1 N ow it came about in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah.

In 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.

2 B ut his concubine played the harlot against him, and she went away from him to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah, and was there for a period of four months.

And 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.

3 T hen her husband arose and went after her to speak tenderly to her in order to bring her back, taking with him his servant and a pair of donkeys. So she brought him into her father’s house, and when the girl’s father saw him, he was glad to meet him.

Then 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.

4 H is father-in-law, the girl’s father, detained him; and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and lodged there.

And 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.

5 N ow on the fourth day they got up early in the morning, and he prepared to go; and the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “ Sustain yourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go.”

On 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.

6 S o both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl’s father said to the man, “Please be willing to spend the night, and let your heart be merry.”

So 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.

7 T hen the man arose to go, but his father-in-law urged him so that he spent the night there again.

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

8 O n the fifth day he arose to go early in the morning, and the girl’s father said, “Please sustain yourself, and wait until afternoon”; so both of them ate.

And 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.

9 W hen the man arose to go along with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Behold now, the day has drawn to a close; please spend the night. Lo, the day is coming to an end; spend the night here that your heart may be merry. Then tomorrow you may arise early for your journey so that you may go home.”

And 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.

10 B ut the man was not willing to spend the night, so he arose and departed and came to a place opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). And there were with him a pair of saddled donkeys; his concubine also was with him.

But 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.

11 W hen they were near Jebus, the day was almost gone; and the servant said to his master, “Please come, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.”

When 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.

12 H owever, his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners who are not of the sons of Israel; but we will go on as far as Gibeah.”

His 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.

13 H e said to his servant, “Come and let us approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”

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

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

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

15 T hey turned aside there in order to enter and lodge in Gibeah. When they entered, they sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.

And 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.

16 T hen behold, an old man was coming out of the field from his work at evening. Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was staying in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.

And 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.

17 A nd 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?”

And 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?

18 H e said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, for I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to my house, and no man will take me into his house.

The 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.

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

Yet 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.

20 T he old man said, “ Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the open square.”

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

21 S o he took him into his house and gave the donkeys fodder, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.

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

22 W hile they were celebrating, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him.”

Now 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.

23 T hen the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not commit this act of folly.

And 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.

24 H ere is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.”

Behold, 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.

25 B ut the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them; and they raped her and abused her all night until morning, then let her go at the approach of dawn.

But 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.

26 A s the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man’s house where her master was, until full daylight.

At 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.

27 W hen her master arose in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, then behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold.

And 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.

28 H e said to her, “Get up and let us go,” but there was no answer. Then he placed her on the donkey; and the man arose and went to his home.

And 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.

29 W hen he entered his house, he took a knife and laid hold of his concubine and cut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel.

And 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.

30 A ll who saw it said, “Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, take counsel and speak up!”

And 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.