Judg 19:16-30 | NASB1995 | STEP | Then behold , an old man was coming out of the field from his work at evening . Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim , and he was staying in Gibeah , but the men of the place were Benjamites .

Judges 19:16-30

16 Then behold, an old man was coming out of the field from his work at evening. Now the man was from ^athe hill country of Ephraim, and he was ^{▼▼ Or sojourning}staying in Gibeah, but the men of the place ^cwere Benjamites. 17 And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?” 18 He said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, for I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to ^{▼▼ Heb the house of the Lord , cf v 29}my house, and no man will take me into his house. 19 “Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, ^{▼▼ I.e. my concubine}your maidservant, and ^fthe young man who is with your servants; there is no lack of anything.” 20 The old man said, ^g“Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the open square.” 21 ^hSo he took him into his house and gave the donkeys fodder, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.

22 While they were ^{▼▼ Lit making their hearts merry}celebrating, behold, ^jthe men of the city, certain ^{▼▼ Lit sons of Belial
,} ^lworthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have ^{▼▼ Lit intercourse}relations with him.” 23 Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, ⁿdo not commit this act of folly. 24 ^o“Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them ^{▼▼ Lit the good in your eyes}whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.” 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them; and they raped her and abused her all night until morning, then let her go at the approach of dawn. 26 ^{▼▼ Lit At the turning of the morning}As the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man’s house where her master was, until full daylight.

27 When her master arose in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, then behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up and let us go,” ^rbut there was no answer. Then he placed her on the donkey; and the man arose and went to his ^{▼▼ Lit place}home. 29 When he entered his house, he took a knife and laid hold of his concubine and ^tcut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel. 30 All who saw it said, “Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, ^utake counsel and speak up!”