1 T here was no king in Israel in those days. And there was a certain Levite staying in a far away part of the hill country of Ephraim. He took a woman from Bethlehem in Judah to act as his wife.

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 woman was not faithful to him. She left him and went to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. She stayed there 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 got up and went after her. He was gentle in speaking to her, asking her to return with him. He brought his servant and two donkeys with him. So she brought him into her father’s house. When her 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, made him stay. So he stayed with him three days. They ate and drank and stayed 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 hey got up early in the morning on the fourth day to get ready to go. The girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Eat a piece of bread to get your strength. Then 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. The girl’s father said to the man, “I beg you, agree to stay the night. Let your heart be happy.”

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 he man stood up to go. But his father-in-law begged him so that he stayed another night there.

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

8 H e got up to go early in the morning on the fifth day. But the girl’s father said, “I beg you, get your strength first. Wait until later in the day.” 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 T hen the man stood up to leave with his woman and his servant. His father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Now see, the day is ending. I beg you, stay the night. See, the day is coming to an end. Stay here through the night so your heart may be happy. Get up early tomorrow to go on your way 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 would not stay the night. He stood up and left and came to a place beside Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had his woman with him and two donkeys to carry them both.

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 he day was almost gone when they were near Jebus. The servant said to his owner, “Come, let us go in and stay the night in this city of the Jebusites.”

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 owner said to him, “We will not go into the city of strangers who are not of the people of Israel. We will go 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 A nd he said to his servant, “Come, let us go to one of these places. We will stay 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 Jebus and went on their way. The sun went down when they were near Gibeah, a city of 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 to go in and stay at Gibeah. They went in and sat down outside in the center of the city. For no one took them into his house to stay 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 I n the evening an old man came out of the field from his work. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and 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 T he old man looked up and saw the traveler in the center of the city, and said, “Where are you going? 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 T he Levite said to him, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to a far away part of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, but am now returning home. But no one 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 W e have food for our donkeys. And we have bread and wine for me, my woman, and the young man who is with your servants. We have all we need.”

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. Let me take care of all your needs. But do not stay the night in the street.”

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 food to the donkeys. The people 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 having a happy time, certain sinful men of the city gathered around the house. They beat on the door and said to the old man, the owner of the house, “Bring out the man who came into your house so we can have sex 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 he man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said, “No, my brothers. I beg you not to be so sinful. This man has come into my house. Do not do this sinful thing.

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 daughter who has never had a man. And here is the woman who belongs to the man. Let me bring them out. Put them to shame. Do to them whatever you wish. But do not do such a sinful act 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 Levite took hold of his woman and brought her out to them. The men had sex with her all night until morning. When the sun came up, 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 he woman came early in the morning and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her owner was. She lay there until 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 H er owner got up in the morning and opened the doors of the house. He went out to go on his way and saw his woman lying at the door of the house. Her hands were on the step.

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. Let us be going.” But there was no answer. He put her body across the donkey and started on his way 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 went into his house, he took a knife. He took hold of his woman and cut her into twelve pieces, arm by arm, leg by leg. Then he sent her out through all the land 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 happened before. Nothing like this has been seen from the day when the people of Israel came from the land of Egypt until now. Think about it. Listen to what is said about it. And say what you think.”

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.