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.

And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that a certain Levite, sojourning on the further side of mount Ephraim, took him a concubine out of Bethlehem-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 played the whore against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-Judah, and was there some time,—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.

And her husband rose up and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again; and his servant was 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 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 damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days; and they ate and drank, and 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.”

And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart; and the damsel's father said to his son-in-law, Refresh thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterwards ye may 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.”

And they sat down, and ate and drank, both of them together. And the damsel's father said to the man, Be content, I pray thee, and pass the night, and let thy heart be glad.

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

And the man rose up to depart, but his father-in-law urged him, and 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 damsel's father said, Refresh thy heart, I pray thee. And they lingered until the afternoon, and they did eat 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 the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant; and his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said to him, Behold now, the day draws toward evening—I pray you stay all night; behold, the day is declining, lodge here, and let thy heart be merry; and to-morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go to thy tent.

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 tarry the night; and he rose up and departed, and came opposite to Jebus, that is, Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, and his concubine was with him.

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.”

They were near Jebus, and the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, 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.”

But his master said to him, We will not turn aside into the city of a stranger, which is not of the children of Israel, but we will pass 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 draw near to one of these places, and lodge 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.

And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them by 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 thither, to go in, to lodge in Gibeah. And he went in, and sat down in the open place of the city; and there was no one that received him into his house to pass 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, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even; and the man was of mount Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjaminites.

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 he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the open place of the city; and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?

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.

And he said to him, We are travelling from Bethlehem-Judah towards the further side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I; and I went to Bethlehem-Judah, and I have to do with the house of Jehovah; and there is no man that 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.”

And we have both straw and provender for our asses; and I have bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man with thy 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.”

Then the old man said, Peace be with thee; only let all thy wants lie on me; but lodge not 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.

And he brought him into his house, and gave the asses provender; and they 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.”

They were making their hearts merry, when behold, the men of the city, sons of Belial, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they 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 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 to them, and said to them, No, my brethren, I pray you, do not wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, do not this villany.

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, my daughter, who is a virgin, and his concubine; let me bring them out, and humble ye them, and do to them as is good in your sight; 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 hearken to him; and the man took his concubine, and brought her forth to them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning; and let her go when the morning-dawn arose.

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.

And the woman came at the dawning of the day, and fell down at the entrance of the man's house where her lord 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 lord rose up in the morning, and opened the door of the house, and went out to go his way, and behold, there lay the woman his concubine at the entrance 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 go; but no one answered. And he took her upon the ass; and the man rose up, and went to his place.

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 was come into his house, he took the knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, according to her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the borders 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 it came to pass that every one that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came out of Egypt to this day. Think it over, advise, and speak.