1 In those days, there was no king in Israel. There was a Levite living temporarily in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, and he took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah.

And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.

2 But his concubine was unfaithful to him and left him, going to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. She stayed there for four months.

And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.

3 Then her husband arose and went after her to speak kindly to her and bring her back. He took with him his servant and a pair of donkeys. When he arrived at her father’s house, the woman’s father saw him and was glad to welcome him.

And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

4 His father-in-law, the woman’s father, persuaded him to stay, and he remained with him for three days. They ate, drank, and spent the nights there.

And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.

5 On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning to leave, but the woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh yourself with a piece of bread, and then you can go.”

And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.

6 So they sat down and ate and drank together. Then the woman’s father said to the man, “Please agree to stay overnight, and let your heart be content.”

And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.

7 The man got up to leave, but his father-in-law urged him, so he stayed there another night.

And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

8 On the fifth day, he got up early in the morning to leave, but the woman’s father said, “Please refresh yourself and wait until the day declines.” So the two of them ate together.

And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

9 When the man, his concubine, and his servant arose to leave, his father-in-law, the woman’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is drawing to a close. Stay here tonight; the day is almost over. Spend the night here, and let your heart be content. You can rise early tomorrow and continue on your way home.”

And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.

10 But the man was unwilling to stay the night. He got up and left, arriving near Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him a pair of saddled donkeys and his concubine.

But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.

11 When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Come, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites and stay the night there.”

And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

12 But his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into a city of foreigners, who are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.”

And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.

13 He said to his servant, "Come, let us approach one of these places and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah."

And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.

14 So they passed on and continued their journey. The sun set as they came near Gibeah, which belongs to the tribe of Benjamin.

And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.

15 They turned aside there to go in and spend the night in Gibeah. When they went in, they sat in the town square, but no one took them into their house to spend the night.

And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.

16 In the evening, an old man came in from his work in the field. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and was staying temporarily in Gibeah, though the people of the place were Benjaminites.

And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.

17 When he looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, the old man asked, "Where are you going, and where have you come from?"

And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?

18 The man answered, "We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, where I am from. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of the Lord, but no one has taken me into their home.

And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.

19 We have straw and feed for our donkeys, as well as bread and wine for me, your servant, for the woman with me, and for the young man who is with your servants. We lack nothing."

Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.

20 The old man said, "Peace to you! Let me take care of all your needs, but do not spend the night in the square."

And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

21 He brought him into his house and provided fodder for the donkeys. They washed their feet, ate, and drank.

So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

22 While they were enjoying themselves, some wicked men of the city surrounded the house. They pounded on the door and said to the old man, the owner of the house, "Bring out the man who came to your house, so we can have relations with him."

Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.

23 The owner of the house went out to them and said, "No, my brothers, do not commit such an evil act. Since this man has come into my house, do not do this disgraceful act.

And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.

24 Look, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Let me bring them out to you now, and you may abuse them and do to them whatever you think best. But do not commit this disgraceful act against this man.

Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

25 But the men refused to listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and brought her outside to them. They raped her and abused her throughout the night until morning, and at dawn, they let her go.

But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.

26 At daybreak, the woman came and fell at the doorway of the man's house where her master was staying, and she lay there until it was light.

Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.

27 Her master got up in the morning, opened the doors of the house, and went out to continue on his way. There was the woman, his concubine, lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold.

And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.

28 He said to her, "Get up, let us go." But there was no answer. So he put her on the donkey, and the man set out for home.

And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.

29 When he reached his house, he took a knife and cut up his concubine limb by limb into twelve pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel.

And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.

30 Everyone who saw it said, "Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen since the day the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until now. Think it over, take counsel, and speak up!"

And it was so, that all that saw it 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 unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.