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Chapter 19 |
| 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 Bethlehemjudah. |
| 2 | And his concubine played the whore against
him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was
there four whole months. |
| 3 | And her husband arose, and went after her, to
speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, 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. |
| 4 | And his
father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three
days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. |
| 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. |
| 6 | And they
sat down, and did eat and drink 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. |
| 7 | And when the man rose up to depart, his
father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again. |
| 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 did eat both of them. |
|
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 to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
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| 10 | But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and
came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses
saddled, his concubine also was with him. |
|
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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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.
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| 15 | And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when
he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that
took them into his house to lodging. |
| 16 | And, behold, there came an
old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount
Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were
Benjamites. |
|
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 whence comest thou? |
|
18 | And he said unto him, We are passing
from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I
went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there
is no man that receiveth me to house. |
| 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 which is with thy servants: there is no want of
any thing. |
| 20
| And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let
all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. |
| 21 | So he
brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed
their feet, and did eat and drink. |
| 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 spake to the master of the house,
the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we
may know 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 is come into mine house, do not this
folly. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 was fallen down at the door of
the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. |
| 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 gat him unto his place. |
| 29 | And
when he was 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 coasts of Israel. |
|
30 | And it was so, that all
that 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 unto this day: consider of
it, take advice, and speak your minds. |
