| 1 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in
Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the
hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.
2 And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him
unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there the space of four
months. 3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly unto
her, to bring her again, having his servant 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 And his father-in-law, the
damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did
eat and drink, and lodged there. 5 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 unto his son-in-law, Strengthen thy heart with a morsel
of bread, and afterward ye shall go your way. 6 So they sat down, and did
eat and drink, both of them together: and the damsel's father said unto the
man, Be pleased, I pray thee, to tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry.
7 And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he
lodged there again. 8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day
to depart; and the damsel's father said, Strengthen thy heart, I pray thee,
and tarry ye until the day declineth; and they did eat, both of them.
9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his
servant, his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now
the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day
groweth to an end, lodge here, that thy heart may be merry; and to-morrow get
you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed,
and came over against Jebus (the same is Jerusalem): and there were with him
a couple of asses saddled; his concubine also was with him. 11 When they
were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master,
Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and
lodge in it. 12 And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside into
the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will
pass over to Gibeah. 13 And he said unto his servant, Come and let us draw
near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
14 So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them
near to Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. 15 And they turned aside
thither, to go in to lodge in Gibeah: and he went in, and sat him down in the
street of the city; for there was no man that took them into his house to
lodge.
16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at
even: now the man was of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in
Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites. 17 And he lifted up his
eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man
said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? 18 And he said unto him,
We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah unto the farther side of the
hill-country of Ephraim; from thence am I, and I went to Beth-lehem-judah:
and I am now going to the house of Jehovah; and there is no man that
taketh me into his house. 19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our
asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for
the young man that is with thy servants: there is no want of anything.
20 And the old man said, Peace be unto thee; howsoever let all thy wants
lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. 21 So he brought him into his
house, and gave the asses fodder; and they washed their feet, and did eat and
drink.
22 As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city,
certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door; and
they spake 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 And the man, the
master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my
brethren, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into
my house, do not this folly. 24 Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and
his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with
them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not any such folly.
25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man laid hold on his
concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her
all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let
her go. 26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at
the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house,
and went out to go his way; and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen
down at the door of the house, with her hands upon the threshold. 28 And
he said unto her, Up, and let us be going; but none answered: then he took
her up upon the ass; and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.
29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on
his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent
her throughout all the borders of Israel. 30 And it was so, that all that
saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the
children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider
it, take counsel, and speak.
Genesis - Public
Domain
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