Judges 19 The men of Gibeah abuse the wife of a Levite

 Judges 19

The men of Gibeah abuse the wife of a Levite

1 It also happened in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a Levite man who, wandering on the sides of the mountain of Ephraim, took a concubine woman from Bethlehem of Judah.

2 But his concubine committed adultery against him, and went to his father's house, to Bethlehem of Judah, and stayed there for a few days, namely, four months.

3 And her husband got up, and went after her, to speak to her according to her heart, and to bring her back: and her boy and a pair of donkeys went with him: and she took him to her father's house and when the girl's father saw him, he was glad to meet him.

4 And his father-in-law, the girl's father, stopped him, and stayed with him for three days: and they ate and drank, and spent the night there.

5 And it came to pass that on the fourth day in the morning it was early in the morning, and he got up to go: then the girl's father said to his son-in-law: Comfort your heart with a piece of bread, and then you will go.

6 So they sat down, and ate both together, and drank; and the girl's father said to the man, "I beg you to stay here tonight, and let your heart rejoice."

7 But the man got up to leave: but his father-in-law forced him to spend the night there again.

8 And when the fifth day was early in the morning to go, the girl's father said, Now comfort your heart. And they stopped until the day had already set: and they both ate together.

9 Then the man got up to leave, he, and his concubine, and his boy: Behold, the day is low, and the afternoon is coming in, I beg you to spend the night here; behold, the day is ending, the night is here, and your heart rejoices; and tomorrow morning, get up and walk, and go to your tent.

10 But the man did not want to spend the night there, but got up and left and came to Jebus (Jerusalem), and with him the saddled pair of donkeys, as well as his concubine.

11 And when the day was near Jebus, and the day was long gone, the young man said to his lord, Walk now, and leave this city of the Jebusites, and spend the night there.

12 But his lord said to him, We have not withdrawn from any strange city, other than the children of Israel: but let us pass over to Gibeah.

13 He said to his young man, "Walk, and let us go to one of those places, and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah."

14 So they passed on, and walked, and the sun went down beside Gibeah, which is the city of Benjamin.

15 And they retire there, to go to spend the night in Gibeah: and when he entered, he sat down in the town square, because there was no one to collect them at home to spend the night there.

16 And behold, an old man came in the evening from his work in the field, and he was this man from the mountain of Ephraim, but a pilgrim in Gibeah: but the men of this place were the sons of Benjamin.

17 And when he looked up, he saw this passenger in the town square, and the old man said, Where are you going, and where are you coming from?

18 And he said to him, We have passed from Bethlehem of Judah to the sides of the mountain of Ephraim, where I am from; because I went to Bethlehem of Judah: but now I am going to the house of the Lord, and there is no one to collect me at home;

19 Although there is straw and pasture for our donkeys, there is also bread and wine for me, and for your servant, and for the young man who comes with your servants: there is no lack.

20 Then the old man said, Peace be with you, whatever you lack, stay with my dear one: just don't spend the night in the square.

21 And he brought him into his house, and gave the asses pasture: and when their feet were washed, they ate and drank.

22 While they rejoiced in their hearts, behold, the men of that city (men who were the sons of Belial) surrounded the house, knocking on the door; and they spoke to the old man, lord of the house, saying, Take out the man who came into your house, that we may know him.

23 And the man, the lord of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brothers, now do not do such evil: this man has already entered my house, do not do such madness.

24 Behold, my virgin daughter is his concubine; I will take them out: humiliate them, and make them what seems right in your eyes, but do not do this similar madness to this man.

25 But those men did not want to hear him: so that man took his concubine, and took it out: and they met her and abused her all night until morning, and when the morning rose, they left her.

26 And when morning came, the woman came and fell at the door of that man's house, where her master was, and stayed there until it became clear.

27 And when his master rose in the morning and opened the doors of the house, and went out on his way, behold, the woman, his concubine, lay at the door of the house, with her hand on the threshold.

28 And he said to him, Arise, and let us go, but he did not answer: then he put her on the donkey, and the man arose, and went to his place.

29 So when he arrived at his house, he took a cleaver and took his concubine; and he shattered it with his bones in twelve parts: and sent them across all the land of Israel.

30 And it came to pass that every one who saw it said, It was never done, nor was it seen since the day the children of Israel came up from the land of Egypt, to this day: ponder this in your heart, consider, and speak.