Judges 19
1 There was a certain Levite, who dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim, who took a wife of Bethlehem Juda:
Also in those dayes, when there was no king in Israel, a certaine Leuite dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim, and tooke to wife a concubine out of Beth-lehem Iudah,
2 And she left him and returned to her father’s house in Bethlehem, and abode with him four months.
And his concubine played ye whore there, and went away from him vnto her fathers house to Beth-lehem Iudah, and there continued the space of foure moneths.
3 And her husband followed her, willing to be reconciled with her, and to speak kindly to her, and to bring her back with him, having with him a servant and two asses: and she received him, and brought him into her father’s house. And when his father in law had heard this, and had seen him, he met him with joy,
And her husband arose and went after her, to speake friendly vnto her, and to bring her againe: he had also his seruant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him vnto her fathers house, and when the yong womans father sawe him, he reioyced of his comming.
4 And embraced the man. And the son in law tarried in the house of his father in law three days, eating with him and drinking familiarly.
And his father in lawe, the yong womans father reteined him: and he abode with him three dayes: so they did eate and drinke, and lodged there.
5 But on the fourth day arising early in the morning he desired to depart. But his father in law kept him, and said to him: Taste first a little bread, and strengthen thy stomach, and so thou shalt depart.
And when the fourth day came, they arose earely in the morning, and he prepared to depart: then the yong womans father said vnto his sonne in lawe, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and then go your way.
6 And they sat down together, and ate and drank. And the father of the young woman said to his son in law: I beseech thee to stay here today, and let us make merry together.
So they sate downe, and did eate and drinke both of them together. And the yong womans father said vnto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tary all night, and let thine heart be merie.
7 But he rising up began to be for departing. And nevertheless his father in law earnestly pressed him, and made him stay with him.
And when the man rose vp to depart, his father in lawe was earnest: therefore he returned, and lodged there.
8 But when morning was come, the Levite prepared to go on his journey. And his father in law said to him again: I beseech thee to take a little meat, and strengthening thyself, till the day be farther advanced, afterwards thou mayest depart. And they ate together.
And he arose vp earely the fifth day to depart, and the yong womans father saide, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee: and they taryed vntill after midday, and they both did eate.
9 And the young man arose to set forward with his wife and servant. And his father in law spoke to him again: Consider that the day is declining, and draweth toward evening: tarry with me today also, and spend the day in mirth, and tomorrow thou shalt depart, that thou mayest go into thy house.
Afterwarde when the man arose to depart with his concubine and his seruant, his father in lawe, the yong womans father said vnto him, Beholde nowe, the day draweth towarde euen: I pray you, tary all night: beholde, the sunne goeth to rest: lodge here, that thine heart may be merie, and to morowe get you earely vpon your way, and goe to thy tent.
10 His son in law would not consent to his words: but forthwith went forward and came over against Jebus, which by another name is called Jerusalem, leading with him two asses laden, and his concubine.
But the man would not tarry, but arose and departed, and came ouer against Iebus, (which is Ierusalem) and his two asses laden, and his concubine were with him.
11 And now they were come near Jebus, and the day was far spent: and the servant said to his master: Come, I beseech thee, let us turn into the city of the Jebusites, and lodge there.
When they were neere to Iebus, the day was sore spent, and the seruant said vnto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let vs turne into this citie of the Iebusites, and lodge all night there.
12 His master answered him: I will not go into the town of another nation, who are not of the children of Israel, but I will pass over to Gabaa:
And his master answered him, We will not turne into the citie of strangers that are not of the children of Israel, but we will goe forth to Gibeah.
13 And when I shall come thither, we will lodge there, or at least in the city of Rama.
And he said vnto his seruant, Come, and let vs drawe neere to one of these places, that wee may lodge in Gibeah or in Ramah.
14 So they passed by Jebus, and went on their journey, and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gabaa, which is in the tribe of Benjamin:
So they went forward vpon their way, and the sunne went downe vpon them neere to Gibeah, which is in Beniamin.
15 And they turned into it, to lodge there. And when they were come in, they sat in the street of the city, for no man would receive them to lodge.
Then they turned thither to goe in and lodge in Gibeah: and when he came, he sate him downe in a streete of the citie: for there was no man that tooke them into his house to lodging.
16 And behold they saw an old man, returning out of the field and from his work in the evening, and he also was of mount Ephraim, and dwelt as a stranger in Gabaa; but the men of that country were the children of Jemini.
And beholde, there came an old man from his work out of the field at euen, and the man was of mount Ephraim, but dwelt in Gibeah: and the men of the place were the children of Iemini.
17 And the old man lifting up his eyes, saw the man sitting with his bundles in the street of the city, and said to him: Whence comest thou? and whither goest thou?
And when he had lift vp his eyes, he sawe a wayfairing man in the streetes of the citie: then this olde man sayde, Whither goest thou, and whence camest thou?
18 He answered him: We came out from Bethlehem Juda, and we are going to our home, which is on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence we went to Bethlehem: and now we go to the house of God, and none will receive us under his roof:
And hee answered him, Wee came from Beth-lehem Iudah, vnto the side of Mout Ephraim: from thence am I: and I went to Beth-lehem Iudah, and go now to the house of the Lord: and no man receiueth mee to house,
19 We have straw and hay for provender of the asses, and bread and wine for the use of myself and of thy handmaid, and of the servant that is with me: we want nothing but lodging.
Although we haue straw and prouader for our asses, and also bread and wine for me and thine handmayde, and for the boy that is with thy seruant: we lacke nothing.
20 And the old man answered him: Peace be with thee: I will furnish all things that are necessary: only I beseech thee, stay not in the street.
And the olde man sayde, Peace bee with thee: as for all that thou lackest, shalt thou finde with me: onely abide not in the streete al night.
21 And he brought him into his house, and gave provender to his asses: and after they had washed their feet, he entertained them with a feast.
So he brought him into his house, and gaue fodder vnto the asses: and they washed their feete, and did eate and drinke.
22 While they were making merry, and refreshing their bodies with meat and drink, after the labour of the journey, the men of that city, sons of Belial, (that is, without yoke, ) came and beset the old man’s house, and began to knock at the door, calling to the master of the house, and saying: Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may abuse him.
And as they were making their hearts merie, beholde, the men of the citie, wicked men beset the house round about, and smote at the doore, and spake to this olde man the master of the house saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house that we may knowe him.
23 And the old man went out to them, and said: Do not so, my brethren, do not so wickedly: because this man is come into my lodging, and cease I pray you from this folly.
And this man the master of ye house went out vnto the, and said vnto them, Nay my brethre, do not so wickedly, I pray you: seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this villenie.
24 I have a maiden daughter, and this man hath a concubine, I will bring them out to you, and you may humble them, and satisfy your lust: only, I beseech you, commit not this crime against nature on the man.
Behold, here is my daughter, a virgine, and his concubine: them wil I bring out nowe, and humble them, and doe with them what seemeth you good: but to this man doe not this villenie.
25 They would not be satisfied with his words; which the man seeing, brought out his concubine to them, and abandoned her to their wickedness: and when they had abused her all the night, they let her go in the morning.
But the men woulde not hearken to him: therefore ye man tooke his concubine, and brought her out vnto them: and they knewe her and abused her all the night vnto the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her goe.
26 But the woman, at the dawning of the day, came to the door of the house where her lord lodged, and there fell down.
So the woman came in the dawning of the day, and fell downe at the doore of the mans house where her Lord was, till the light day.
27 And in the morning the man arose, and opened the door that he might end the journey he had begun: and behold his concubine lay before the door with her hands spread on the threshold.
And her lorde arose in the morning, and opened the doores of the house, and went out to goe his way, and beholde, the woman his concubine was dead at the doore of the house and her handes lay vpon the thresholde.
28 He thinking she was taking her rest, said to her: Arise, and let us be going. But as she made no answer, perceiving she was dead, he took her up, and laid her upon his ass, and returned to his house.
And hee said vnto her, Vp and let vs goe: but shee answered not. Then he tooke her vp vpon the asse, and the man rose vp, and went vnto his place.
29 And when he was come home he took a sword, and divided the dead body of his wife with her bones into twelve parts, and sent the pieces into all the borders of Israel.
And whe he was come to his house, he took a knife, and laid hand on his concubine, and deuided her in pieces with her bones into twelue parts, and sent her through all quarters of Israel.
30 And when every one had seen this, they all cried out: There was never such a thing done in Israel from the day that our fathers came up out of Egypt, until this day: give sentence, and decree in common what ought to be done.
And all that saw it, said, There was no such thing done or seene since the time that the children of Israel came vp from the lande of Egypt vnto this day: consider the matter, consult and giue sentence.
