1
It happened in those days , when there was no king in Israel , that there was a certain Levite living on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim , who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah .
2
His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father 's house to Bethlehem Judah , and was there the space of four months .
3
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 : and she brought him into her father 's house ; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4
His father-in-law , the young lady 's father , retained him; and he stayed with him three days : so they ate and drink , and lodged there.
5
It happened on the fourth day , that they arose early in the morning , and he rose up to depart: and 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 ."
6
So they sat down, ate , and drank , both of them together: and the young lady 's father said to the man , "Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry."
7
The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.
8
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 .
9
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 grows to an end, lodge here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow go on your way early , that you may go home."
10
But the man wouldn't stay 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 donkeys saddled ; his concubine also was with him.
11
When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master , "Please come and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites , and lodge in it."
12
His master said to him, "We won't turn aside into the city of a foreigner , that is not of the children of Israel ; but we will pass over to Gibeah ."
13
He said to 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 on them near to Gibeah , which belongs to Benjamin .
15
They turned aside there, 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 who took them into his house to lodge.
16
Behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening : now the man was of the hill country of Ephraim , and he lived in Gibeah ; but the men of the place were Benjamites .
17
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?"
18
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 house of Yahweh ; and there is no man who takes me into his house .
19
Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys ; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your handmaid , and for the young man who is with your servants : there is no want of anything."
20
The old man said , "Peace be to you; howsoever let all your wants lie on me; only don't lodge in the street ."
21
So he brought him into his house , and gave the donkeys fodder; and they washed their feet , and ate and drink .
22
As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city , certain base 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 may have sex with him!"
23
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 is come into my house , don't do this folly .
24
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 ."
25
But the men wouldn't listen to him: so the man laid hold of his concubine , and brought her out to them; and they had sex with her, and abused her all night until the morning : and when the day began to dawn , 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, until it was light .
27
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 on the threshold.
28
He said to her, "Get up, and let us be going !" but no one answered . Then he took her up on the donkey ; and the man rose up , and went to his place .
29
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
It was so, that all who 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 to this day ! Consider it, take counsel, and speak ."