Judges 19

The Crime of the Benjamites

(Genesis 19:1–11)

1NowH1961 in thoseH1992 daysH3117, when there was noH369 kingH4428 in IsraelH3478H1961H376, a LeviteH3881 who livedH1481 in the remoteH3411 hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669 tookH3947 for himself a concubineH802H6370 from BethlehemH1035 in JudahH3063. 2But sheH6370 was unfaithfulH2181 to himH59211 and leftH1980 himH854 to return toH413 her father’sH1 houseH1004 inH413 BethlehemH1035 in JudahH3063.

After she had beenH1961 thereH8033 fourH702 monthsH2320, 3her husbandH376 got upH6965 and wentH1980 after herH310 to speakH1696 kindlyH3820 to herH5921 and bring her backH7725, taking his servantH5288H5973 and a pairH6776 of donkeysH2543. So the girl brought himH935 into her father’sH1 houseH1004, and whenH5291 her fatherH1 saw himH7200, he gladlyH8055 welcomed himH7122. 4His father-in-lawH2859, the girl’sH5291 fatherH1, persuaded him to stayH2388, so he remainedH3427 with himH854 threeH7969 daysH3117, eatingH398, drinkingH8354, and lodgingH3885 thereH8033.

5

On the fourthH7243 dayH3117, they got up earlyH7925 in the morningH1242 and preparedH6965 to departH1980, but the girl’sH5291 fatherH1 saidH559 toH413 his son-in-lawH2860, “RefreshH5582 your heartH3820 with a morselH6595 of breadH3899, and thenH310 you can goH1980.” 6So they sat downH3427 and the twoH8147 of them ateH398 and drankH8354 togetherH3162. Then the girl’sH5291 fatherH1 saidH559 toH413 the manH376, “PleaseH4994 agreeH2974 to stay overnightH3885 and let your heartH3820 be merryH3190.” 7The manH376 got upH6965 to departH1980, but his father-in-lawH2859H7725 persuadedH6484 him, so he stayedH3885 there that nightH8033.

8On the fifthH2549 dayH3117, he got up earlyH7925 in the morningH1242 to departH1980, but the girl’sH5291 fatherH1 saidH559, “PleaseH4994 refreshH5582 your heartH3824.” So they waitedH4102 untilH5704 late afternoonH5186H3117 and the twoH8147 of them ateH398. 9When the manH376 got upH6965 to departH1980H1931 with his concubineH6370 and his servantH5288, his father-in-lawH2859, the girl’sH5291 fatherH1, saidH559 to him, “LookH2009, the dayH3117 is drawingH7503 to a closeH6150. PleaseH4994 spend the nightH3885H4994. SeeH2009, the dayH3117 is almost overH2583. Spend the nightH3885 hereH6311, that your heartH3824 may be merryH3190. Then you can get up earlyH7925 tomorrowH4279 for your journeyH1870H1980 homeH168.”

10But the manH376 was unwillingH3808H14 to spend the nightH3885. He got upH6965 and departedH1980, and arrivedH935H5704 oppositeH5227 JebusH2982 (that isH1931, JerusalemH3389), withH5973 his twoH6776 saddledH2280 donkeysH2543 and his concubineH6370. 11When theyH1992 were nearH5973 JebusH2982 and the dayH3117 was almostH3966 goneH3381, the servantH5288 saidH559 toH413 his masterH113H1980, “PleaseH4994, let us stopH5493 atH413 thisH2063 JebusiteH2983 cityH5892 and spend the nightH3885 here.”

12But his masterH113 repliedH559, “We will notH3808 turn asideH5493 toH413 the cityH5892 of foreignersH5237, whereH834 there are noH3808 IsraelitesH1121H3478H2007. We will go onH5674 toH5704 GibeahH1390.” 13He continuedH559, “ComeH1980, let us try to reachH7126 oneH259 of these townsH4725 to spend the nightH3885 in GibeahH1390 orH176 RamahH7414.”

14So they continuedH1980 on their journeyH5674, and the sunH8121 setH935 as they nearedH681 GibeahH1390 in BenjaminH1144. 15They stoppedH5493H8033 to go inH935 and lodgeH3885 in GibeahH1390. The Levite went inH935 and sat downH3427 in the cityH5892 squareH7339, but noH369 oneH376 would takeH622 themH853 into his homeH1004 for the nightH3885.

16

That eveningH6153 an oldH2205 manH376 from the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669H1931, who was residingH1481 in GibeahH1390 (the menH582 of that placeH4725 were BenjamitesH1145), came inH935 fromH4480 his workH4639 inH4480 the fieldH7704. 17When he looked upH5375H5869 and sawH7200 the travelerH376H732 in the cityH5892 squareH7339, the oldH2205 manH376 askedH559, “WhereH575 are you goingH1980, and whereH370 have you come fromH935?”

18The Levite repliedH559H413, “We areH587 travelingH5674 from BethlehemH1035 in JudahH3063 toH5704 the remoteH3411 hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669, whereH8033 I am fromH595. I wentH1980 toH5704 BethlehemH1035 in JudahH3063, and now I amH589 goingH1980 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068;2 but noH369 oneH376 has takenH622 meH853 into his homeH1004, 19even though there isH3426 bothH1571 strawH8401 andH1571 feedH4554 for our donkeysH2543, andH1571 breadH3899 and wineH3196H3426 for me and the maidservantH519 and young manH5288 with meH5973. There is nothing thatH369 we, your servantsH5650H3605H1697, lackH4270.”

20“PeaceH7965 to you,” saidH559 the oldH2205 manH376. “Let me supplyH5921H7535 everythingH3605 you needH4270. OnlyH7535 do notH408 spend the nightH3885 in the squareH7339.” 21So he brought himH935 to his houseH1004 and fedH1101 his donkeysH2543. And they washedH7364 their feetH7272 and ateH398 and drankH8354.

22While theyH1992 were enjoyingH3190 themselvesH3820, suddenlyH2009 the wickedH1100 menH582 of the cityH5892 surroundedH5437 the houseH1004. PoundingH1849 onH5921 the doorH1817, they saidH559 toH413 the oldH2205 manH376 who ownedH1167 the houseH1004, “Bring outH3318 the manH376 whoH834 cameH935 toH413 your houseH1004, so we can have relations with himH3045!”

23The ownerH376H1167 of the houseH1004 went outH3318 and saidH559 to themH413, “NoH408, my brothersH251, do notH408 do this wicked thingH7489H4994! After allH310, thisH2088H408 manH376 is a guestH935 in my houseH1004. Do notH408 commitH6213 thisH2063 outrageH5039. 24LookH2009, let me bring outH3318 my virginH1330 daughterH1323 and the man’s concubineH6370, and you can useH6031 themH853 and doH6213 with them as you wishH2896. But do notH3808 doH6213 suchH2063 a vileH5039 thingH1697 to thisH2088 manH376.”

25But the menH376 wouldH14H582 notH3808 listen to himH8085. So the Levite tookH2388 his concubineH6370 and sent herH3318 outsideH2351 to themH413, and they rapedH3045 herH853 and abusedH5953 her throughoutH3605 the nightH3915, and at dawnH5927H7837 they let her goH7971. 26Early that morningH6437H1242, the womanH802 went backH935 to the houseH1004 whereH834 her master was stayingH113, collapsedH5307 at the doorwayH6607, and lay there untilH5704 it was lightH216H8033.

27In the morningH1242, when her masterH113 got upH6965 and openedH6605 the doorsH1817 of the houseH1004 to go outH3318H1980 on his journeyH1870, there wasH2009 his concubineH802H6370, collapsedH5307 in the doorwayH6607 of the houseH1004, with her handsH3027 onH5921 the thresholdH5592. 28“Get upH6965,” he told herH559H413. “Let us goH1980.” But there was noH369 responseH6030. So the manH376H1980 put herH3947 onH5921 his donkeyH2543 and set outH6965 for homeH4725.

29When he reachedH935H413 his houseH1004, he picked upH3947 a knifeH3979, took holdH2388 of his concubineH6370, cut herH5408 limb by limbH6106 into twelveH8147H6240 piecesH5409, and sent herH7971 throughoutH3605 the territoryH1366 of IsraelH3478. 30AndH1961 everyoneH3605 who sawH7200 it saidH559, “NothingH3808 like thisH2063 has been seenH7200 or doneH1961 from the dayH3117 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 came outH5927 of the landH776 of EgyptH4714 untilH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117. Think it overH7760H5921, take counselH5779, and speak upH1696!”