Judges 19

1And it came to pass in those daysH3117, when there was no kingH4428 in IsraelH3478, that there was a certain LeviteH3881 sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of EphraimH669, who tookH3947 to him a concubineH6370 out of Beth-lehem-judah. 2And his concubineH6370 playedH2181 the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father’sH1 houseH1004 to Beth-lehem-judah, and wasH1961 there the space of fourH702 monthsH2320. 3And her husbandH376 aroseH6965, and wentH935 after her, to speakH1696 kindly unto her, to bringH935 her again, having his servantH5288 with him, and a couple of asses: and she broughtH935 him into her father’sH1 houseH1004; and when the fatherH1 of the damsel sawH7200 him, he rejoicedH8055 to meet him. 4And his father-in-law, the damsel’s fatherH1, retained him; and he abode with him threeH7969 daysH3117: so they did eatH398 and drinkH8354, and lodged there. 5And it came to pass on the fourthH7243 dayH3117, that they aroseH6965 earlyH7925 in the morningH1242, and he roseH6965 up to depart: and the damsel’s fatherH1 saidH559 unto his son-in-law, Strengthen thy heartH3820 with a morselH6595 of breadH3899, and afterward ye shall go your way. 6So they satH3427 downH3427, and did eatH398 and drinkH8354, both of them togetherH3162: and the damsel’s fatherH1 saidH559 unto the manH376, Be pleased, I pray thee, to tarry all night, and let thy heartH3820 be merry. 7And the manH376 roseH6965 up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again. 8And he arose earlyH7925 in the morningH1242 on the fifthH2549 dayH3117 to depart; and the damsel’s fatherH1 saidH559, Strengthen thy heartH3824, I pray thee, and tarry ye until the dayH3117 declineth; and they did eatH398, both of them. 9And when the manH376 roseH6965 up to depart, he, and his concubineH6370, and his servantH5288, his father-in-law, the damsel’s fatherH1, saidH559 unto him, Behold, now the dayH3117 draweth toward eveningH6150, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the dayH3117 groweth to an end, lodge hereH6311, that thy heartH3824 may be merry; and to-morrow get you earlyH7925 on your wayH1870, that thou mayest goH1980 home.

10But the manH376 wouldH14 not tarry that night, but he roseH6965 up and departed, and cameH935 over against JebusH2982 (the same is JerusalemH3389): and there were with him a couple of asses saddledH2280; his concubineH6370 also was with him. 11When they were by JebusH2982, the dayH3117 was far spentH3885; and the servantH5288 saidH559 unto his masterH113, Come, I pray thee, and let us turnH5493 asideH5493 into this cityH5892 of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. 12And his masterH113 saidH559 unto him, We will not turnH5493 asideH5493 into the cityH5892 of a foreignerH5237, that is not of the children of IsraelH3478; but we will passH5674 over to GibeahH1390. 13And he saidH559 unto his servantH5288, Come and let us drawH7126 near to oneH259 of these placesH4725; and we will lodge in GibeahH1390, or in RamahH7414. 14So they passedH5674 on and wentH935 their way; and the sunH8121 wentH935 down upon them near to GibeahH1390, which belongeth to BenjaminH1144. 15And they turnedH5493 asideH5493 thither, to goH935 in to lodge in GibeahH1390: and he wentH935 in, and satH3427 him downH3427 in the street of the cityH5892; for there was no manH376 that took them into his houseH1004 to lodge.

16And, behold, there cameH935 an oldH2205 manH376 from his workH4639 out of the fieldH7704 at even: now the manH376 was of the hill-country of EphraimH669, and he sojourned in GibeahH1390; but the menH376 of the placeH4725 were Benjamites. 17And he liftedH5375 up his eyesH5869, and sawH7200 the wayfaring manH376 in the street of the cityH5892; and the oldH2205 manH376 saidH559, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? 18And he saidH559 unto him, We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah unto the farther side of the hill-country of EphraimH669; from thence am I, and I wentH1980 to Beth-lehem-judah: and I am now goingH1980 to the houseH1004 of Jehovah; and there is no manH376 that taketh me into his houseH1004. 19Yet there is both strawH8401 and provender for our asses; and there is breadH3899 and wineH3196 alsoH1571 for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the youngH5288 manH5288 that is with thy servantsH5650: there is no want of anything. 20And the oldH2205 manH376 saidH559, PeaceH7965 be unto thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; onlyH7535 lodge not in the street. 21So he broughtH935 him into his houseH1004, and gave the asses fodder; and they washedH7364 their feetH7272, and did eatH398 and drinkH8354.

22As they were making their heartsH3820 merry, behold, the menH376 of the cityH5892, certain base fellows, beset the houseH1004 roundH5437 about, beating at the doorH1817; and they spake to the master of the houseH1004, the old manH376, sayingH559, BringH935 forthH3318 the manH376 that cameH935 into thy houseH1004, that we may knowH3045 him. 23And the manH376, the master of the houseH1004, wentH3318 out unto them, and saidH559 unto them, Nay, my brethren, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this manH376 is comeH935 into my houseH1004, do not this follyH5039. 24Behold, hereH2009 is my daughterH1323 a virginH1330, and his concubineH6370; them I will bringH3318 out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth goodH2896 unto you: but unto this manH376 do not any such follyH5039. 25But the menH376 wouldH14 not hearken to him: so the manH376 laid holdH2388 on his concubineH6370, and broughtH3318 her forthH3318 unto them; and they knewH3045 her, and abused her all the nightH3915 until the morningH1242: and when the day began to spring, they let her goH3318. 26Then cameH935 the womanH802 in the dawning of the day, and fellH5307 downH5307 at the doorH6607 of the man’sH376 houseH1004 whereH834 her lordH113 was, till it was lightH216.

27And her lordH113 roseH6965 up in the morningH1242, and openedH6605 the doorsH1817 of the houseH1004, and wentH3318 out to goH3318 his wayH1870; and, behold, the womanH802 his concubineH6370 was fallenH5307 downH5307 at the doorH1817 of the houseH1004, with her handsH3027 upon the threshold. 28And he saidH559 unto her, Up, and let us be going; but none answered: then he tookH3947 her up upon the ass; and the manH376 roseH6965 up, and gat him unto his placeH4725. 29And when he was comeH935 into his houseH1004, he tookH3947 a knifeH3979, and laid holdH2388 on his concubineH6370, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve piecesH5409, and sentH7971 her throughout all the bordersH1366 of IsraelH3478. 30And it wasH1961 so, that all that sawH7200 it saidH559, There wasH1961 no such deed done nor seenH7200 from the dayH3117 that the children of IsraelH3478 came up out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714 unto this dayH3117: considerH7200 it, take counsel, and speakH1696.