English Standard Version ESV
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
1
fuit quidam vir Levites habitans in latere montis Ephraim qui accepit uxorem de Bethleem Iuda
2 And his concubine was unfaithful to him, and she went away from him to her father’s house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there some four months.
2
quae reliquit eum et reversa est in domum patris sui Bethleem mansitque apud eum quattuor mensibus
3 Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly to her and bring her back. He had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into her father’s house. And when the girl’s father saw him, he came with joy to meet him.
3
secutusque est eam vir suus volens ei reconciliari atque blandiri et secum reducere habens in comitatu puerum et duos asinos quae suscepit eum et introduxit in domum patris sui quod cum audisset socer eius eumque vidisset occurrit ei laetus
4 And his father-in-law, the girl’s father, made him stay, and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and spent the night there.
4
et amplexatus est hominem mansitque gener in domo soceri tribus diebus comedens cum eo et bibens familiariter
5 And on the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to go, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go. ”
5
die autem quarto de nocte consurgens proficisci voluit quem tenuit socer et ait ad eum gusta prius pauxillum panis et conforta stomachum et sic proficisceris
6 So the two of them sat and ate and drank together. And the girl’s father said to the man, “Be pleased to spend the night, and let your heart be merry. ”
6
sederuntque simul et comederunt ac biberunt dixitque pater puellae ad generum suum quaeso te ut hodie hic maneas pariterque laetemur
7 And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, till he spent the night there again.
7
at ille consurgens coepit velle proficisci et nihilominus obnixe eum socer tenuit et apud se fecit manere
8 And on the fifth day he arose early in the morning to depart. And the girl’s father said, “Strengthen your heart and wait until the day declines. ” So they ate, both of them.
8
mane facto parabat Levites iter cui rursum socer oro te inquit ut paululum cibi capias et adsumptis viribus donec increscat dies postea proficiscaris comederunt ergo simul
9 And when the man and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Behold, now the day has waned toward evening. Please, spend the night. Behold, the day draws to its close. Lodge here and let your heart be merry, and tomorrow you shall arise early in the morning for your journey, and go home. ”
9
surrexitque adulescens ut pergeret cum uxore sua et puero cui rursum locutus est socer considera quod dies ad occasum declivior sit et propinquet ad vesperum mane apud me etiam hodie et duc laetum diem et cras proficisceris ut vadas in domum tuam
10 But the man would not spend the night. He rose up and departed and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him a couple of saddled donkeys, and his concubine was with him.
10
noluit gener adquiescere sermonibus eius sed statim perrexit et venit contra Iebus quae altero nomine vocabatur Hierusalem ducens secum duos asinos onustos et concubinam
11 When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, “Come now, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it. ”
11
iamque aderant iuxta Iebus et dies mutabatur in noctem dixitque puer ad dominum suum veni obsecro declinemus ad urbem Iebuseorum et maneamus in ea
12 And his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners, who do not belong to the people of Israel, but we will pass on to Gibeah. ”
12
cui respondit dominus non ingrediar oppidum gentis alienae quae non est de filiis Israhel sed transibo usque Gabaa
13 And he said to his young man, “Come and let us draw near to one of these places and spend the night at Gibeah or at Ramah. ”
13
et cum illuc pervenero manebimus in ea aut certe in urbe Rama
14 So they passed on and went their way. And the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin,
14
transierunt igitur Iebus et coeptum carpebant iter occubuitque eis sol iuxta Gabaa quae est in tribu Beniamin
15 and they turned aside there, to go in and spend the night at Gibeah. And he went in and sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.
15
deverteruntque ad eam ut manerent ibi quo cum intrassent sedebant in platea civitatis et nullus eos recipere volebat hospitio
16 And behold, an old man was coming from his work in the field at evening. The man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah. The men of the place were Benjaminites.
16
et ecce apparuit homo senex revertens de agro et de opere suo vespere qui et ipse erat de monte Ephraim et peregrinus habitabat in Gabaa homines autem regionis illius erant filii Iemini
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? ”
17
elevatisque oculis vidit senex sedentem hominem cum sarcinulis suis in platea civitatis et dixit ad eum unde venis et quo vadis
18 And he said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, from which I come. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of the Lord, but no one has taken me into his house.
18
qui respondit ei profecti sumus de Bethleem Iuda et pergimus ad locum nostrum qui est in latere montis Ephraim unde ieramus Bethleem et nunc vadimus ad domum Dei nullusque nos sub tectum suum vult recipere
19 We have straw and feed for our donkeys, with bread and wine for me and your female servant and the young man with your servants. There is no lack of anything. ”
19
habentes paleas et faenum in asinorum pabulum et panem ac vinum in meos et ancillae tuae usus et pueri qui mecum est nulla re indigemus nisi hospitio
20 And the old man said, “Peace be to you; I will care for all your wants. Only, do not spend the night in the square. ”
20
cui respondit senex pax tecum sit ego praebebo omnia quae necessaria sunt tantum quaeso ne in platea maneas
21 So he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys feed. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
21
introduxitque eum in domum suam et pabulum asinis praebuit ac postquam laverunt pedes suos recepit eos in convivium
22 As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they said to the old man, the master of the house, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him. ”
22
illis epulantibus et post laborem itineris cibo ac potu reficientibus corpora venerunt viri civitatis illius filii Belial id est absque iugo et circumdantes domum senis fores pulsare coeperunt clamantes ad dominum domus atque dicentes educ virum qui ingressus est domum tuam ut abutamur eo
23 And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not do this vile thing.
23
egressusque est ad eos senex et ait nolite fratres nolite facere malum hoc quia ingressus est homo hospitium meum et cessate ab hac stultitia
24 Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine. Let me bring them out now. Violate them and do with them what seems good to you, but against this man do not do this outrageous thing. ”
24
habeo filiam virginem et hic homo habet concubinam educam eas ad vos ut humilietis eas et vestram libidinem conpleatis tantum obsecro ne scelus hoc contra naturam operemini in virum
25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and made her go out to them. And they knew her and abused her all night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go.
25
nolebant adquiescere sermonibus eius quod cernens homo eduxit ad eos concubinam suam et eis tradidit inludendam qua cum tota nocte abusi essent dimiserunt eam mane
26 And as morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, until it was light.
26
at mulier recedentibus tenebris venit ad ostium domus ubi manebat dominus suus et ibi corruit
27 And her master rose up in the morning, and when he opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, behold, there was his concubine lying at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.
27
mane facto surrexit homo et aperuit ostium ut coeptam expleret viam et ecce concubina eius iacebat ante ostium sparsis in limine manibus
28 He said to her, “Get up, let us be going. ” But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey, and the man rose up and went away to his home.
28
cui ille putans eam quiescere loquebatur surge ut ambulemus qua nihil respondente intellegens quod erat tulit eam et inposuit asino reversusque est in domum suam
29 And when he entered his house, he took a knife, and taking hold of his concubine he divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.
29
quam cum esset ingressus arripuit gladium et cadaver uxoris cum ossibus suis in duodecim partes ac frusta concidens misit in omnes terminos Israhel
30 And all who saw it said, “Such a thing has never happened or been seen from the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak. ”
30
quod cum vidissent singuli conclamabant numquam res talis facta est in Israhel ex eo die quo ascenderunt patres nostri de Aegypto usque in praesens tempus ferte sententiam et in commune decernite quid facto opus sit
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.