1
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certainLevitesojourning on the side of mountEphraim, who took to him a concubineout of Bethlehemjudah*.
3
And her husbandarose, and wentafter her, to speakfriendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father'shouse: and when the father of the damselsaw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
5
And it came to pass on the fourthday, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel'sfathersaid 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 drinkboth of them together: for the damsel'sfather had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
8
And he arose early in the morning on the fifthday to depart: and the damsel'sfathersaid, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon*, and they did eatboth of them.
9
And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel'sfather,said unto him, Behold, now the daydraweth 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 gohome.
10
But the manwould not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over againstJebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him twoassessaddled, his concubine also was with him.
11
And when they were by Jebus, the day was farspent; and the servantsaid 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 mastersaid 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.
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 oldman from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mountEphraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.
18
And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudahtoward the side of mountEphraim; 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.
22
Now as they were making their heartsmerry, behold, the men of the city,certainsons of Belial,beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the oldman,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 seemethgood unto you: but unto this mando not sovile a thing.
25
But the menwould not hearken to him: so the mantook 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.
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 mantook 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.