< שֹׁפְטִים 19 >
וַיְהִי֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם וּמֶ֖לֶךְ אֵ֣ין בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיְהִ֣י ׀ אִ֣ישׁ לֵוִ֗י גָּ֚ר בְּיַרְכְּתֵ֣י הַר־אֶפְרַ֔יִם וַיִּֽקַּֽח־לֹו֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה פִילֶ֔גֶשׁ מִבֵּ֥ית לֶ֖חֶם יְהוּדָֽה׃ | 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.
וַתִּזְנֶ֤ה עָלָיו֙ פִּֽילַגְשֹׁ֔ו וַתֵּ֤לֶךְ מֵֽאִתֹּו֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יהָ אֶל־בֵּ֥ית לֶ֖חֶם יְהוּדָ֑ה וַתְּהִי־שָׁ֕ם יָמִ֖ים אַרְבָּעָ֥ה חֳדָשִֽׁים׃ | 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.
וַיָּ֨קָם אִישָׁ֜הּ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַחֲרֶ֗יהָ לְדַבֵּ֤ר עַל־לִבָּהּ֙ לַהֲשִׁיבֹו (לַהֲשִׁיבָ֔הּ) וְנַעֲרֹ֥ו עִמֹּ֖ו וְצֶ֣מֶד חֲמֹרִ֑ים וַתְּבִיאֵ֙הוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יהָ וַיִּרְאֵ֙הוּ֙ אֲבִ֣י הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ה וַיִּשְׂמַ֖ח לִקְרָאתֹֽו׃ | 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.
וַיֶּחֱזַק־בֹּ֤ו חֹֽתְנֹו֙ אֲבִ֣י הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב אִתֹּ֖ו שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וַיֹּאכְלוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וַיָּלִ֖ינוּ שָֽׁם׃ | 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.
וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיֹּ֣ום הָרְבִיעִ֔י וַיַּשְׁכִּ֥ימוּ בַבֹּ֖קֶר וַיָּ֣קָם לָלֶ֑כֶת וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אֲבִ֨י הַֽנַּעֲרָ֜ה אֶל־חֲתָנֹ֗ו סְעָ֧ד לִבְּךָ֛ פַּת־לֶ֖חֶם וְאַחַ֥ר תֵּלֵֽכוּ׃ | 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.”
וַיֵּשְׁב֗וּ וַיֹּאכְל֧וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֛ם יַחְדָּ֖ו וַיִּשְׁתּ֑וּ וַיֹּ֜אמֶר אֲבִ֤י הַֽנַּעֲרָה֙ אֶל־הָאִ֔ישׁ הֹֽואֶל־נָ֥א וְלִ֖ין וְיִטַ֥ב לִבֶּֽךָ׃ | 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.”
וַיָּ֥קָם הָאִ֖ישׁ לָלֶ֑כֶת וַיִּפְצַר־בֹּו֙ חֹתְנֹ֔ו וַיָּ֖שָׁב וַיָּ֥לֶן שָֽׁם׃ | 7 |
The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he stayed there again.
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם בַּבֹּ֜קֶר בַּיֹּ֣ום הַחֲמִישִׁי֮ לָלֶכֶת֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ אֲבִ֣י הַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ה סְעָד־נָא֙ לְבָ֣בְךָ֔ וְהִֽתְמַהְמְה֖וּ עַד־נְטֹ֣ות הַיֹּ֑ום וַיֹּאכְל֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 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.
וַיָּ֤קָם הָאִישׁ֙ לָלֶ֔כֶת ה֥וּא וּפִילַגְשֹׁ֖ו וְנַעֲרֹ֑ו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לֹ֣ו חֹתְנֹ֣ו אֲבִ֣י הַֽנַּעֲרָ֡ה הִנֵּ֣ה נָא֩ רָפָ֨ה הַיֹּ֜ום לַעֲרֹ֗ב לִֽינוּ־נָ֞א הִנֵּ֨ה חֲנֹ֤ות הַיֹּום֙ לִ֥ין פֹּה֙ וְיִיטַ֣ב לְבָבֶ֔ךָ וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֤ם מָחָר֙ לְדַרְכְּכֶ֔ם וְהָלַכְתָּ֖ לְאֹהָלֶֽךָ׃ | 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.”
וְלֹֽא־אָבָ֤ה הָאִישׁ֙ לָל֔וּן וַיָּ֣קָם וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַיָּבֹא֙ עַד־נֹ֣כַח יְב֔וּס הִ֖יא יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְעִמֹּ֗ו צֶ֤מֶד חֲמֹורִים֙ חֲבוּשִׁ֔ים וּפִילַגְשֹׁ֖ו עִמֹּֽו׃ | 10 |
But the man wouldn’t 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.
הֵ֣ם עִם־יְב֔וּס וְהַיֹּ֖ום רַ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַנַּ֜עַר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֗יו לְכָה־נָּ֛א וְנָס֛וּרָה אֶל־עִֽיר־הַיְבוּסִ֥י הַזֹּ֖את וְנָלִ֥ין בָּֽהּ׃ | 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.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲדֹנָ֔יו לֹ֤א נָסוּר֙ אֶל־עִ֣יר נָכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵ֑נָּה וְעָבַ֖רְנוּ עַד־גִּבְעָֽה׃ | 12 |
His master said to him, “We won’t enter into the city of a foreigner that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.”
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְנַעֲרֹ֔ו לְךָ֥ וְנִקְרְבָ֖ה בְּאַחַ֣ד הַמְּקֹמֹ֑ות וְלַ֥נּוּ בַגִּבְעָ֖ה אֹ֥ו בָרָמָֽה׃ | 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.”
וַיַּעַבְר֖וּ וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וַתָּבֹ֤א לָהֶם֙ הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ אֵ֥צֶל הַגִּבְעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְבִנְיָמִֽן׃ | 14 |
So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
וַיָּסֻ֣רוּ שָׁ֔ם לָבֹ֖וא לָל֣וּן בַּגִּבְעָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֗א וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בִּרְחֹ֣וב הָעִ֔יר וְאֵ֥ין אִ֛ישׁ מְאַסֵּֽף־אֹותָ֥ם הַבַּ֖יְתָה לָלֽוּן׃ | 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.
וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אִ֣ישׁ זָקֵ֗ן בָּ֣א מִֽן־מַעֲשֵׂ֤הוּ מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב וְהָאִישׁ֙ מֵהַ֣ר אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְהוּא־גָ֖ר בַּגִּבְעָ֑ה וְאַנְשֵׁ֥י הַמָּקֹ֖ום בְּנֵ֥י יְמִינִֽי׃ | 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.
וַיִּשָּׂ֣א עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּ֛רְא אֶת־הָאִ֥ישׁ הָאֹרֵ֖חַ בִּרְחֹ֣ב הָעִ֑יר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הָאִ֧ישׁ הַזָּקֵ֛ן אָ֥נָה תֵלֵ֖ךְ וּמֵאַ֥יִן תָּבֹֽוא׃ | 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?”
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו עֹבְרִ֨ים אֲנַ֜חְנוּ מִבֵּֽית־לֶ֣חֶם יְהוּדָה֮ עַד־יַרְכְּתֵ֣י הַר־אֶפְרַיִם֒ מִשָּׁ֣ם אָנֹ֔כִי וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ עַד־בֵּ֥ית לֶ֖חֶם יְהוּדָ֑ה וְאֶת־בֵּ֤ית יְהוָה֙ אֲנִ֣י הֹלֵ֔ךְ וְאֵ֣ין אִ֔ישׁ מְאַסֵּ֥ף אֹותִ֖י הַבָּֽיְתָה׃ | 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 Yahweh’s house; and there is no one who has taken me into his house.
וְגַם־תֶּ֤בֶן גַּם־מִסְפֹּוא֙ יֵ֣שׁ לַחֲמֹורֵ֔ינוּ וְ֠גַם לֶ֣חֶם וָיַ֤יִן יֶשׁ־לִי֙ וְלַֽאֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְלַנַּ֖עַר עִם־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ אֵ֥ין מַחְסֹ֖ור כָּל־דָּבָֽר׃ | 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.”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הָאִ֤ישׁ הַזָּקֵן֙ שָׁלֹ֣ום לָ֔ךְ רַ֥ק כָּל־מַחְסֹורְךָ֖ עָלָ֑י רַ֥ק בָּרְחֹ֖וב אַל־תָּלַֽן׃ | 20 |
The old man said, “Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but don’t sleep in the street.”
וַיְבִיאֵ֣הוּ לְבֵיתֹ֔ו וַיִּבֹּול (וַיָּ֖בָל) לַחֲמֹורִ֑ים וַֽיִּרְחֲצוּ֙ רַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃ | 21 |
So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder. Then they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
הֵמָּה֮ מֵיטִיבִ֣ים אֶת־לִבָּם֒ וְהִנֵּה֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הָעִ֜יר אַנְשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־בְלִיַּ֗עַל נָסַ֙בּוּ֙ אֶת־הַבַּ֔יִת מִֽתְדַּפְּקִ֖ים עַל־הַדָּ֑לֶת וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אֶל־הָ֠אִישׁ בַּ֣עַל הַבַּ֤יִת הַזָּקֵן֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֹוצֵ֗א אֶת־הָאִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א אֶל־בֵּיתְךָ֖ וְנֵדָעֶֽנּוּ׃ | 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!”
וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם הָאִישׁ֙ בַּ֣עַל הַבַּ֔יִת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אַל־אַחַ֖י אַל־תָּרֵ֣עוּ נָ֑א אַ֠חֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֞א הָאִ֤ישׁ הַזֶּה֙ אַל־בֵּיתִ֔י אַֽל־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּ אֶת־הַנְּבָלָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ | 23 |
The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, “No, my brothers, please don’t act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, don’t do this folly.
הִנֵּה֩ בִתִּ֨י הַבְּתוּלָ֜ה וּפִֽילַגְשֵׁ֗הוּ אֹוצִֽיאָה־נָּ֤א אֹותָם֙ וְעַנּ֣וּ אֹותָ֔ם וַעֲשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם הַטֹּ֖וב בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֑ם וְלָאִ֤ישׁ הַזֶּה֙ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ דְּבַ֖ר הַנְּבָלָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ | 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 don’t do any such folly.”
וְלֹֽא־אָב֤וּ הָאֲנָשִׁים֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣עַֽ לֹ֔ו וַיַּחֲזֵ֤ק הָאִישׁ֙ בְּפִ֣ילַגְשֹׁ֔ו וַיֹּצֵ֥א אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם הַח֑וּץ וַיֵּדְע֣וּ אֹ֠ותָהּ וַיִּֽתְעַלְּלוּ־בָ֤הּ כָּל־הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ עַד־הַבֹּ֔קֶר וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֖וּהָ בַּעֲלֹות (כַּעֲלֹ֥ות) הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ | 25 |
But the men wouldn’t 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.
וַתָּבֹ֥א הָאִשָּׁ֖ה לִפְנֹ֣ות הַבֹּ֑קֶר וַתִּפֹּ֞ל פֶּ֧תַח בֵּית־הָאִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אֲדֹונֶ֥יהָ שָּׁ֖ם עַד־הָאֹֽור׃ | 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.
וַיָּ֨קָם אֲדֹנֶ֜יהָ בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּפְתַּח֙ דַּלְתֹ֣ות הַבַּ֔יִת וַיֵּצֵ֖א לָלֶ֣כֶת לְדַרְכֹּ֑ו וְהִנֵּ֧ה הָאִשָּׁ֣ה פִֽילַגְשֹׁ֗ו נֹפֶ֙לֶת֙ פֶּ֣תַח הַבַּ֔יִת וְיָדֶ֖יהָ עַל־הַסַּֽף׃ | 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.
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלֶ֛יהָ ק֥וּמִי וְנֵלֵ֖כָה וְאֵ֣ין עֹנֶ֑ה וַיִּקָּחֶ֙הָ֙ עַֽל־הַחֲמֹ֔ור וַיָּ֣קָם הָאִ֔ישׁ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ לִמְקֹמֹֽו׃ | 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.
וַיָּבֹ֣א אֶל־בֵּיתֹ֗ו וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הַֽמַּאֲכֶ֙לֶת֙ וַיַּחֲזֵ֣ק בְּפִֽילַגְשֹׁ֔ו וַֽיְנַתְּחֶ֙הָ֙ לַעֲצָמֶ֔יהָ לִשְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר נְתָחִ֑ים וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֶ֔הָ בְּכֹ֖ל גְּב֥וּל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 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.
וְהָיָ֣ה כָל־הָרֹאֶ֗ה וְאָמַר֙ לֹֽא־נִהְיְתָ֤ה וְלֹֽא־נִרְאֲתָה֙ כָּזֹ֔את לְמִיֹּ֞ום עֲלֹ֤ות בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם עַ֖ד הַיֹּ֣ום הַזֶּ֑ה שִֽׂימוּ־לָכֶ֥ם עָלֶ֖יהָ עֻ֥צוּ וְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃ פ | 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.”