Judges, 19

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 side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.

1. At that time there was still no king in Israel. A Levite who lived deep in the mountains of Ephraim took a woman from Bethlehem in Judah as concubine.

2. And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.

2. This woman left him and returned to her father's house in Bethlehem of Judah. She remained there for about four months.

3. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, [and] 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.

3. Her husband set out to visit her and speak to her heart to make her return to his home. He brought with him a servant and two asses. She welcomed him in the house of her father who was glad to see 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.

4. His father-in-law, the father of the girl, made him stay so he remained with him for three days. They ate, drank and spent the night there.

5. And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.

5. On the fourth day, they rose early in the morning and the Levite prepared to leave. But the father of the young maiden said to his son-in-law, "Eat some bread first so you can regain your strength, then you can go."

6. And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.

6. The two sat and began to eat and drink together. Then the father-in-law said, "Please spend the night here and have a good time."

7. And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

7. When the Levite got up to leave, his father-in-law insisted, so he stayed that night.

8. And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

8. On the fifth day, he again rose early in the morning to go, but the father of the young maiden said to him, "Have more patience and stay until evening." So they ate together.

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 thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.

9. But when the husband, his concubine and his servant stood up to leave, the father-in-law said to his son-in-law, "Look, it's already getting dark. Spend the night here and enjoy yourself. You can leave early tomorrow morning and be on your way home."

10. But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which [is] Jerusalem; and [there were] with him two asses saddled, his concubine also [was] with him.

10. But the Levite refused to spend the night there, so he got up, left and arrived opposite Jebush, or Jerusalem. He brought with him the two saddled asses, his concubine and his servant.

11. [And] 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 in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

11. It was very late when they came near Jebush. So the servant said to his master, "Let us not go any farther but go into the city of the Jebusites and spend the night there."

12. And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that [is] not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.

12. His master answered him, "Let us not go to a foreign city where there are no Israelites; we will go to Gibeah." And he added to his servant,

13. And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.

13. "Come and let us go near one of those towns. We will spend the night in Gibeah or in Ramah."

14. And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them [when they were] by Gibeah, which [belongeth] to Benjamin.

14. So they went their way, and at sunset they arrived opposite Gibeah of Benjamin.

15. And they turned aside thither, to go in [and] to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for [there was] no man that took them into his house to lodging.

15. They turned aside and went there to spend the night.

16. And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which [was] also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place [were] Benjamites.

16. Then, an old man came in from his work in the fields. He was a man from the mountains of Ephraim and lived as a visitor in Gibeah, for the people of that place were of the tribe of Benjamin.

17. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?

17. Looking to one side, the old man noticed the visitor in the city square and said to him, "Where do you come from and where are you going?"

18. And he said unto him, We [are] passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence [am] I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I [am now] going to the house of the LORD; and there [is] no man that receiveth me to house.

18. And he answered, "We are passing through, for we come from Bethlehem of Judah, and we are going up to the borders of the mountains of Ephraim where I come from. I went to Bethlehem of Judah and now I am returning home. But here no one has offered me 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 [which is] with thy servants: [there is] no want of any thing.

19. We have, however, straw and green fodder for our asses, and bread and wine for me, my wife and the young man who accompanies us. We don't lack anything."

20. And the old man said, Peace [be] with thee; howsoever [let] all thy wants [lie] upon me; only lodge not in the street.

20. The old man said to him, "Peace be with you. I shall provide you with all that you need. Just don't spend the night in the square."

21. So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

21. He brought them to his house and gave fodder to the asses. The travelers washed their feet, then ate and drank.

22. [Now] as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, [and] beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.

22. As they were relaxing, the wicked men of the city went round the house, pounded on the door and said to the old man who owned the house, "Bring out the man you have welcomed into your house so we may amuse ourselves with him."

23. And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, [nay], I pray you, do not [so] wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.

23. The owner of the house went out to them and said, "No, my brothers, do not treat him badly. This man has come into my house, so do not do him evil.

24. Behold, [here is] my daughter a maiden, 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 so vile a thing.

24. Here is my daughter, a virgin, and my companion's concubine. I can give her to you if you want. Ravish her and do with her what seems good to you, but not with this man."

25. But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took 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.

25. But those men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and brought her outside. They violated and maltreated her the whole night until morning. At dawn, they left her.

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.

26. At early morning, the woman came and fell at the entrance of the man's house where her husband was. She lay there until it was day.

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, and her hands [were] upon the threshold.

27. When her husband rose up in the morning, opened the door of the house and went out to go on his way, he saw the woman, his concubine, lying at the entrance of the house, her hands on the threshold.

28. And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her [up] upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.

28. He said to her, "Get up, and let us go." But there was no response. So the man put her on his ass and went home.

29. And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, [together] with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.

29. When he arrived home, he took a knife and taking hold of his concubine, he divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces and sent them throughout the territory 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 of it, take advice, and speak [your minds].

30. He gave his messengers, this order: "Say this to the Israelites: Until today, have you seen anything like this since the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt? Think about it. Seek counsel and decide." Everyone who saw it said: "Until today, never has this happened nor has a thing like this been seen since the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt."