1
Now it came about in thosedays, when there was noking in Israel, that there was a certainLevitestaying in the remotepart of the hillcountry of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah.
2
But his concubineplayed the harlotagainst him, and she went away from him to her father'shouse in Bethlehem in Judah, and was there for a period of fourmonths.
3
Then her husbandarose and wentafter her to speaktenderly 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'shouse, and when the girl'sfathersaw him, he was glad to meet him.
5
Now on the fourthday they got up early in the morning, and he prepared to go; and the girl'sfathersaid to his son-in-law, "Sustainyourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go."
6
So both of them satdown and ate and dranktogether; and the girl'sfathersaid to the man, "Please be willing to spend the night, and let your heart be merry."
8
On the fifthday he arose to goearly in the morning, and the girl'sfathersaid, "Pleasesustainyourself, and waituntilafternoon* "; so both of them ate.
9
When the manarose to go along with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl'sfather, said to him, "Beholdnow, the day has drawn to a close; pleasespend the night. Lo, the day is coming to an end; spend the nighthere that your heart may be merry. Then tomorrow you may ariseearly for your journey so that you may gohome."
10
But the man was not willing to spend the night, so he arose and departed and came to a place oppositeJebus (that is, Jerusalem ). And there were with him a pair of saddleddonkeys; his concubine also was with him.
11
When they were nearJebus, the day was almostgone; and the servantsaid to his master, "Pleasecome, and let us turnaside into thiscity of the Jebusites and spend the night in it."
12
However, his mastersaid to him, "We will not turnaside into the city of foreignerswho are not of the sons of Israel; but we will go on as far as Gibeah."
15
They turnedasidethere in order to enter and lodge in Gibeah. When they entered, they satdown in the opensquare of the city, for noonetook them into his house to spend the night.
16
Then behold, an oldman was coming out of the field from his work at evening. Now the man was from the hillcountry of Ephraim, and he was staying in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.
17
And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler* in the opensquare of the city; and the oldmansaid, "Where are you going, and where do you come from?"
18
He said to him, "We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remotepart of the hillcountry of Ephraim, for I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to my house, and noman will take me into his house.
19
"Yet there is bothstraw and fodder for our donkeys, and alsobread and wine for me, your maidservant, and the youngman who is with your servants; there is nolack of anything*."
22
While they were celebrating*, behold, the men of the city, certainworthlessfellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the oldman, saying, "Bring out the manwhocame into your house that we may haverelations with him."
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*thisman has come into my house, do not committhisact of folly.
24
"Here is my virgindaughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them whatever you wish*. But do not commitsuch an act of folly against thisman."
25
But the menwould not listen to him. So the manseized his concubine and brought her out to them; and they raped her and abused her allnightuntilmorning, then let her go at the approach of dawn.
27
When her masterarose 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.
29
When he entered his house, he took a knife and laidhold of his concubine and cut her in twelve*pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel.
30
All who saw it said, "Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israelcame up from the land of Egypt to thisday. Consider it, takecounsel and speak up!"