Shof'tim (Jdg) 19
19
1In those days, when there was no king in Isra’el, there was a certain Levi living on the far side of the Efrayim hills who took a woman from Beit-Lechem in Y’hudah to be his concubine. 2But his concubine was unfaithful to him and left him to go to her father’s house at Beit-Lechem in Y’hudah, where she stayed for some time, four months. 3Then her husband went after her to persuade her to return; he had his servant with him and a pair of donkeys. She brought him into her father’s house; and when the girl’s father saw him, he was glad to meet him. 4His father-in-law, the girl’s father, kept him there; so he remained with him three days; they ate, drank and stayed there. 5On the fourth day they got up early in the morning, and he prepared to leave. But the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “You’ll feel better if you have a bite of food before you leave.” 6So the two of them sat down and ate and drank together. Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Please stay one more night, and have a good time.” 7The man rose to leave, but his father-in-law pressed him, so he stayed there again. 8The morning of the fifth day, he got up early to leave; but the girl’s father said, “Why don’t you have something to eat, and leave this afternoon?” So the two men ate. 9When the man got up to leave with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, it’s almost evening. Please stay the night — you see that it’s getting late. Stay on, enjoy yourself, and tomorrow get going early on your way home.” 10But the man wouldn’t stay that night; so he got up and left with his concubine and his two saddled donkeys; and they arrived at Y’vus, also known as Yerushalayim.
11By the time they arrived at Y’vus it was nearly evening; and the servant said to his master, “Why don’t we go on into this city of the Y’vusi and stay there?” 12But his master said to him, “We won’t go into a city of foreigners which doesn’t belong to the people of Isra’el. We’ll go on across to Giv‘ah.” 13He said to his servant, “Let’s go, and we’ll get to one of those places; we’ll stay in Giv‘ah or Ramah.” 14So they went on and kept traveling, until the sun set on them near Giv‘ah, which belongs to Binyamin. 15There they turned off the road to go and stay in Giv‘ah. He went in and sat down in the city’s open space, since no one had offered his home for them to spend the night.
16In time, at nightfall, an old man came from his work in the field. He was from the Efrayim hills and was staying in Giv‘ah, although the residents were of Binyamin. 17The old man looked up, saw the traveler in the city’s open space and said, “Where are you going, and where are you coming from?” 18He replied, “We’re crossing from Beit-Lechem in Y’hudah to the far side of the Efrayim hills. That’s where I’m from. I went to Beit-Lechem in Y’hudah, and now I’m going to the house of Adonai; but there’s no one here who will let me spend the night in his home. 19We have straw and food for our donkeys, also bread and wine for me, my concubine and the boy there with your servants; we don’t need anything else.” 20The old man said, “You’re welcome to stay with me. I’ll take care of anything you lack; just don’t spend the night out in the open.” 21So he brought him home and gave food to the donkeys. Then they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
22They were relaxing, when suddenly some men from the city, good-for-nothings, surrounded the house and began beating at the door. “Send out the man who came home with you!” they demanded of the old man whose house it was. “We want to have sex with him!” 23The man whose house it was went out and said to them, “No, my brothers, please don’t do anything as wrong as this. Look, he’s just a guest in my house; don’t do this degrading thing. 24Here’s my daughter, who’s a virgin, and his concubine. I’ll bring them out. Mistreat them, do what you want to them, but don’t do such a degrading thing to this man.” 25However, the men wouldn’t listen to him; so the man took hold of his concubine and brought her out to them. They raped her and abused her all night long; only at dawn did they let her go. 26At daybreak the woman came and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her husband was, and she was still there when it grew light. 27When her husband got up, opened the doors of the house, and went out to go on his way, he saw the woman lying there with her hands stretched out toward the door. 28He said to her, “Get up! Let’s go!” But there was no answer. So he loaded her body on the donkey and began his trip home. 29On arrival at his house, he got a knife, took hold of his concubine’s body, cut her up into twelve pieces, and sent them to all the regions of Isra’el. 30Everyone who saw it said, “From the day the people of Isra’el came up from Egypt until now, never has such a thing happened or been seen. What are we going to do about it? Talk it over and decide.”
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Shof'tim (Jdg) 19: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish BibleJudges 19
19
1There was a certain Levite, who dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim, who took a wife of Bethlehem Juda.
2And she left him and returned to her father's house in Bethlehem, and abode with him four months.
3And her husband followed her, willing to be reconciled with her, and to speak kindly to her, and to bring her back with him, having with him a servant and two asses: and she received him, and brought him into her father's house. And when his father in law had heard this, and had seen him, he met him with joy,
4And embraced the man. And the son-in-law tarried in the house of his father-in-law three days, eating with him and drinking familiarly.
5But on the fourth day arising early in the morning he desired to depart. But his father-in-law kept him, and said to him: Taste first a little bread, and strengthen thy stomach, and so thou shalt depart.
6And they sat down together, and ate and drank. And the father of the young woman said to his son-in-law: I beseech thee to stay here to-day, and let us make merry together.
7But he rising up began to be for departing. And nevertheless his father-in-law earnestly pressed him, and made him stay with him.
8But when morning was come, the Levite prepared to go on his journey. And his father-in-law said to him again: I beseech thee to take a little meat, and strengthening thyself, till the day be farther advanced, afterwards thou mayest depart. And they ate together.
9And the young man arose to set forward with his wife and servant. And his father-in-law spoke to him again: Consider that the day is declining, and draweth toward evening. Tarry with me to-day also, and spend the day in mirt; and to-morrow thou shalt depart, that thou mayest go into thy house.
10His son-in-law would not consent to his words: but forthwith went forward and came over against Jebus, which by another name is called Jerusalem, leading with him two asses laden, and his concubine.
11And now they were come near Jebus, and the day was far spent. And the servant said to his master: Come, I beseech thee, let us turn into the city of the Jebusites, and lodge there.
12His master answered him: I will not go into the town of another nation, who are not of the children of Israel, but I will pass over to Gabaa.
13And when I shall come thither, we will lodge there, or at least in the city of Rama.
14So they passed by Jebus, and went on their journey, and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gabaa, which is in the tribe of Benjamin.
15And they turned into it, to lodge there. And when they were come in, they sat in the street of the city, for no man would receive them to lodge.
16And, behold, they saw an old man, returning out of the field and from his work in the evening; and he also was of mount Ephraim, and dwelt as a stranger in Gabaa. But the men of that country were the children of Jemini.
17And the old man lifting up his eyes saw the man sitting with his bundles in the street of the city, and said to him: Whence comest thou? And whither goest thou?
18He answered him: We came out from Bethlehem Juda, and we are going to our home, which is on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence we went to Bethlehem. And now we go to the house of God, and none will receive us under his roof.
19We have straw and hay for provender of the asses, and bread and wine for the use of myself and of thy handmaid, and of the servant that is with me: we want nothing but lodging.
20And the old man answered him: Peace be with thee: I will furnish all things that are necessary. Only I beseech thee, stay not in the street.
21And he brought him into his house, and gave provender to his asses: and after they had washed their feet, he entertained them with a feast.
22While they were making merry, and refreshing their bodies with meat and drink, after the labour of the journey, the men of that city, sons of Belial, (that is, without yoke,) came and beset the old man's house, and began to knock at the door, calling to the master of the house, and saying: Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may abuse him.
23And the old man went out to them, and said: Do not so, my brethren, do not so wickedly, because this man is come into my lodging: and cease I pray you from this folly.
24I have a maiden daughter, and this man hath a concubine. I will bring them out to you, and you may humble them, and satisfy your lust: only, I beseech you, commit not this crime against nature on the man.
25They would not be satisfied with his words; which the man seeing, brought out his concubine to them, and abandoned her to their wickedness. And when they had abused her all the night, they let her go in the morning.
26But the woman, at the dawning of the day, came to the door of the house where her lord lodged, and there fell down.
27And in the morning the man arose, and opened the door that he might end the journey he had begun. And, behold, his concubine lay before the door with her hands spread on the threshold.
28He thinking she was taking her rest, said to her: Arise, and let us be going. But as she made no answer, perceiving she was dead, he took her up, and laid her upon his ass, and returned to his house.
29And when he was come home he took a sword, and divided the dead body of his wife with her bones into twelve parts: and sent the pieces into all the borders of Israel.
30And when every one had seen this, they all cried out: There was never such a thing done in Israel from the day that our fathers came up out of Egypt, until this day. Give sentence, and decree in common what ought to be done.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.