CHAPTER 19
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.
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,
her husband
got up
and went
after her
to speak
kindly
to her
and bring her back,
taking with him 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.
His father-in-law,
the girl’s
father,
persuaded him to stay,
so he remained
with him
three
days,
eating,
drinking,
and lodging
there.
On the fourth
day,
they got up early
in the morning
and prepared
to go,
but the girl’s
father
said
to
his son-in-law,
“Refresh
your heart
with a morsel
of bread,
and then
you can go.”
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.”
On the fifth
day,
he got up early
in the morning
to leave,
but the girl’s
father
said,
“Please
refresh
your heart.”
So they waited
until
late afternoon
and the two
of them ate.
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
late.
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
and go
home."
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.
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.”
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.”
He continued,
“Come,
let us try to reach
one
of these towns
to spend the night
in Gibeah
or
Ramah.”
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.
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.
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?”
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,
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.”
“Peace to you,”
said
the old
man.
“Let me supply
everything
you need.
Only
do not
spend the night
in the square.”
So he brought
him to his house
and fed
his donkeys.
And they washed
their feet
and ate
and drank.
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!"
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.
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.”
But the men
would
not
listen to him.
So the man
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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!”