Judg 19
1
And there was Gr. a man, a Levite a Levite sojourning in the Gr. thighs sides of mount Ephraim, and he took to himself Gr.
woman a concubine a concubine from Bethleem Juda.
2
And his concubine departed from him, and went away from him to the house of her father
to Bethleem Juda, and she was there four months.
3
And her husband rose up, and went after her Gr. to speak to her heart to speak kindly to her, to recover her to himself; and
Gr. his young man was, etc. he had his young man with him, and a pair of asses; and she brought him into the
house of her father; and the father of the damsel saw him, and was well pleased to
meet him.
4
And his father-in-law, the father of the damsel, constrained him, and he stayed with
him for three days; and they ate and drank, and lodged there.
5
And it came to pass on the fourth day that they rose early, and he stood up to depart;
and the father of the damsel said to his son-in-law, Strengthen your heart with a
morsel of bread, and afterwards you shall go.
6
So they two sat down together and ate and drank: and the father of the damsel said
to her husband, Tarry now the night, and let your heart be merry.
7
And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law constrained him, and he stayed
and lodged there.
8
And he rose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the father of the
damsel said, Strengthen now your heart, and Possibly, prepare to march by the time the day declines quit yourself as a soldier
till the day decline; and the two ate.
9
And the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine, and his young man; but his father-in-law
the father of the damsel said to him, Behold now, the day has declined toward evening;
lodge here, an let your heart rejoice; and you shall rise early to-morrow for your
journey, and you shall go to your habitation.
10
But the man would not lodge there, but he arose and departed, and came to the part
opposite Jebus, (this is Jerusalem,) and there was with him a pair of asses saddled,
and his concubine was with him.
11
And they came as far as Jebus: and the day had far advanced, and the young man said
to his master, Come, I pray you, and let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites,
and let us lodge in it.
12
And his master said to him, We will not turn aside to a strange city, where there
is not one of the children of Israel, but we will pass on as far as Gabaa.
13
And he said to his young man, Come, and let us draw nigh to one of the places, and
we will lodge in Gabaa or in Rama.
14
And they passed by and went on, and the sun went down upon them near to Gabaa, which
is in Benjamin.
15
And they turned aside thence to go in to lodge in Gabaa; and they went in, and sat
down in the street of the city, and there was no one who conducted them into a house
to lodge.
16
And behold, an old man came out of the field from his work in the evening; and the
man was of mount Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gabaa, and the men of the place were
sons of Benjamin.
17
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw a traveller in the street of the city; and the
old man said to him, Where go you, and whence come you?
18
And he said to him, We are passing by from Bethleem Juda to the sides of mount Ephraim:
I am from there, and I went as far as Bethleem Juda, and I am going home, and there
is no man to take me into his house.
19
Yet is there straw and food for our asses, and bread and wine for me and my handmaid
and the young man with your servants; there is no want of anything.
20
And the old man said, Peace be to you; only be every want of your upon me, only do
you by no means lodge in the street.
21
And he brought him into his house, and made room for his asses; and they washed their
feet, and ate and drank.
22
And they were comforting their heart, when, behold, the men of the city, sons of transgressors,
compassed the house, knocking at the door: and they spoke to the old man the owner
of the house, saying, Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know
him.
23
And the master of the house came out to them, and said, Nay, brethren, do not you
wrong, I pray you, after this man has come into my house; do not you this folly.
24
Behold my daughter a virgin, and Gr. his the man’s concubine: I will bring them out, and humble you them, and do to them that
which is good in your eyes; but to this man do not Gr. the word or thing of this is folly; Hebraism this folly.
25
But the men would not consent to hearken to him; so the man laid hold of his concubine,
and brought her out to them; and they knew her, and abused her all night till the
morning, and let her go when the morning dawned.
26
And the woman came toward morning, and fell down at the door of the house where her
husband was, until it was light.
27
And her husband rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went
forth to go on his journey; and, behold, the woman his concubine had fallen down by
the doors of the house, and her hands were on the threshold.
28
And he said to her, Rise, and let us go; and she answered not, for she was dead: and
he took her upon his ass, and went to his place.
29
And he took his sword, and laid hold of his concubine, and divided her into twelve
parts, and sent them to every coast of Israel.
30
And it was so, that every one who saw it said, Such a day as this has not happened
nor has been seen from the day of the going up of the children of Israel out of the
land of Egypt until this day: take you counsel concerning it, and speak.