.
We have straw and feed for our donkeys, and there is bread and wine for me and your female servant here, and for this young man with your servants. We lack nothing.”
20 And the olde man sayde, Peace bee with thee: as for all that thou lackest, shalt thou finde with me: onely abide not in the streete al night.
The old man greeted them, “Peace be with you! I will take care of all your needs. Only do not spend the night in the square.”
21 So he brought him into his house, and gaue fodder vnto the asses: and they washed their feete, and did eate and drinke.
So the man brought the Levite into his house and gave feed to the donkeys. They washed their feet and ate and drank.
22 And as they were making their hearts merie, beholde, the men of the citie, wicked men beset the house round about, and smote at the doore, and spake to this olde man the master of the house saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house that we may knowe him.
While they were making their hearts glad, some men of the city, worthless men, surrounded the house, beating on the door. They spoke to the old man, the master of the house, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, so we can have sex with him.”
23 And this man the master of ye house went out vnto the, and said vnto them, Nay my brethre, do not so wickedly, I pray you: seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this villenie.
The man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, please do not do this evil thing! Since this man is a guest in my house, do not do this wicked thing!
24 Behold, here is my daughter, a virgine, and his concubine: them wil I bring out nowe, and humble them, and doe with them what seemeth you good: but to this man doe not this villenie.
See, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. Let me bring them out now. Violate them and do with them whatever you like. But do not do such a wicked thing to this man!”
25 But the men woulde not hearken to him: therefore ye man tooke his concubine, and brought her out vnto them: and they knewe her and abused her all the night vnto the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her goe.
But the men would not listen to him, so the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them. They raped her and abused her all throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.
26 So the woman came in the dawning of the day, and fell downe at the doore of the mans house where her Lord was, till the light day.
At dawn the woman came and she fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was, and she lay there until it was light.
27 And her lorde arose in the morning, and opened the doores of the house, and went out to goe his way, and beholde, the woman his concubine was dead at the doore of the house and her handes lay vpon the thresholde.
Her master rose up in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way. He could see his concubine lying there at the door, with her hands on the threshold.
28 And hee said vnto her, Vp and let vs goe: but shee answered not. Then he tooke her vp vpon the asse, and the man rose vp, and went vnto his place.
The Levite said to her, “Get up. Let us go.” But there was no answer. He put her on the donkey, and the man set out for home.
29 And whe he was come to his house, he took a knife, and laid hand on his concubine, and deuided her in pieces with her bones into twelue parts, and sent her through all quarters of Israel.
When the Levite came to his house, he took a knife, and he took hold of his concubine, and cut her up, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent the pieces everywhere throughout Israel.
30 And all that saw it, said, There was no such thing done or seene since the time that the children of Israel came vp from the lande of Egypt vnto this day: consider the matter, consult and giue sentence.
All who saw this said, “Such a thing has never been done or seen from the day the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this present day. Think about it! Give us advice! Tell us what to do!”
