Third Millennium Bible TMB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of Mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem in Judah.
1
In those days when Israel didn't have a king, there was a Levite who lived in a remote area in the mountains of Ephraim. He took a woman from Bethlehem in Judah to be his concubine.
2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehem in Judah, and was there four whole months.
2
But she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went to her father's home, to Bethlehem in Judah. When she had been there four months,
3 And her husband arose and went after her to speak friendly unto her and to bring her back, having his servant with him and a couple of asses. And she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
3
her husband went to persuade her to come back home. He took along his servant and two donkeys. She took her husband into her father's house. Her father was thrilled to see him.
4 And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, entertained him, and he tarried with him three days; so they ate and drank and lodged there.
4
He made the Levite stay there with him, celebrating for three days.
5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart; and the damsel's father said unto his son-in-law, "Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way."
5
On the fourth day they got up early in the morning to leave, but the woman's father told his son-in-law, "Eat something to keep up your strength and then you can go."
6 And they sat down and ate and drank both of them together; for the damsel's father had said unto the man, "Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry."
6
So they both sat down and ate and drank together. The woman's father said to his son-in-law, "Why don't you spend the night and enjoy yourself?"
7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father-in-law urged him; therefore he lodged there again.
7
When the Levite started to leave, his father-in-law urged him to stay another night, so he did.
8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the damsel's father said, "Comfort thine heart, I pray thee." And they tarried until afternoon, and they ate both of them.
8
On the morning of the fifth day, the Levite got up early to leave. The woman's father said, "Eat something to keep up your strength!" So they spent the time eating until late afternoon.
9 And when the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said unto him, "Behold, now the day draweth toward evening. I pray you tarry all night. Behold, the day groweth to an end. Lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and tomorrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home."
9
The Levite started to leave with his concubine and his servant. But his father-in-law said to him, "It's already evening. Please stay another night. It's too late [to leave] now. Stay here, and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can start out early to go home."
10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came opposite Jebus, which is Jerusalem. And there were with him two asses saddled. His concubine also was with him.
10
But the Levite refused to spend another night. He left and traveled as far as Jebus (now called Jerusalem). He had with him two saddled donkeys and his concubine.
11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, "Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites and lodge in it."
11
By the time they were near Jebus, it was very late in the day. The Levite's servant said to him, "Let's go spend the night in Jebus."
12 And his master said 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."
12
The Levite told him, "We'll never go into a city of foreigners. They're not Israelites. We'll go on to Gibeah."
13 And he said unto his servant, "Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah or in Ramah."
13
He told his servant, "Let's go someplace else. We'll spend the night either at Gibeah or Ramah."
14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
14
So they went on. It was sunset by the time they arrived at Gibeah. (Gibeah belonged to the tribe of Benjamin.)
15 And they turned aside thither to go in and to lodge in Gibeah; and when he went in, he sat down in a street of the city, for there was no man who took them into his house for lodging.
15
They went to spend the night there. The Levite entered Gibeah and sat down in the city square, because no one offered to take them home for the night.
16 And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening, who was also of Mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.
16
That evening an old man came into the city from his work in the fields. He was from the mountain region of Ephraim but lived in Gibeah. The other people who lived there were from the tribe of Benjamin.
17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, "Whither goest thou? And from whence comest thou?"
17
He saw the traveler in the city square. So the old man asked, "Where do you come from? And where are you going?"
18 And he said unto him, "We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah toward the side of Mount Ephraim; from thence am I. And I went to Bethlehem in Judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man who receiveth me to his house.
18
The Levite replied, "We're on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area in the mountains of Ephraim. That's where I'm from. I had gone to Bethlehem in Judah. Now I'm going to the LORD's house, but no one has offered to take me into his home.
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 who is with thy servants. There is no want of any thing."
19
We have straw and fodder for our donkeys. I even have bread and wine for myself, the woman, and my servant. We have everything we need."
20 And the old man said, "Peace be with thee. Howsoever, let all thy wants lie upon me. Only lodge not in the street."
20
Then the old man said, "Welcome! Let me take care of your needs. Just don't spend the night in the city square."
21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
21
So he took the Levite to his house and fed the donkeys. After they washed, they ate and drank.
22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about and beat at the door, and spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring forth the man who came into thine house, that we may know him."
22
While they were enjoying themselves, some worthless men from the city surrounded the house and pounded on the door. They told the old man, the owner of the house, "Bring out the man who came to your house so that we can have sex with 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 has come into mine house, do not this folly.
23
The owner went out to them. He told them, "No, my friends! Please don't do anything so evil! This man is a guest in my home. Don't do such a godless thing!
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 seemeth good unto you; but unto this man do not so vile a thing!"
24
Here, let me bring out my virgin daughter and this man's concubine. Rape them, and do with them whatever you want. Just don't do such a godless thing to this man."
25 But the men would not hearken to him. So the man took 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.
25
But the men refused to listen to him. So the Levite grabbed his concubine and forced her outside. They had sex with her and abused her all night until morning. They let her go when the sun was coming up.
26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
26
At daybreak, the woman came to the door of the house where her husband was and collapsed. She was still there when it became light.
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, had fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.
27
Her husband got up in the morning, opened the doors of the house, and was about to leave. His wife (that is, his concubine) was lying at the door of the house with her hands on the doorstep.
28 And he said unto her, "Up, and let us be going." But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up and went unto his place.
28
The Levite said to her, "Get up! Let's go!" But she did not answer. So he put her on the donkey and left for home.
29 And when he had 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 regions of Israel.
29
When he arrived home, he got a knife. He took his concubine and cut her limb from limb into 12 pieces. Then he sent the pieces throughout the territories of Israel.
30 And it was so, that all who 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 until this day. Consider it, take counsel, and speak your minds."
30
Everyone who saw it said, "Never has such a thing happened or been seen from the time the people of Israel came out of Egypt until today. Think about it! Form a plan, and speak out!"
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.