Now it came about in those
days
, when athere
was no
king
in Israel
, that there was a certain
Levite
1staying
in the remote
part
of the hill
country
of Ephraim
, who took
a concubine
for himself from Bethlehem
in Judah
.
But his concubine played
the harlot
against
him, and she went
away from him to her father's
house
in Bethlehem
in Judah
, and was there
for a period
of four
months
.
Then her husband arose
and went
after
her to aspeak
1tenderly
to her in order to bring
her back
, 2taking with him his servant
and a pair
of donkeys
. So she brought
him into her father's
house
, and when the girl's
father
saw
him, he was glad
to meet
him.
His father-in-law, the girl's
father
, detained
him; and he remained
with him three
days
. So they ate
and drank
and lodged
there
.
Now on the fourth day
they got
up early
in the morning
, and he 1prepared
to go
; and the girl's
father
said
to his son-in-law
, " aSustain
2yourself
with a piece
of bread
, and afterward
you may go
."
So both of them sat
down
and ate
and drank
together
; and the girl's
father
said
to the man
, "Please
be willing
to spend
the night
, and alet your heart
be merry
."
Then the man arose
to go
, but his father-in-law
urged
him so that he spent
the night
there
again
.
On the fifth day
he arose
to go
early
in the morning
, and the girl's
father
said
, "Please
sustain
1yourself
, and wait
until
2afternoon
"; so both
of them ate
.
When the man arose
to go
along with his concubine
and servant
, his father-in-law
, the girl's
father
, said
to him, "Behold
now
, the day
has drawn
1to a close
; please
spend
the night
. Lo
, the day
is 2coming
to an end
; spend
the night
here
that your heart
may be merry
. Then tomorrow
you may arise
early
for your journey
so that you may go
3home
."
But the man was not willing
to spend
the night
, so he arose
and departed
and came
to a place opposite
aJebus
(that is, Jerusalem
). And there were with him a pair
of saddled
donkeys
; his concubine
also was with him.
When they were near Jebus
, the day
was almost
gone
; and athe servant
said
to his master
, "Please
come
, and let us turn
aside
into this
city
of the Jebusites
and spend
the night
in it."
However, his master said
to him, "We will not turn
aside
into the city
of foreigners
who
are not of the sons
of Israel
; but we will go
on as far
as Gibeah
."
He said to his servant
, "Come
and let us approach
one
of these places
; and we will spend
the night
in Gibeah
or
Ramah
."
So they passed along
and went
their way, and the sun
set
on them near
Gibeah
which
belongs to Benjamin
.
They turned aside
there
in order to enter
and lodge
in Gibeah
. When 1they entered
, 1they sat
down
in the open
square
of the city
, for no
one
took
them into his house
to spend
the night
.
Then behold, an old
man
was coming
out of the field
from his work
at evening
. Now the man
was from athe hill
country
of Ephraim
, and he was 1staying
in Gibeah
, but the men
of the place
bwere Benjamites
.
And he lifted up his eyes
and saw
the traveler
in the open
square
of the city
; and the old
man
said
, "Where
are you going
, and where
do you come
from?"
He said to him, "We are passing
from Bethlehem
in Judah
to the remote
part
of the hill
country
of Ephraim
, for I am from there
, and I went
to Bethlehem
in Judah
. But I am now going
to 1my house
, and no
man
will take
me into his house
.
"Yet there is both
straw
and fodder
for our donkeys
, and also
bread
and wine
for me, 1your maidservant
, and athe young
man
who is with your servants
; there
is no
lack
of anything
."
The old man
said
, " aPeace
to you. Only
let me take care of all
your needs
; however
, do not spend
the night
in the open
square
."
aSo he took him into his house
and gave
the donkeys
fodder
, and they washed
their feet
and ate
and drank
.
While they were 1celebrating, behold
, athe men
of the city
, certain
2 bworthless
fellows
, surrounded
the house
, pounding
the door
; and they spoke
to the owner
of the house
, the old
man
, saying
, "Bring
out the man
who
came
into your house
that we may have
3relations
with him."
Then the man, the owner
of the house
, went
out to them and said
to them, "No
, my fellows
, please
do not act
so wickedly
; since
this
man
has come
into my house
, ado not commit
this
act
of folly
.
" aHere is my virgin
daughter
and his concubine
. Please
let me bring
them out that you may ravish
them and do
to them 1whatever you wish
. But do not commit
such
an act
of folly
against this
man
."
But the men would
not listen
to him. So the man
seized
his concubine
and brought
her out to them; and they raped
her and abused
her all
night
until
morning
, then let
her go
at the approach
of dawn
.
1As the day began to dawn
, the woman
came
and fell
down
at the doorway
of the man's
house
where
her master
was, until
full daylight
.
When her master arose
in the morning
and opened
the doors
of the house
and went
out to go
on his way
, then behold
, his concubine
was lying
at the doorway
of the house
with her hands
on the threshold
.
He said to her, "Get
up and let us go
," abut there
was no
answer
. Then he placed
her on the donkey
; and the man
arose
and went
to his 1home
.
When he entered his house
, he took
a knife
and laid
hold
of his concubine
and acut
her in twelve
pieces
, limb by limb
, and sent
her throughout
the territory
of Israel
.
All who saw
it said
, "Nothing
like this
has ever happened
or been seen
from the day
when the sons
of Israel
came
up from the land
of Egypt
to this
day
. Consider
it, atake
counsel
and speak
up!"