The Book of Judges

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- Kapitel 19 -

(Genesis 19:1–11)

In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a man, a Levite, living for a while in the most remote area of the hill country of Ephraim. He took for himself a woman, a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.

But his concubine was unfaithful to him; she left him and went back to her father’s house in Bethlehem of Judah. She stayed there for four months.

Then her husband got up and went after her in order to persuade her to come back. His servant was with him, and a pair of donkeys. She brought him into her father’s house. When the girl’s father saw him, he was glad.

His father-in-law, the girl’s father, persuaded him to stay for three days. They ate and drank, and they spent the night there.

On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to go, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen yourself with a bit of bread, then you may go.”

So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Then the girl’s father said, “Please be willing to spend the night and have a good time.”

When the Levite got up to leave, the father of the young woman urged him to stay, so he changed his plan and spent the night there again.

On the fifth day he woke up early to leave, but the girl’s father said, “Strengthen yourself, and wait until the afternoon.” So the two of them had a meal.

When the Levite and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart, his father-in-law, the girl’s father said to him, “See, now the day is advancing toward evening. Please stay another night, and have a good time. You can get up early tomorrow and go back home.”

But the Levite was not willing to spend the night. He got up and left. He went toward Jebus, that is Jerusalem. He had a pair of saddled donkeys-and his concubine was with him.

When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, “Come, let us turn aside to the city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.”

His master said to him, “We will not turn aside into a city of foreigners who do not belong to the people of Israel. We will go on to Gibeah.”

The Levite said to his young man, “Come, let us go to one of those other places, and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”

So they went on, and the sun set as they came near to Gibeah, in the territory of Benjamin.

They turned aside there to spend the night in Gibeah. They went and sat down in the city square, but no one took them into his house for the night.

But then an old man was coming from his work in the field that evening. He was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was staying for a while in Gibeah. But the men living in that place were Benjamites.

He raised his eyes and saw the traveler in the city square. The old man said, “Where are you going? Where are you coming from?”

The Levite said to him, “We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to the most remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, which is where I come from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of Yahweh, but there is no one who will take me into his house.

We have straw and feed for our donkeys, and there is bread and wine for me and your female servant here, and for this young man with your servants. We lack nothing.”

The old man greeted them, “Peace be with you! I will take care of all your needs. Only do not spend the night in the square.”

So the man brought the Levite into his house and gave feed to the donkeys. They washed their feet and ate and drank.

While they were making their hearts glad, some men of the city, worthless men, surrounded the house, beating on the door. They spoke to the old man, the master of the house, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, so we can have sex with him.”

The man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, please do not do this evil thing! Since this man is a guest in my house, do not do this wicked thing!

See, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. Let me bring them out now. Violate them and do with them whatever you like. But do not do such a wicked thing to this man!”

But the men would not listen to him, so the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them. They seized her, raped her, and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.

At dawn the woman came and she fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, and she lay there until it was light.

Her master rose up in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way. He could see his concubine lying there at the door, with her hands on the threshold.

The Levite said to her, “Get up. Let us go.” But there was no answer. He put her on the donkey, and the man set out for home.

When the Levite came to his house, he took a knife, and he took hold of his concubine, and cut her up, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent the pieces everywhere throughout Israel.

All who saw this said, “Such a thing has never been done or seen from the day the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this present day. Think about it! Give us advice! Tell us what to do!”

(Genesis 19:1–11)

In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a certain Levite living on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took for himself a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah.

His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father’s house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there for four months.

Her husband arose and went after her to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him and a couple of donkeys. She brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

His father-in-law, the young lady’s father, kept him there; and he stayed with him three days. So they ate and drank, and stayed there.

On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning, and he rose up to depart. The young lady’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.”

So they sat down, ate, and drank, both of them together. Then the young lady’s father said to the man, “Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.”

The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he stayed there again.

He arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the young lady’s father said, “Please strengthen your heart and stay until the day declines;” and they both ate.

When the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the young lady’s father, said to him, “Behold, now the day draws toward evening, please stay all night. Behold, the day is ending. Stay here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow go on your way early, that you may go home.”

But the man wouldn’t stay that night, but he rose up and went near Jebus (also called Jerusalem). With him were a couple of saddled donkeys. His concubine also was with him.

When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, “Please come and let’s enter into this city of the Jebusites, and stay in it.”

His master said to him, “We won’t enter into the city of a foreigner that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.”

He said to his servant, “Come and let’s draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.”

So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.

They went over there, to go in to stay in Gibeah. He went in, and sat down in the street of the city; for there was no one who took them into his house to stay.

Behold, an old man came from his work out of the field at evening. Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he lived in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites.

He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”

He said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem Judah to the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem Judah. I am going to the LORD’s house; and there is no one who has taken me into his house.

Yet there is both straw and feed for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your servant, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything.”

The old man said, “Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but don’t sleep in the street.”

So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder. Then they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain wicked fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we can have sex with him!”

The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, “No, my brothers, please don’t act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, don’t do this folly.

Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. I will bring them out now. Humble them, and do with them what seems good to you; but to this man don’t do any such folly.”

But the men wouldn’t listen to him; so the man grabbed his concubine, and brought her out to them; and they had sex with her, and abused her all night until the morning. When the day began to dawn, they let her go.

Then the woman came in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord was, until it was light.

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 had fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.

He said to her, “Get up, and let’s get going!” but no one answered. Then he took her up on the donkey; and the man rose up, and went to his place.

When he had come into his house, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.

It was so, that all who saw it said, “Such a deed has not been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day! Consider it, take counsel, and speak.”