1 I n those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was living temporarily in the most remote part of the hill district of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.

¶ In those days when there was no king in Israel, there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of Mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem of Judah.

2 A nd his concubine was untrue to him and went away from him to her father’s house at Bethlehem of Judah and stayed there the space of four months.

And his concubine committed adultery against him and went away from him unto her father’s house to Bethlehem of Judah and was there four whole months.

3 T hen her husband arose and went after her to speak kindly to her and to bring her back, having with him his servant and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into her father’s house, and when her father saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

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 A nd his father-in-law, the girl’s father, detained him, and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank, and he lodged there.

and his father-in-law, the damsel’s father, retained him, and he dwelt with him three days; eating and drinking, and abiding there.

5 O n the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and the prepared to leave, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread and afterward go your way.

And on the fourth day when they arose early in the morning, the Levite rose up to depart; and the damsel’s father said unto his son-in-law, Strengthen thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterwards ye shall go.

6 S o both men sat down and ate and drank together, and the girl’s father said to the man, Consent to stay all night and let your heart be merry.

And the two of them sat down together and ate and drank. And the damsel’s father said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and thy heart shall be merry.

7 A nd when the man rose up to depart, his father-in-law urged him; so he lodged there again.

And when the man rose up to depart, his father-in-law urged him to remain and lodge there again.

8 A nd he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart, but the girl’s father said, Strengthen your heart and tarry until toward evening. So they ate, both of them.

And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart, and the damsel’s father said, Strengthen now thy heart. And after having eaten together, they tarried until afternoon.

9 A nd when the man and his concubine and his servant rose up to leave, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, Behold, now the day draws toward evening, I pray you stay all night. Behold, now the day grows to an end, lodge here and let your heart be merry, and tomorrow get early on your way and go home.

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 draws toward evening, I pray you tarry all night; behold, the day comes to an end; lodge here that thy heart may be merry, and tomorrow ye shall get up early and be on your way that thou may come unto thy tent.

10 B ut the man would not stay that night; so he rose up and departed and came opposite to Jebus, which is Jerusalem. With him were two saddled donkeys and his concubine.

But the man would not remain there that night, but he rose up and departed and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem, with his two asses saddled and with his concubine.

11 W hen they were near Jebus, it was late, and the servant said to his master, Come I pray, and let us turn into this Jebusite city and lodge in it.

And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come now and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites and lodge in it.

12 H is master said to him, We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners where there are no Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.

And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside here into a city of strangers that is not of the sons of Israel; we will go on to Gibeah.

13 A nd he said to his servant, Come and let us go to one of these places and spend the night in Gibeah or in Ramah.

And he said unto his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places to pass the night, in Gibeah or in Ramah.

14 S o they passed on and went their way, and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin,

And they passed on and walked; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belonged to Benjamin.

15 A nd they turned aside there to go in and lodge at Gibeah. And the Levite went in and sat down in the open square of the city, for no man took them into his house to spend the night.

And they turned in there, to enter and to lodge in Gibeah; and entering in, they sat down in the plaza of the city, for no one took them into their house to pass the night.

16 A nd behold, an old man was coming from his work in the field at evening. He was from the hill country of Ephraim but was living temporarily in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.

¶ And, behold, an old man, who in the evening came from working in the field, who was also of Mount Ephraim, sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were sons of Jemini.

17 A nd when he looked up, he saw the wayfarer in the city square, and the old man said, Where are you going? And from where did you come?

And the old man lifted up his eyes and saw the traveller in the plaza of the city and said unto him, Where dost thou go and where hast thou come from?

18 T he Levite replied, We are passing from Bethlehem of Judah to the rear side of the hill country of Ephraim; I am from there. I went to Bethlehem of Judah, but I am going to the house of the Lord, and there is no man who receives me into his house.

And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehem of Judah toward the side of Mount Ephraim, where I am from, and I went to Bethlehem of Judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD, and no one has received me in their house

19 Y et we have both straw and provender for our donkeys and bread and wine also for me, your handmaid, and the young man who is with your servants; there is no lack of anything.

even though we have straw and fodder 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 slave; we have no lack of any thing.

20 A nd the old man said, Peace be to you, but leave all your wants to me; only do not lodge in the street.

And the old man said, Peace be with thee; let all thy needs be upon me; only do not pass the night in the plaza.

21 S o he brought him into his house and gave provender to the donkeys. And the guests washed their feet and ate and drank.

So he brought him into his house and gave fodder unto the asses, and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

22 N ow as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows, beset the house round about, beat on the door, and said to the master of the house, the old man, Bring forth the man who came to your house, that we may have intercourse with him.

¶ Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, that men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about and beat at the doors and spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thy house that we may know him.

23 A nd the man, the master of the house, went out and said to them, No, my kinsmen, I pray you, do not act so wickedly; seeing that this man is my guest, do not do this folly.

And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them and said unto them, No, my brethren, I pray you, do not do this evil, seeing that this man has entered into my house; do not commit this folly.

24 B ehold, here are my virgin daughter and this man’s concubine; them I will bring out now; debase them and do with them what seems good to you, but to this man do not so vile a thing.

Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine; I will bring them out now, humble them, and do with them what seems good unto you, but unto this man do not commit this vile folly.

25 B ut the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and forced her forth to them, and they had intercourse with her and abused her all the night until morning. And when the dawn began to break, they let her go.

But the men would not hearken unto him, so the man took his concubine and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her and abused her all night until the morning; and when the day began to break, they let her go.

26 A t daybreak the woman came and fell down and lay at the door of the man’s house where her master was, till it was light.

Then the woman came, in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord was until it was light.

27 A nd her master rose up in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go his way; and behold, his concubine had fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.

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 with her hands upon the threshold.

28 A nd he said to her, Up, and let us be going. But there was no answer. Then he put her upon the donkey, and the man rose up and went home.

And he said unto her, Rise up, and let us be going. But she did not answer. Then the man rose up and took her upon his ass and went unto his place.

29 A nd when he came into his house, he took a knife, and took hold of his dead concubine and divided her limb by limb into twelve pieces and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.

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 them into all the borders of Israel.

30 A nd all who saw it said, There was no such deed done or seen from the day that the Israelites came up out of the land of Egypt to this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak.

And everyone that saw it said, No such deed has been done or seen from the day that the sons of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day. Consider this, give advice, and speak.