Judg 19 | NASB2020 | STEP | Now it came about in those days , when there was no king in Israel , that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim , who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah .

Judges 19

A Levite’s Concubine Raped and Killed

1 Now it came about in those days, when ^athere was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite ^{▼▼Or sojourning}staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah. 2 But his concubine ^{▼▼Or was unfaithful to him (a Hebrew homonym); LXX became angry at him}found him repugnant, and she left him and went to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah, and remained there for a period of four months. 3 Then her husband set out and went after her to ^dspeak ^{▼▼Lit to her heart}gently to her in order to bring her back, ^{▼▼Lit and}taking with him his servant and a pair of donkeys. And she brought him into her father’s house, and when the girl’s father saw him, he was glad to meet him. 4 His father-in-law, the girl’s father, prevailed upon him, and he remained with him for three days. So they ate and drank and stayed there. 5 Now on the fourth day they got up early in the morning, and he ^{▼▼Lit arose}prepared to go; but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “ ^hStrengthen ^{▼▼Lit your heart}yourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go.” 6 So both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl’s father said to the man, “Please ^{▼▼Lit be willing to}be so kind as to spend the night, and ^klet your heart be cheerful.” 7 However, the man got up to go; but his father-in-law urged him, and he spent the night there again. 8 Now on the fifth day he got up to go early in the morning, but the girl’s father said, “Please strengthen ^{▼▼Lit your heart}yourself, and wait until ^{▼▼Lit the day declines}late afternoon”; so both of them ate. 9 When the man got up to go, along with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Behold now, the day has drawn ^{▼▼Lit toward evening}to a close; please spend the night. Behold, the day is ^{▼▼Lit declining}coming to an end; spend the night here so that your heart may be cheerful. Then tomorrow you may arise early for your journey and go ^{▼▼Lit to your tent}home.”

10 But the man was unwilling to spend the night, so he got up and left, and came to a place opposite ^qJebus (that is, Jerusalem). And with him was a pair of saddled donkeys; his concubine also was with him. 11 When they were near Jebus, the day was almost gone; and ^rthe servant said to his master, “Please come, and let’s turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.” 12 However, his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into a city of foreigners who are not of the sons of Israel; instead, we will go on as far as Gibeah.” 13 And he said to his servant, “Come, and let’s approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.” 14 So they passed along and went their way, and the sun set on them near Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin. 15 They turned aside there to enter and spend the night in Gibeah. When ^{▼▼As in LXX; MT he}they entered, ^{▼▼As in LXX; MT he}they sat down in the public square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.

16 Then behold, an old man was coming out of the field from his work at evening. Now the man was from ^uthe hill country of Ephraim, and he was ^{▼▼Or sojourning}staying in Gibeah, but the men of the place ^wwere Benjaminites. 17 And he raised his eyes and saw the traveler in the public square of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?” 18 And 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 ^{▼▼MT; LXX the house of the Lord, cf. v 29}my house, and no one will take me into his house. 19 Yet there is both straw and feed for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, and ^{▼▼I.e., the concubine}your female slave, and ^zthe young man who is with your servants; there is no lack of anything.” 20 Then the old man said, “ ^aaPeace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the public square.” 21 ^abSo he took him into his house and fed the donkeys, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.

22 While they were ^{▼▼Lit making their hearts glad}celebrating, behold, ^adthe men of the city, certain ^{▼▼Lit sons of Belial
,} ^afworthless men, surrounded the house, pushing one another at the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who entered your house that we may ^{▼▼Lit know him}have relations with him.” 23 Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, please do not act so wickedly. Since this man has come into my house, ^ahdo not commit this vile sin. 24 ^aiHere is my virgin daughter and ^{▼▼Lit his}the man’s concubine. Please let me bring them out, then rape them and do to them ^{▼▼Lit the good in your eyes}whatever you wish. But do not commit this act of vile sin against this man.” 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and brought her outside to them; and they ^{▼▼Lit knew her (carnally)}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 got up 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 And he said to her, “Get up and let’s go,” ^anbut there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey; and the man set out and went to his ^{▼▼Lit place}home. 29 When he entered his house, he took a knife and seized his concubine, and ^apcut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb. Then he 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, ^{▼▼Or take counsel
,} ^armake a plan, and speak up!”