1 And it happened in those days that there was no king in Israel; and there was a Levite staying in the sides of mount Ephraim, and he took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem Judah. 2 And his concubine departed from him,⁠a and went away from him to the house of her father to Bethlehem Judah, and she was there four months. 3 And her husband rose up, and went after her to speak kindly to her, to recover her to himself; and he had his young man with him, and a pair of donkeys; and she brought him into the house of her father; and the father of the young woman saw him, and was well pleased to meet him. 4 And his father-in-law, the father of the young woman, constrained him, and he stayed with him for three days; and they ate and drank, and lodged there. 5 And it happened on the fourth day that they rose early, and he stood up to depart; and the father of the young woman said to his son-in-law, Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterwards you shall go. 6 So the two of them sat down together and ate and drank: and the father of the young woman said to her husband, Stay now for the night, and let your heart be merry. 7 And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law constrained him, and he stayed and lodged there. 8 And he rose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the father of the young woman said, Strengthen now your heart, and conduct yourself as a soldier until the day declines; and the two ate. 9 And the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine, and his young man; but his father-in-law the father of the young woman said to him, Look now, the day has declined toward evening; lodge here, and let your heart rejoice; and you shall rise early tomorrow for your journey, and you shall go to your habitation. 10 But the man would not lodge there, but he arose and departed, and came to the part opposite Jebus, (this is Jerusalem,) and there was with him a pair of donkeys saddled, and his concubine was with him. 11 And they came as far as Jebus: and the day had far advanced, and the young man said to his master, Come, Please, and let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites, and let us lodge in it. 12 And his master said to him, We will not turn aside to a strange city, where there is not one of the children of Israel, but we will pass on as far as Gibeah. 13 And he said to his young man, Come, and let us draw near to one of the places, and we will lodge in Gibeah or in Ramah. 14 And they passed by and went on, and the sun went down upon them near to Gibeah, which is in Benjamin. 15 And they turned aside there to go in to lodge in Gibeah; and they went in, and sat down in the street of the city, and there was no one who conducted them into a house to lodge. 16 And look, an old man came out of the field from his work in the evening; and the man was of mount Ephraim, and he stayed in Gibeah, and the men of the place were sons of Benjamin. 17 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw a traveler in the street of the city; and the old man said to him, Where are you going, and where do you come from? 18 And he said to him, We are passing by from Bethlehem Judah to the sides of mount Ephraim: I am from there, and I went as far as Bethlehem Judah, and I am going home, and there is no man to take me into his house. 19 Yet there is straw and food for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me and my female servant and the young man with your servants; there is no lack of anything. 20 And the old man said, Peace be to you; only let every lack of yours be upon me, only you shall by no means lodge in the street. 21 And he brought him into his house, and made room for his donkeys; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank. 22 And they were refreshing their heart, when, look, the men of the city, sons of transgressors, surrounded the house, knocking at the door: and they spoke to the old man the owner of the house, saying, Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him. 23 And the master of the house came out to them, and said, No, brothers, do no wrong, Please, after this man has come into my house; do not do this folly. 24 Look at my daughter a virgin, and the man's concubine: I will bring them out, and humble them, and do to them what is good in your eyes; but to this man do not do this folly. 25 But the men would not consent to listen to him; so the man laid hold of his concubine, and brought her out to them; and they knew her, and abused her all night till the morning, and let her go when the morning dawned. 26 And the woman came toward morning, and fell down at the door of the house where her husband was, until it was light. 27 And her husband rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went forth to go on his journey; and, look, the woman his concubine had fallen down by the doors of the house, and her hands were on the threshold. 28 And he said to her, Rise, and let us go; and she did not answer, for she was dead: and he took her upon his donkey, and went to his place. 29 And he took his sword, and laid hold of his concubine, and divided her into twelve parts, and sent them to every territory of Israel. 30 And it was so, that every one who saw it said, Such a day as this has not happened nor has been seen from the day of the going up of the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt until this day: take counsel among yourselves concerning it, and speak.