Judg 19
1
And it came to pass 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 to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.
2
And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father`s
house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there the space of four months.
3
And 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 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
And his father-in-law, the damsel`s father, retained him; and he abode with him three
days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
5
And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he
rose up to depart: and the damsel`s father said to his son-in-law, Strengthen your
heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.
6
So they sat down, and did eat and drink, both of them together: and the damsel`s father
said to the man, Be pleased, I pray you, to tarry all night, and let your heart be
merry.
7
And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there
again.
8
And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the damsel`s father
said, Strengthen your heart, I pray you, and tarry you until the day declines; and
they did eat, both of them.
9
And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law,
the damsel`s father, said to him, Behold, now the day draws toward evening, I pray
you tarry all night: behold, the day grows to an end, lodge here, that your heart
may be merry; and to-morrow get you early on your way, that you may go home.
10
But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over
against Jebus (the same is Jerusalem): and there were with him a couple of asses saddled;
his concubine also was with him.
11
When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master,
Come, I pray you, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge
in it.
12
And his master said to him, We will not turn aside into the city of a foreigner, that
is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.
13
And he said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places; and
we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
14
So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them near to Gibeah,
which belongs to Benjamin.
15
And they turned aside there, to go in to lodge in Gibeah: and he went in, and sat
him down in the street of the city; for there was no man that took them into his house
to lodge.
16
And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even: now the
man was of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of
the place were Benjamites.
17
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and
the old man said, Where go you? and whence come you?
18
And he said to him, We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah to the farther side of the
hill-country of Ephraim; from there am I, and I went to Beth-lehem-judah: and I am
[now] going to the house of YHWH; and there is no man that takes me into his house.
19
Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also
for me, and for your handmaid, and for the young man that is with your servants: there
is no want of anything.
20
And the old man said, Peace be to you; however let all your wants lie upon me; only
lodge not in the street.
21
So he brought him into his house, and gave the asses fodder; and they washed their
feet, and did eat and drink.
22
As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base
fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master
of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into your house,
that we may know him.
23
And the man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, Nay, my
brethren, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house,
do not this folly.
24
Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine; them I will bring out now,
and humble you them, and do with them what seems good to you: but to this man do not
any such folly.
25
But the men would not hearken to him: so the man laid hold on 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 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
And 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 was fallen down at the door of
the house, with her hands upon the threshold.
28
And he said to her, Up, and let us be going; but none answered: then he took her up
upon the ass; and the man rose up, and gat him to his place.
29
And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine,
and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the
borders of Israel.
30
And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor 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.