Judges 19

The Levites Concubine

1 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote mountains of Ephraim. He took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.2 But his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her fathers house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there four whole months.3 Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly to her and bring her back, having his servant and a couple of donkeys with him. So she brought him into her fathers house; and when the father of the young woman saw him, he was glad to meet him.4 Now his father-in-law, the young womans father, detained him; and he stayed with him three days. So they ate and drank and lodged there.5 Then it came to pass on the fourth day that they arose early in the morning, and he stood to depart; but the young womans father said to his son-in-law, Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.6 So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the young womans father said to the man, Please be content to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.7 And when the man stood to depart, his father-in-law urged him; so he lodged there again.8 Then he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart, but the young womans father said, Please refresh your heart. So they delayed until afternoon; and both of them ate.9 And when the man stood to departhe and his concubine and his servanthis father-in-law, the young womans father, said to him, Look, the day is now drawing toward evening; please spend the night. See, the day is coming to an end; lodge here, that your heart may be merry. Tomorrow go your way early, so that you may get home.10 However, the man was not willing to spend that night; so he rose and departed, and came opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). With him were the two saddled donkeys; his concubine was also with him.11 They were near Jebus, and the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, Come, please, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and lodge in it.12 But his master said to him, We will not turn aside here into a city of foreigners, who are not of the children of Israel; we will go on to Gibeah.13 So he said to his servant, Come, let us draw near to one of these places, and spend the night in Gibeah or in Ramah.14 And they passed by and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.15 They turned aside there to go in to lodge in Gibeah. And when he went in, he sat down in the open square of the city, for no one would take them into his house to spend the night.16 Just then an old man came in from his work in the field at evening, who also was from the mountains of Ephraim; he was staying in Gibeah, whereas the men of the place were Benjamites.17 And when he raised his eyes, he 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?18 So he said to him, We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah toward the remote mountains of Ephraim; I am from there. I went to Bethlehem in Judah; now I am going to the house of the Lord. But there is no one who will take me into his house,19 although we have both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and bread and wine for myself, for your female servant, and for the young man who is with your servant; there is no lack of anything.20 And the old man said, Peace be with you! However, let all your needs be my responsibility; only do not spend the night in the open square.21 So he brought him into his house, and gave fodder to the donkeys. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

Gibeahs Crime

22 As they were enjoying themselves, suddenly certain men of the city, perverted men, surrounded the house and beat on the door. They spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring out the man who came to your house, that we may know him carnally! 23 But the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, No, my brethren! I beg you, do not act so wickedly! Seeing this man has come into my house, do not commit this outrage.24 Look, here is my virgin daughter and the mans concubine; let me bring them out now. Humble them, and do with them as you please; but to this man do not do such a vile thing!25 But the men would not heed him. So the man took his concubine and brought her out to them. And they knew her and abused her all night until morning; and when the day began to break, they let her go.26 Then the woman came as the day was dawning, and fell down at the door of the mans house where her master was, till it was light.27 When her master arose in the morning, and opened the doors of the house and went out to go his way, there was his concubine, fallen at the door of the house with her hands on the threshold.28 And he said to her, Get up and let us be going. But there was no answer. So the man lifted her onto the donkey; and the man got up and went to his place.29 When he entered his house he took a knife, laid hold of his concubine, and divided her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.30 And so it was that all who saw it said, No such deed has been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up from the land of Egypt until this day. Consider it, confer, and speak up!

Judges 19

Sodom and Gomorrah Revisited

1 In those days Israel had no king. There was a Levitet living temporarily in the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. He acquired a concubines from Bethlehems in Judah.2 However, shet got angry at himt and went homet to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. When she had been there four months,3 her husband camet after her, hoping he could convince her to return.t He brought with him his servantt and a pair of donkeys. When she brought him into her father’s house and the girl’s father saw him, he greeted him warmly.t4 His father-in-law, the girl’s father, persuaded him to stay with him for three days, and they ate and drank together, and spent the night there.5 On the fourth day they woke up early and the Levite got ready to leave.t But the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Have a bite to eat for some energy,t then you can go.”6 So the two of them sat down and had a meal together.t Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Why not stay another night and have a good time!”t7 When the man got ready to leave,t his father-in-law convinced him to stay another night.t8 He woke up early in the morning on the fifth day so he could leave, but the girl’s father said, “Get some energy.t Wait until later in the day to leave!”t So they ate a meal together.9 When the man got ready to leavet with his concubine and his servant,t his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look! The day is almost over!t Stay another night! Since the day is over,t stay another night here and have a good time. You can get up early tomorrow and start your trip home.”t

10 But the man did not want to stay another night. He leftt and traveled as far ast Jebus (that is, Jerusalem).s He had with him a pair of saddled donkeys and his concubine.s
11 When they got near Jebus, it was getting quite latet and the servantt said to his master, “Come on, let’s stop att this Jebusite city and spend the night in it.”12 But his master said to him, “We should not stop at a foreign city where non-Israelites live.t We will travel on to Gibeah.”13 He said to his servant,t “Come on, we will go into one of the other townst and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”14 So they traveled on,t and the sun went down when they were near Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin.t

15 They stopped there and decided to spend the nightt in Gibeah. They came into the city and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them to spend the night.t
16 But then an old man passed by, returning at the end of the day from his work in the field.t The man was from the Ephraimite hill country; he was living temporarily in Gibeah. (The residents of the town were Benjaminites.)t17 When he looked up and saw the travelert in the town square, the old man said, “Where are you heading? Where do you come from?”18 The Levitet said to him, “We are traveling from Bethlehems in Judah to the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. That’s where I’m from. I had business in Bethlehem in Judah, but now I’m heading home.t But no one has invited me into their home.19 We have enough straw and grain for our donkeys, and there is enough food and wine for me, your female servant,t and the young man who is with your servants.s We lack nothing.”20 The old man said, “Everything is just fine!t I will take care of all your needs. But don’t spend the night in the town square.”

21 So he brought him to his house and fed the donkeys. They washed their feet and had a meal.t
22 They were having a good time,t when suddenlyt some men of the city, some good-for-nothings,t surrounded the house and kept beatingt on the door. They said to the old man who owned the house, “Send out the man who came to visit you so we can have sex with him.”t23 The man who owned the house went outside and said to them, “No, my brothers! Don’t do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Don’t do such a disgraceful thing!24 Here are my virgin daughter and my guest’st concubine. I will send them out and you can abuse them and do to them whatever you like.t But don’t do such a disgraceful thing to this man!”25 The men refused to listen to him, so the Levitet grabbed his concubine and made her go outside.t They rapedt her and abused her all night long until morning. They let her go at dawn.26 The woman arrived back at daybreak and was sprawled out on the doorstep of the house where her mastert was staying until it became light.t27 When her mastert got up in the morning, opened the doors of the house, and went outside to start on his journey, there was the woman, his concubine, sprawled out on the doorstep of the house with her hands on the threshold.28 He said to her, “Get up, let’s leave!” But there was no response. He put her on the donkey and went home.t29 When he got home, he took a knife, grabbed his concubine, and carved her up into twelve pieces.t Then he sent the pieces throughout Israel.t

30 Everyone who saw the sightt said, “Nothing like this has happened or been witnessed during the entire time sincet the Israelites left the land of Egypt!s Take careful note of it! Discuss it and speak!”