Det skjedde i de dager da det ikke var noen konge i Israel, at en viss levitt bodde på den andre siden av Efraim-fjellet. Han tok seg en medhustru fra Betlehem i Juda.

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 Beth-lehem-judah.

Medhustruen var utro mot ham og dro bort til sin fars hus i Betlehem i Juda og ble der i fire måneder.

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

Hennes ektemann reiste etter henne for å tale vennlig til henne og få henne med tilbake. Han tok med seg sin tjener og et par esler. Da hun førte ham inn i sin fars hus, ble pikenes far glad for å møte ham.

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.

Svigerfaren, pikens far, beholdt ham der, og han ble hos ham i tre dager. De spiste, drakk og overnattet der.

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.

På den fjerde dagen, da de sto opp tidlig om morgenen, var han klar til å dra. Men pikens far sa til svigersønnen: 'Styrk ditt hjerte med litt brød, og gå så av sted.'

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.

De satte seg ned og spiste og drakk sammen. Pikens far sa til mannen: 'Vær så snill, bli her over natten, og la hjertet ditt være glad.'

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.

Da mannen reiste seg for å dra, oppfordret svigerfaren ham igjen, så han overnattet der en gang til.

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

På den femte dagen sto han opp tidlig om morgenen for å dra. Pikens far sa: 'Styrk hjertet ditt, jeg ber deg.' De ble der til ettermiddagen og spiste sammen.

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.

Da mannen reiste seg for å dra sammen med sin medhustru og tjener, sa svigerfaren, pikens far, til ham: 'Se, dagen går mot kveld. Jeg ber deg, bli her over natten. Dagen nærmer seg slutten. Sov her, så hjertet ditt kan være glad. Og i morgen tidlig kan du dra hjemover.'

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.

Men mannen ville ikke bli der den natten. Han sto opp og dro, og kom nær Jebus, som er Jerusalem. Det var med ham to salte esler, og hans medhustru var også med ham.

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.

Da de var ved Jebus og dagen var langt på vei, sa tjeneren til sin herre: 'Kom, jeg ber deg. La oss gå inn i denne byen til jebusittene og tilbringe natten der.'

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.

Men hans herre sa til ham: 'Vi vil ikke gå inn i en by med fremmede som ikke er av Israels barn. La oss dra videre til Gibea.'

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.

Og han sa til sin tjener: 'Kom, la oss dra nærmere til et av disse steder for å overnatte i Gibea eller Rama.'

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.

Så de drog videre og fortsatte sin reise. Solen gikk ned over dem da de var nær Gibea, som tilhører 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.

De dro dit for å overnatte i Gibea. Da de kom dit, satte han seg ned på en av byens gater, for det var ingen som tok dem inn i huset sitt for å overnatte.

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.

Da, se, kom en gammel mann fra sitt arbeid ute på marken om kvelden. Han var også fra Efraim-fjellet, som bodde som fremmed i Gibea. Men mennene i stedet var benjamitter.

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.

Da han løftet blikket og så en reisende mann på byens gate, sa den gamle mannen: 'Hvor går du hen, og hvor kommer du fra?'

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?

Han sa til ham: 'Vi passerer fra Betlehem i Juda mot Efraim-fjellet, hvor jeg kommer fra. Jeg gikk til Betlehem i Juda, men jeg er nå på vei til Herrens hus, men ingen har tatt meg inn i huset.'

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

Men vi har både halm og mat for eslene våre, og det er også brød og vin for meg, din tjenestekvinne, og den unge mannen som er med dine tjenere. Det mangler oss ikke noe.

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.

Den gamle mannen sa: 'Fred være med deg. La meg ta meg av alt du trenger; bare ikke overnatt på gaten.'

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

Så tok han dem med inn i huset sitt, ga dem for til eslene, de vasket føttene, og de spiste og drakk.

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

Mens de gjorde seg glade, se, kom noen utefrakommende menn i byen, noen onde sønner av Belial. De omringet huset og banket på døren. De sa til husbonden, den gamle mannen: 'Send ut mannen som kom inn i ditt hus, så vi kan kjenne ham.'

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.

Mannen, husbonden, gikk ut til dem og sa: 'Nei, mine brødre, nei, jeg ber dere, gjør ikke så ondskapsfullt. Nå som denne mannen er kommet inn i mitt hus, gjør ikke denne ulykken.'

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.

Se, her er min datter som er en jomfru, og hans medhustru. La meg bringe dem ut nå, vanær dem og gjør med dem hva dere synes er rett, men mot denne mannen må dere ikke gjøre en slik grusomhet.'

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.

Men mennene ville ikke høre på ham, så mannen tok sin medhustru og førte henne ut til dem. De kjente henne og misbrukte henne hele natten til morgen. Da dagen begynte å gry, lot de henne gå.

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.

Da kom kvinnen ved daggry og falt ned ved døren til mannens hus hvor hennes herre var, til det ble lyst.

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.

Hennes herre sto opp om morgenen, åpnet dørene til huset og gikk ut for å dra sin vei. Se, der lå kvinnen, hans medhustru, ved husets dør, med hendene sine på terskelen.

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.

Og han sa til henne: 'Stå opp, la oss dra.' Men ingen svarte. Da tok mannen henne opp på eselet, og han reiste hjemover.

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.

Da han kom hjem, tok han en kniv, grep sin medhustru og delte henne sammen med hennes ben i tolv deler, og sendte dem ut over hele Israels land.

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.

Og det var slik at alle som så det, sa: 'Det har aldri skjedd eller blitt sett noe slikt fra den dagen Israels barn kom opp fra Egyptens land til denne dagen. Overvei dette, ta råd og gi ditt bifall.'

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.