1
Now it
came about in
those days, when
there was
no king in
Israel, that there was a
certain Levite staying in the
remote part of the
hill country of
Ephraim, who
took a
concubine for himself from
Bethlehem in
Judah.
lea'r.fIy.B !yea .$,l,m.W ~eh'h ~yim'Y;B yih.y;w ? ~Iy;r.p,a -r;h yet.K.r;y.B r'G yiwel vyia yih.y;w ? h'd.Wh.y ~,x,l tyeBim v,g,lyip h'Via w{l -x;QiY;w
2
But his
concubine played the
harlot against him, and she
went away from him to her
father's house in
Bethlehem in
Judah, and was
there for a
period of
four months.
tyeB -l,a w{Tiaem .$,leT;w w{v.g;lyiP wy'l'[ h,n.ziT;w ? ~'v -yih.T;w h'd.Wh.y ~,x,l tyeB -l,a 'hyib'a ? ~yiv'd\x h'['B.r;a ~yim'y
3
Then her
husband arose and
went after her to
speak tenderly to her in order to
bring her
back, taking with him his
servant and a
pair of
donkeys. So she
brought him into her
father's house, and when the
girl's father saw him, he was
glad to
meet him.
H'Bil -l;[ reB;d.l 'hy,r]x;a .$,leY;w H'vyia ~'q'Y;w ? .Wheayib.T;w ~yir{m]x d,m,c.w w{Mi[ w{r][;n.w w{byiv]h;l ? x;m.fiY;w h'r][;N;h yib]a .Whea.riY;w 'hyib'a tyeB ? w{ta'r.qil
4
His
father-in-law, the
girl's father,
detained him; and he
remained with him
three days. So they
ate and
drank and
lodged there.
w{Tia b,veY;w h'r][;N;h yib]a w{n.t{x w{B -q;z/x,Y;w ? ~'v .Wnyil'Y;w .WT.viY;w .Wl.ka{Y;w ~yim'y t,v{l.v
5
Now on the
fourth day they
got up
early in the
morning, and he
prepared to
go; and the
girl's father said to his
son-in-law,
"Sustain yourself with a
piece of
bread, and
afterward you may
go."
~'q'Y;w r,q{B;b .WmyiK.v;Y;w yi[yib.r'h ~w{Y;B yih.y;w ? d'[.s w{n't]x -l,a h'r][;N;h yib]a r,ma{Y;w t,k,l'l ? .WkeleT r;x;a.w ~,x,l -t;P '$.Bil
6
So
both of them
sat down and
ate and
drank together; and the
girl's father said to the
man,
"Please be
willing to
spend the
night, and let your
heart be
merry."
r,ma{Y;w .WT.viY;w w'D.x;y ~,hyen.v .Wl.ka{Y;w .Wb.veY;w ? !yil.w a'n -l,aw{h vyia'h -l,a h'r][;N;h yib]a ? '$,Bil b;jIy.w
7
Then the
man arose to
go, but his
father-in-law urged him so that he
spent the
night there again.
b'v'Y;w w{n.t{x w{B -r;c.piY;w t,k,l'l vyia'h ~'q'Y;w ? ~'v !,l'Y;w
8
On the
fifth day he
arose to
go early in the
morning, and the
girl's father said,
"Please sustain yourself, and
wait until afternoon * "; so
both of them
ate.
r,ma{Y;w t,k,l'l yivyim]x;h ~w{Y;B r,q{B;B ~eK.v;Y;w ? .Wh.m.h;m.tih.w '$.b'b.l a'n -d'[.s h'r][;N;h yib]a ? ~,hyen.v .Wl.ka{Y;w ~w{Y;h tw{j.n -d;[
9
When the
man arose to
go along with his
concubine and
servant, his
father-in-law, the
girl's father,
said to him,
"Behold now, the
day has
drawn to a
close;
please spend the
night.
Lo, the
day is
coming to an
end;
spend the
night here that your
heart may be
merry. Then
tomorrow you may
arise early for your
journey so that you may
go home."
w{r][;n.w w{v.g;lyip.W a.Wh t,k,l'l vyia'h ~'q'Y;w ? a'n heNih h'r][;N;h yib]a w{n.t{x w{l r,ma{Y;w ? tw{n]x heNih a'n -.Wnyil b{r][;l ~w{Y;h h'p'r ? ~,T.m;K.vih.w '$,b'b.l b;jyIy.w h{P !yil ~w{Y;h ? '$,l'h{a.l 'T.k;l'h.w ~,k.K.r;d.l r'x'm
10
But the
man was not
willing to
spend the
night, so he
arose and
departed and
came to a place
opposite Jebus (that is,
Jerusalem ). And there were with him a
pair of
saddled donkeys; his
concubine also was with him.
a{b'Y;w .$,leY;w ~'q'Y;w !.Wl'l vyia'h h'b'a -a{l.w ? d,m,c w{Mi[.w ~i'l'v.Wr.y ayih s.Wb.y x;k{n -d;[ ? w{Mi[ w{v.g;lyip.W ~yiv.Wb]x ~yirw{m]x
11
When they were
near Jebus, the
day was
almost gone; and the
servant said to his
master,
"Please come, and let us
turn aside into
this city of the
Jebusites and
spend the
night in it."
r,ma{Y;w d{a.m d;r ~w{Y;h.w s.Wb.y -mi[ ~eh ? -ryi[ -l,a h'r.Ws'n.w a'N -h'k.l wy'n{d]a -l,a r;[;N;h ? H'B !yil'n.w ta{Z;h yis.Wb.y;h
12
However, his
master said to him, "We will not
turn aside into the
city of
foreigners who are not of the
sons of
Israel; but we will
go on as
far as
Gibeah."
ryi[ -l,a r.Ws'n a{l wy'n{d]a wy'lea r,ma{Y;w ? .Wn.r;b'[.w h'Neh lea'r.fIy yen.Bim -a{l r,v]a yir.k'n ? h'[.biG -d;[
13
He
said to his
servant,
"Come and let us
approach one of these
places; and we will
spend the
night in
Gibeah or Ramah."
tw{m{q.M;h d;x;a.B h'b.r.qin.w q]k\l w{r][;n.l r,ma{Y;w ? h'm'r'b w{a h'[.biG;b .WN;l.w
14
So they
passed along and
went their way, and the
sun set on them
near Gibeah which belongs to
Benjamin.
l,cea v,m,V;h ~,h'l a{b'T;w .WkeleY;w .Wr.b;[;Y;w ? !im'y.nib.l r,v]a h'[.biG;h
15
They
turned aside there in order to
enter and
lodge in
Gibeah. When they
entered, they
sat down in the
open square of the
city, for
no one took them into his
house to
spend the
night.
b,veY;w a{b'Y;w h'[.biG;B !.Wl'l aw{b'l ~'v .WrUs'Y;w ? ~'tw{a -peS;a.m vyia !yea.w ryi['h bw{x.riB ? !.Wl'l h't.y;B;h
16
Then
behold, an
old man was
coming out of the
field from his
work at
evening. Now the
man was from the
hill country of
Ephraim, and he was
staying in
Gibeah, but the
men of the
place were
Benjamites.
h,d'F;h -nim .Whef][;m -nim a'B !eq'z vyia heNih.w ? h'[.biG;B r'g -a.Wh.w ~Iy;r.p,a r;hem vyia'h.w b,r,['B ? yinyim.y yen.B ~w{q'M;h yev.n;a.w
17
And he
lifted up his
eyes and
saw the
traveler * in the
open square of the
city; and the
old man said,
"Where are you
going, and
where do you
come from?"
b{x.riB ;xer{a'h vyia'h -t,a a.r;Y;w wy'nye[ a'FiY;w ? !Iy;aem.W .$elet h'n'a !eq'Z;h ]vyia'h r,ma{Y;w ryi['h ? aw{b'T
18
He
said to him, "We are
passing from
Bethlehem in
Judah to the
remote part of the
hill country of
Ephraim, for I am from
there, and I
went to
Bethlehem in
Judah. But I am now
going to my
house, and
no man will
take me into his
house.
~,x,l -tyeBim .Wn.x;n]a ~yir.b{[ wy'lea r,ma{Y;w ? yik{n'a ~'Vim ~Iy;r.p,a -r;h yet.K.r;y -d;[ h'd.Wh.y ? tyeB -t,a.w h'd.Wh.y ~,x,l tyeB -d;[ .$elea'w ? yitw{a @eS;a.m vyia !yea.w .$el{h yin]a h'wh.y ? h't.y'B;h
19
"Yet
there is
both straw and
fodder for our
donkeys, and
also bread and
wine for me, your
maidservant, and the
young man who is with your
servants;
there is
no lack of
anything *."
.Wnyerw{m]x;l vey aw{P.sim -m;G !,b,T -m;g.w ? r;[;N;l.w '$,t'm]a;l.w yil -v,y !Iy;y'w ~,x,l ~;g.w ? r'b'D -l'K rw{s.x;m !yea '$y,d'b][ -mi[
20
The
old man said,
"Peace to you.
Only let me take care of
all your
needs;
however, do not
spend the
night in the
open square."
'$.rw{s.x;m -l'K q;r .$'l ~w{l'v !eq'Z;h vyia'h r,ma{Y;w ? !;l'T -l;a bw{x.r'B q;r y'l'[
21
So he
took him into his
house and
gave the
donkeys fodder, and they
washed their
feet and
ate and
drank.
.Wc]x.riY;w ~yirw{m]x;l lw{BiY;w w{tyeb.l .Wheayib.y;w ? .WT.viY;w .Wl.ka{Y;w ~,hyel.g;r
22
While they were
celebrating *,
behold, the
men of the
city,
certain worthless fellows,
surrounded the
house,
pounding the
door; and they
spoke to the
owner of the
house, the
old man,
saying,
"Bring out the
man who came into your
house that we may
have relations with him."
ryi['h yev.n;a heNih.w ~'Bil -t,a ~yibyijyem h'Meh ? ~yiq.P;D.tim tIy;B;h -t,a .WB;s'n l;[;Yil.b -yen.b yev.n;a ? tIy;B;h l;[;B vyia'h -l,a .Wr.ma{Y;w t,l'D;h -l;[ ? a'B -r,v]a vyia'h -t,a aecw{h r{mael !eq'Z;h ? .WN,['den.w '$.tyeB -l,a
23
Then the
man, the
owner of the
house,
went out to them and
said to them,
"No, my
fellows,
please do not
act so
wickedly;
since * this man has
come into my
house, do not
commit this act of
folly.
r,ma{Y;w tIy;B;h l;[;B vyia'h ~,hyel]a aeceY;w ? a'B -r,v]a yer]x;a a'n .W[er'T -l;a y;x;a -l;a ~,hel]a ? h'l'b.N;h -t,a .Wf][;T -l;a ]yityeB -l;a h,Z;h vyia'h ? ta{Z;h
24
"Here is my
virgin daughter and his
concubine.
Please let me
bring them out that you may
ravish them and
do to them whatever you
wish *. But do not
commit such an
act of
folly against
this man."
a'N -h'ayicw{a .Whev.g;lyip.W h'l.Wt.B;h yiTib heNih ? ~,kyenye[.B bw{J;h ~,h'l .Wf][;w ~'tw{a .WN;[.w ~'tw{a ? ta{Z;h h'l'b.N;h r;b.D .Wf][;t a{l h,Z;h vyia'l.w
25
But the
men would not
listen to him. So the
man seized his
concubine and
brought her out to them; and they
raped her and
abused her
all night until morning, then
let her
go at the
approach of
dawn.
vyia'h qez]x;Y;w w{l ;[{m.vil ~yiv'n]a'h .Wb'a -a{l.w ? H'tw{a .W[.deY;w #.Wx;h ~,hyel]a aec{Y;w w{v.g;lyip.B ? r,q{B;h -d;[ h'l.y;L;h -l'K H'b -.Wl.L;[.tiY;w ? r;x'V;h tw{l][;B 'h.Wx.L;v.y;w
26
As the
day began to
dawn *, the
woman came and
fell down at the
doorway of the
man's house where * her
master was,
until full
daylight.
vyia'h -tyeB x;t,P l{PiT;w r,q{B;h tw{n.pil h'Via'h a{b'T;w ? rw{a'h -d;[ ~'V 'hy,nw{d]a -r,v]a
27
When her
master arose in the
morning and
opened the
doors of the
house and
went out to
go on his
way, then
behold, his
concubine was
lying at the
doorway of the
house with her
hands on the
threshold.
tIy;B;h tw{t.l;D x;T.piY;w r,q{B;B 'hy,n{d]a ~'q'Y;w ? w{v.g;lyip h'Via'h heNih.w w{K.r;d.l t,k,l'l aeceY;w ? @;S;h -l;[ 'hy,d'y.w tIy;B;h x;t,P t,l,p{n
28
He
said to her,
"Get up and let us
go," but
there was
no answer. Then he
placed her on the
donkey; and the
man arose and
went to his
home.
h,n{[ !yea.w h'kelen.w yim.Wq 'hy,lea r,ma{Y;w ? .$,leY;w vyia'h ~'q'Y;w rw{m]x;h -l;[ 'h,x'QiY;w ? w{m{q.mil
29
When he
entered his
house, he
took a
knife and
laid hold of his
concubine and
cut her in
twelve * pieces, limb by
limb, and
sent her
throughout the
territory of
Israel.
qez]x;Y;w t,l,k]a;M;h -t,a x;QiY;w w{tyeB -l,a a{b'Y;w ? r'f'[ ~yen.vil 'hy,m'c][;l 'h,x.T;n.y;w w{v.g;lyip.B ? lea'r.fIy l.Wb.G l{k.B 'h,x.L;v.y;w ~yix't.n
30
All who
saw it
said,
"Nothing like
this has ever
happened or been
seen from the
day when the
sons of
Israel came up from the
land of
Egypt to
this day.
Consider it,
take counsel and
speak up!"
h't]a.rin -a{l.w h't.y.hin -a{l r;m'a.w h,a{r'h -l'k h'y'h.w ? #,r,aem lea'r.fIy -yen.B tw{l][ ~w{Yim.l ta{z'K ? 'hy,l'[ ~,k'l -.Wmyif h,Z;h ~w{Y;h d;[ ~Iy;r.cim ? .WreB;d.w .WcU[