Judges Chapter 19
1 In those days, with no king in Israel, there was a certain Levite residing on the far side of Mount Ephraim, who took a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.
2 His concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.
3 Her husband arose and went after her, to speak friendly 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 girl saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4 His father in law, the girl's father, kept him. He stayed with him three days. So they ate and drank and stayed there.
5 On the fourth day when they arose early in the morning, he rose to leave. The girl's father said to his son in law, Comfort your heart with a piece of bread, and afterward go your way.
6 They sat down and ate and drank, both of them together, for the girl's father had said to the man, Please be content and stay all night and let your heart be merry.
7 When the man rose to leave, his father in law urged him, and he stayed there again.
8 He rose early in the morning on the fifth day to leave. The girl's father said, Please comfort your heart. They stayed until afternoon, and both of them ate.
9 When the man rose to leave, he and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the girl's father said to him, Behold, now the day draws toward evening. Please stay all night. Behold, the day grows to an end. Stay here so that your heart may be merry. And tomorrow go early on your way, so that you may go to your tent.
10 But the man would not stay that night, but he rose and left, and came over against Jebus that is Jerusalem. There were with him two saddled donkeys. His concubine also was with him.
11 They were beside Jebus, and the day was far gone. The servant said to his master, Please come, and let us turn in to this city of the Jebusites and stay in it.
12 His master said to him, We will not turn aside here into the city of a stranger who is not of the children of Israel. We will pass over to Gibeah.
13 He said to his servant, Come and let us draw near one of these places to stay all night, in Gibeah or in Ramah.
14 They passed on and went their way. The sun went down on them beside Gibeah that is of Benjamin.
15 They turned aside there, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah. He went in and sat down in a street of the city. For no man took them into his house to stay the night.
16 Behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening, who was also from Mount Ephraim. He lived in Gibeah, but the men of the place were of Benjamin.
17 When he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a traveler in the streets of the city. The old man said, Where do you go, and where do you come from?
18 He said to him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah to the side of mount Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am going to the house of the Lord. There is no man who receives me into his house.
19 Yet here is both straw and food for our donkeys. There is bread and wine also for me, and for your slave woman, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything.
20 The old man said, Peace be with you. Yet all that you lack will be on me. Only do not stay in the street.
21 He brought him into his house and mixed fodder for the donkeys. They washed their feet, and ate and drank.
22 They were making their hearts merry. And, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, set upon the house all around and beat at the door and spoke to the master of the house, the old man saying, Bring out the man who came to your house so that we may know him.
23 The master of the house went to them and said, No, my brothers. I ask you, do not do evil since this man has come into my house. Do not do this foolish sin.
24 See my daughter, a virgin, and this concubine. I will bring them out now and you humble them and do with them what seems good to you. But do not do so vile a thing to this man.
25 But the men would not listen to him. The man took his concubine and brought her out to them. They knew her and rolled themselves on her all night until the morning. Then they sent her away at the dawning of the day.
26 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.
27 Her lord rose in the morning and opened the doors of the house to go his way. Then the woman, his concubine, had fallen down at the door of the house and her hands were on the threshold.
28 He said to her, Get up and let us be going. But there was no answer. Then the man took her on a donkey and he rose and went to his place.
29 He came into his house and took a knife and laid hold on his concubine and divided her with her bones into twelve pieces and sent her into all the borders of Israel.
30 All who saw this 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. Think of it. Take advice and speak.