Judges:19

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* And it came to pass in those days , when there was no king in Israel , that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim , who took to himself a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah . * And his concubine prostituted against him , and went away from him to her father 's house to Beth-lehem-judah , and was there the space of four months . * And her husband arose , and went after her , to speak kindly to her , to bring her again , having his attendant with him , and a couple of donkeys : and she brought him into her father 's house ; and when the father of the damsel saw him , he rejoiced to meet him . * And his father-in-law , the damsel 's father , retained him ; and he remained with him three days : so they ate and drank , and lodged there . * And it came to pass on the fourth day , that they arose early in the morning , and he rose up to depart : and the damsel 's father said to his son-in-law , Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread , and afterward you (note :){+}(:note ) will go your {+} way . * So they sat down , and ate and drank , both of them together : and the damsel 's father said to the man , Be pleased , I pray you , to tarry all night , and let your heart be merry . * And the man rose up to depart ; but his father-in-law urged him , and he lodged there again . * And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart ; and the damsel 's father said , Strengthen your heart , I pray you , and tarry (note :){+}(:note ) until the day declines ; and they ate , both of them . * And when the man rose up to depart , he , and his concubine , and his attendant , his father-in-law , the damsel 's father , said to him , Look , now the day draws toward evening , I pray you (note :){+}(:note ) tarry all night : see , the day grows to an end , lodge here , that your heart may be merry ; and tomorrow rise {+} early on your {+} way , that you may go home . * But the man would not tarry that night , but he rose up and departed , and came opposite Jebus (the same is Jerusalem ): and there were with him a couple of donkeys saddled ; his concubine also was with him . * When they were by Jebus , the day was far spent ; and the attendant said to his master , Come , I pray you , and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites , and lodge in it . * And his master said to him , We will not turn aside into a city of the foreigner , who is not of the sons of Israel ; but we will pass over to Gibeah . * And he said to his attendant , Come and let us draw near to one of these places ; and we will lodge in Gibeah , or in Ramah . * So they passed on and went their way ; and the sun went down on them near to Gibeah , which belongs to Benjamin . * And they turned aside there , to go in to lodge in Gibeah : and he went in , and sat down in the street of the city ; for there was no man who took them into his house to lodge . * And , look , 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 sojourned in Gibeah ; but the men of the place were Benjamites . * And he lifted up his eyes , and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city ; and the old man said , Where do you go ? And where do you come from ? * And he said to him , We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah to the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim ; I am from there , and I went to Beth-lehem-judah : and I am going to the house of Yahweh ; and there is no man who takes me into his house . * Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys ; and there is bread and wine also for me , and for your female slave , and for the attendant who is with your slaves : there is no want of anything . * And the old man said , Peace be to you ; however let all your wants lie on me ; only don 't lodge in the street . * So he brought him into his house , and gave the donkeys fodder ; and they washed their feet , and ate and drank . * As they were making their hearts merry , look , the men of the city , certain base fellows , beset the house round about , beating at the door ; and they spoke to the master of the house , the old man , saying , Bring forth the man who came into your house , that we may have sex with him . * And the man , the master of the house , went out to them , and said to them , No , my brothers , I pray you (note :){+}(:note ), don 't do so wickedly ; seeing that this man has come into my house , don 't do this folly . * Look , here is my daughter a virgin , and his concubine ; I will bring them out now , and humble (note :){+}(:note ) them , and do with them what seems good to you {+}: but to this man don 't do any such folly . * But the men would not listen to him : so the man laid hold on his concubine , and brought her forth to them ; and they had sex with her , and abused her all the night until the morning : and when the day began to spring , they let her go . * Then 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 . * And her lord rose up in the morning , and opened the doors of the house , and went out to go his way ; and saw that the woman his concubine had fallen down at the door of the house , with her hands on the threshold . * And he said to her , Rise up , and let us be going ; but there was no answer : then he took her up on the donkey ; and the man rose up , and went to his place . * And when he came 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 . * And it was so , that all who saw [it ] said , [Such a thing ] has not happened nor been seen like that from the day the sons of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day . And he commanded the men he sent saying , This is what you will say to every man of Israel , Has such [a thing ] ever happened from the day the sons of Israel came up from Egypt until this day ? Consider it , take counsel , and speak .

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