1 A nd 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.

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 went away from him to her father’s house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there four whole 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 kindly to her and bring her back, having his servant and a couple of donkeys with him. So she brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young woman 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 N ow his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, detained him; and he stayed 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 T hen it came to pass on the fourth day that they arose early in the morning, and he stood to depart; but the young woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.”

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 they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the young woman’s father said to the man, “Please be content to stay all 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 A nd when the man stood 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; so he lodged there again.

8 T hen he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart, but the young woman’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they delayed until afternoon; and 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 A nd when the man stood to depart—he and his concubine and his servant—his father-in-law, the young woman’s 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.”

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 H owever, 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.

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 T hey 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.”

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 B ut 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.”

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 S o he said to his servant, “Come, let us draw near to one of these places, and spend the night in Gibeah or in 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 A nd they passed by and went their way; and the sun went down 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 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.

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 J ust 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.

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 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?”

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 S o 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,

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 a lthough 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.”

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 A nd 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.”

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 brought him into his house, and gave fodder to the donkeys. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank. Gibeah’s Crime

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

22 A s 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! ”

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 B ut 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.

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 L ook, here is my virgin daughter and the man’s 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!”

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 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.

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 T hen the woman came as the day was dawning, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, till it was light.

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 his way, there was his concubine, fallen at the door 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 A nd 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.

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, laid hold of his concubine, and divided her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout all 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 nd 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!”

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.