Judges 19

1 Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.

2 But she was unfaithful to him and left him to return to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. After she had been there four months,

3 her husband got up and went after her to speak kindly to her and bring her back, taking his servant and a pair of donkeys. So the girl brought him into her father’s house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.

4 His father-in-law, the girl’s father, persuaded him to stay, so he remained with him three days, eating, drinking, and lodging there.

5 On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning and prepared to depart, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and then you can go.”

6 So they sat down and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Please agree to stay overnight and let your heart be merry.”

7 The man got up to depart, but his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed there that night.

8 On the fifth day, he got up early in the morning to depart, but the girl’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they waited until late afternoon and the two of them ate.

9 When the man got up to depart with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is drawing to a close. Please spend the night. See, the day is almost over. Spend the night here, that your heart may be merry. Then you can get up early tomorrow for your journey home.”

10 But the man was unwilling to spend the night. He got up and departed, and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.

11 When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Please, let us stop at this Jebusite city and spend the night here.”

12 But his master replied, “We will not turn aside to the city of foreigners, where there are no Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.”

13 He continued, “Come, let us try to reach one of these towns to spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”

14 So they continued on their journey, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin.

15 They stopped to go in and lodge in Gibeah. The Levite went in and sat down in the city square, but no one would take them into his home for the night.

16 That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was residing in Gibeah (the men of that place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the field.

17 When he looked up and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going, and where have you come from?”

18 The Levite replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote hill country of Ephraim, where I am from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and now I am going to the house of the LORD; but no one has taken me into his home,

19 even though there is both straw and feed for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me and the maidservant and young man with me. There is nothing that we, your servants, lack.”

20 “Peace to you,” said the old man. “Let me supply everything you need. Only do not spend the night in the square.”

21 So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.

22 While they were enjoying themselves, suddenly the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they said to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so we can have relations with him!”

23 The owner of the house went out and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Do not commit this outrage.

24 Look, let me bring out my virgin daughter and the man’s concubine, and you can use them and do with them as you wish. But do not do such a vile thing to this man.”

25 But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.

26 Early that morning, the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, collapsed at the doorway, and lay there until it was light.

27 In the morning, when her master got up and opened the doors of the house to go out on his journey, there was his concubine, collapsed in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold.

28 “Get up,” he told her. “Let us go.” But there was no response. So the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.

29 When he reached his house, he picked up a knife, took hold of his concubine, cut her limb by limb into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel.

30 And everyone who saw it said, “Nothing like this has been seen or done from the day the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt until this day. Think it over, take counsel, and speak up!”

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 side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.

2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.

3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, [and] 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, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.

6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.

7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, 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 unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.

10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which [is] Jerusalem; and [there were] with him two asses saddled, his concubine also [was] with him.

11 [And] when they [were] by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

12 And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that [is] not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.

13 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.

14 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 And they turned aside thither, to go in [and] to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for [there was] no man that took them into his house to lodging.

16 ¶ And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which [was] also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place [were] Benjamites.

17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?

18 And he said unto him, We [are] passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence [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 to house.

19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; 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] with thee; howsoever [let] all thy wants [lie] upon me; only lodge not in the street.

21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

22 ¶ [Now] as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, [and] beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.

23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, [nay], I pray you, do not [so] wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.

24 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 unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto 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, and her hands [were] upon the threshold.

28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her [up] upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.

29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, [together] with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts 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 unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak [your minds].

1 In those days there was no king in Israel. And a Levite man was a stranger by the side of mount Ephraim, and had taken him a concubine to wife of Bethlehemjudah.

2 And when she had walked beside him, she ran from him to her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four months.

3 And her husband arose, and went after her, and spake kindly unto her, and brought her again unto him: and he had a lad and a pair of asses with him. And she led him into her father's house. And when the damsel's father saw him, he was glad, and received him.

4 And his brother in law, the damsel's father, kept him, that he abode with him three days; eating and drinking, and lodging there by night.

5 And the fourth day they rose up early in the morning, and he arose, and would have gone. And the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Give thy heart first with a morsel of bread, and then ye shall go.

6 And they sat down, and did eat together, and drank. And the damsel's father said unto the man, Stay thou the night, and let thy heart be merry.

7 And when the man arose, and was about to depart, his brother's servant constrained him to tarry there overnight.

8 And in the morning of the fifth day he rose up early, and would go. Then said the damsel's father, Feed thine heart, and let us tarry till the day be done. So the two of them ate together.

9 And the man arose, and would have gone with his concubine, and with his lad. But his brother's father, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, the day is gone, and it will be evening; tarry thou tonight. Behold, here is a lodging place this day: tarry thou here for the night, and let thine heart be merry: and in the morning rise early, and go thy way unto thy tabernacle.

10 But the man would not tarry overnight, but rose up, and departed, and came unto Jebus, that is, Jerusalem, with his pair of asses loaded, and his concubine with him.

11 And when they were come to Jebus, the day was almost gone. And the lad said unto his lord, Sweet lord, show us, and let us enter into this city of the Jebusites, and tarry in there overnight.

12 And his master said unto him, We will not go into the city of strangers, which are not of the children of Israel, but we will go over to Gibeah.

13 And he said unto his lad: Go away, that we may come to a place, and tarry in Gibeah, or in Ramah, for the night.

14 And they departed, and walked, and the sun went down hard upon them at Gibeah, which is under Benjamin.

15 And they entered in there, that they might come in, and tarry in Gibeah for the night. And when he was come in, he sat down in the street of the city: for there was none to lodge them in the house that night.

16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field in the evening; and he also was of mount Ephraim, and a stranger in Gibeah: but the men of the place were the sons of Jemini.

17 And when he lifted up his eyes, and saw the stranger in the street, he said unto him, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?

18 And he said unto him, We are journeying from Bethlehemjudah, until we come to the side of mount Ephraim, whence I am; and I went to Bethlehemjudah, and am now going to the house of the LORD; and no man will lodge with me.

19 We have straw and provender for our asses, and bread and wine for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the lad that is with thy servant; that we lack nothing:

20 And the old man said, Peace be unto thee. All that thou lackest thou shalt find with me; only stay not in the street overnight.

21 And brought him into his house, and fed the asses; and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

22 And when their heart was in good cheer, behold, the wicked men of the city came and compassed the house, and knocked at the door, and said unto the old man the landlord, Bring forth the man that is come into thine house, that we may know him.

23 But the man, the landlord, went out unto them, and said unto them: Do not, my brethren, do evil after this man is come into my house; do not do such folly!

24 Behold, I have a daughter yet a virgin, and this a concubine: them will I bring forth unto you, and ye shall put to shame, and do unto them as ye please: but in this man do not such folly.

25 But the people would not hearken unto him. Then the man took hold of his concubine, and brought her forth unto them. And they knew her, and toiled all night until the morning: and when the dawn was come, they let her go.

26 And the woman came hard before morning, and fell down at the door of the man's house, where her lord was within, and lay there until it was light.

27 And when their lord arose in the morning, and opened the door of the house, and went out to go his way, behold, his concubine was at the gate of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.

28 And he said unto her, Arise, and let us go. But she answered not. Then he took her upon his ass, and arose, and went to his place.

29 And when he was come home, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and cut her in twain, bone and all, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.

30 And he that saw it said, This thing hath not been done, nor seen, since the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt unto this day. Now therefore consider these things, and give counsel, and declare them.