Judges 19
1 It happened 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 for himself a secondary wife from Bethlehem Judah.
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite dwelling on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.
2 His secondary wife was angry with him and went away from him to her father's house in Bethlehem of Judah, and was there about four months.
And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father’s house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole 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. And she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the young woman saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly to her, and 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 His father-in-law, the young woman's father, welcomed him; 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: so they ate and drank, and lodged there.
5 It happened on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart: and the young woman's father said to his son-in-law, "Refresh yourself with a piece of bread, and after that you may go."
And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he arose to depart: and the damsel’s father said to his son in law, Strengthen thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward depart.
6 So they sat down, ate, and drank, both of them together. Then the young woman's father said to the man, "Please agree to stay the night, and enjoy yourself."
And they sat down, and ate and drank both of them together: for the damsel’s father had said to the man, Be content, 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.
And when the man rose to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
8 He arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the young woman's father said, "Please refresh yourself and stay until the day declines." And the two of them ate and drank.
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 they tarried until afternoon, and they ate both of them.
9 When the man rose up with his secondary wife and his servant to leave, his father-in-law, the young woman's father, said to him, "Look, now the day draws toward evening, please stay the night. Look, the day grows to an end, stay here, and enjoy yourself; and tomorrow you can get up early for your journey so that you may go home."
And when the man arose to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel’s father, said to him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day is coming to an end, lodge here, that thy heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
10 But the man wouldn't stay that night, but he rose up and departed, and went toward Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). And there were with him a couple of saddled donkeys, and his secondary wife and his servant were with him.
But the man would not tarry that night, but he arose and departed, and came opposite Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two donkeys saddled, his concubine also was with him.
11 When they were by Jebus, the day was almost gone, and the servant said to his master, "Please come and let us stop at this city of the Jebusites, and spend the night in it."
And 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 in to this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
12 His master said to him, "We won't go 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 to him, We will not turn aside here into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
13 He said to his servant, "Come and let us try to reach one of those places and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah."
And he said to his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
14 So they passed on and went their way; and the sun set on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
15 They turned that way to go in to spend the night in Gibeah. And he went in and they sat down in the street of the city; for there was no one who would take them into their house to spend the night.
And they turned aside there, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodge.
16 Look, there came an old man from his work out in the field at evening. Now the man was of the hill country of Ephraim, and he was residing in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites.
And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening, who was also of mount Ephraim; and he dwelt in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.
17 He lifted up his eyes, and saw the traveler in the street of the city. And the old man said, "Where are you going, and where did you come from?"
And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Where goest thou? and where do you come from?
18 He said to him, "We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. And I am going to my home, and there is no one who will take me into his home.
And he said to him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from there am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth 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 female servant, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything."
Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
20 And the old man said, "Peace be to you. I will take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the square."
And the old man said, Peace be with thee; however let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
21 So he brought him into his house, and fed the donkeys. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
So he brought him into his house, and gave fodder to the donkeys: and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
22 As they were enjoying themselves, look, the men of the city, some wicked men of the city 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 may have sex with him."
Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain perverted men, beset the house on all sides, and beat at the door, and spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into 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 disgraceful thing.
And the man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, do not this folly.
24 Look, here is my virgin daughter and his secondary wife. I will bring them out now. Ravish them and do with them what seems good to you; but do not do any such a disgraceful thing to this man."
Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good to you: but to this man do not so vile a thing.
25 But the men wouldn't listen to him: so the man laid hold of his secondary wife, and brought her out to them. And they raped her and abused her all night until the morning, and when the day began to dawn they let her go.
But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took 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 Then at daybreak the woman arrived and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, until daylight.
Then came the woman 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 Her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way; and look, the woman his secondary wife was fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.
And her lord rose 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, and her hands were upon the threshold.
28 And he said to her, "Get up, and let us go." But there was no answer, for she was dead. So he placed her on the donkey, and the man rose up and went to his home.
And he said to her, Rise, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her upon a donkey, and the man rose, and went to his place.
29 When he had come into his house, he took a knife, and took hold of his secondary wife and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.
And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the land of Israel.
30 And it was so, that all who saw it said, "Nothing like this has been done or seen since the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day." And he commanded the men whom he sent, saying, "This is what you will say to all the men of Israel, 'Has anything like this happened since the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day? Consider it, take counsel, and speak.'"
And it was so, that all that saw it said, There hath been no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came from the land of Egypt to this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.
