1 GLT Now it happened in those days, when there was no king over Israel, that there was a man, a Levite, sojourning in the remotest parts of the hill country of Ephraim. He took for himself a woman, a concubine, from Bethlehem in Judah. BSB BSB: Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
2 GLT However, his concubine played the harlot against him and she went away from being with him to the house of her father, to Bethlehem in Judah. She was there for a period of days, four months. BSB BSB: But she was unfaithful to him and left him to return to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. After she had been there four months,
3 GLT Then her husband rose up and he went after her, to speak to her heart, in order to persuade to return to him. His young man was with him, and a team of donkeys. She brought him into the house of her father, and when the father of the young woman saw him, he was glad to meet him. BSB BSB: her husband got up and went after her to speak kindly to her and bring her back, taking his servant and a pair of donkeys. So the girl brought him into her father’s house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.
4 GLT His father- in- law, the father of the young woman, prevailed against him so he stayed with him three days. They ate and they drank, and they spent the night there. BSB BSB: His father-in-law, the girl’s father, persuaded him to stay, so he remained with him three days, eating, drinking, and lodging there.
5 GLT Now it happend on the fourth day that they got up early in the morning and he rose up to go, however the father of the young woman said to his son- in- law,“Strengthen your heart with a piece of bread, then afterwards you shall go.” BSB BSB: On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning and prepared to depart, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and then you can go.”
6 GLT So the two of them sat down and they ate together, and they drank. Then the father of the young woman said to the man,“Please be willing and spend the night and your heart will be glad.” BSB BSB: So they sat down and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Please agree to stay overnight and let your heart be merry.”
7 GLT Then the man rose up in order to leave, however his father- in- law urged him. So he stayed and he spent the night there. BSB BSB: The man got up to depart, but his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed there that night.
8 GLT He got up early in the morning on the fifth day in order to leave, but the father of the young woman said,“Please strengthen your heart.” So they lingered until the turning aside of the day, and the two of them ate. BSB BSB: On the fifth day, he got up early in the morning to depart, but the girl’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they waited until late afternoon and the two of them ate.
9 GLT When the man rose up to go, he and his concubine and his young man, his father- in- law, the father of the young woman said to him,“Look, please, the day has drawn toward evening. Please stay the night. See, the day is declining. Spend the night here and your heart will be glad. Then make an early start tomorrow for your journey and go to your tent.” BSB BSB: When the man got up to depart with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is drawing to a close. Please spend the night. See, the day is almost over. Spend the night here, that your heart may be merry. Then you can get up early tomorrow for your journey home.”
10 GLT But the man was not willing to spend the night. So he got up and he left. He came as far as the region opposite Jebus, that is Jerusalem. Now with him was a team of donkeys equipped for riding, and also his concubine was with him. BSB BSB: But the man was unwilling to spend the night. He got up and departed, and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.
11 GLT They were near Jebus, and the daylight had greatly diminshed. So the young man said to his master,“Come, please, we should turn aside into this city of the Jebusite so we can spend the night in it.” BSB BSB: When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Please, let us stop at this Jebusite city and spend the night here.”
12 GLT However his master said to him,“We will not turn aside into a city of a foreigner, where there are none here from the sons of Israel. Instead we will pass by until reaching Gibeah.” BSB BSB: But his master replied, “We will not turn aside to the city of foreigners, where there are no Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.”
13 GLT Then he said to his young man,“Come, let us draw near to one of these places, and we will spend the night in either Gibeah or in Ramah.” BSB BSB: He continued, “Come, let us try to reach one of these towns to spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”
14 GLT So they passed by and they went on. But the sun went down with regard to them in proximity to the region of Gibeah, which belonged to Benjamin. BSB BSB: So they continued on their journey, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin.
15 GLT As a result they turned aside there to come in to spend the night in the Gibeah area. They came in and they sat down in the open plaza of the city, but no one was receiving them into the house to spend the night. BSB BSB: They stopped to go in and lodge in Gibeah. The Levite went in and sat down in the city square, but no one would take them into his home for the night.
16 GLT Now, look, an old man was coming from his work, from the field at the evening. The man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojurning in the Gibeah area. But the men of the place were Benjamite. BSB BSB: That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was residing in Gibeah (the men of that place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the field.
17 GLT He raised his eyes and he saw the traveling man in the open plaza of the city. Then the old man said,“Where are you going and from where are you coming?” BSB BSB: When he looked up and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going, and where have you come from?”
18 GLT He said to him,“We are passing through from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of Yahweh. However there is no one receiving me into the house. BSB BSB: The Levite replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote hill country of Ephraim, where I am from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and now I am going to the house of the LORD; but no one has taken me into his home,
19 GLT Moreover, there is straw, also fodder for our donkeys. There is even bread and wine for me and for your maidservant, and for the young man with your servants. There is no lack of anything.” BSB BSB: even though there is both straw and feed for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me and the maidservant and young man with me. There is nothing that we, your servants, lack.”
20 GLT The old man said,“Peace to you! Surely all of your need is upon me. Only you must not spend the night in the open plaza.” BSB BSB: “Peace to you,” said the old man. “Let me supply everything you need. Only do not spend the night in the square.”
21 GLT So he brought him into his house and he poured out feed for the donkeys. They washed their feet and they ate and they drank. BSB BSB: So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.
22 GLT They were making their heart glad, but look, the men of the city, men of sons of wickedness, had encircled themselves around the house, pounding repeatedly on the door. They said to the old man, the master of the house, saying,“Bring out the man who came to your house, so we will know him.” BSB BSB: While they were enjoying themselves, suddenly the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they said to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so we can have relations with him!”
23 GLT The man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them,“No, my brothers, please you must not act wickedly! Seeing that this man has come into my house, you must not do this disgraceful thing! BSB BSB: The owner of the house went out and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Do not commit this outrage.
24 GLT Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out so you can violate them and do to them what is good in your eyes. But to this man do not do this wicked thing!” BSB BSB: Look, let me bring out my virgin daughter and the man’s concubine, and you can use them and do with them as you wish. But do not do such a vile thing to this man.”
25 GLT But the men were not willing to listen to him, so the man seized his concubine and made her go forth to them who were outside. They knew her and they abused her the whole night until the morning. Then they sent her away at the rising of the dawn. BSB BSB: But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.
26 GLT The woman came at the changing of the morning and she fell down at the entrance of the house of the man where her master was there, until the daylight. BSB BSB: Early that morning, the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, collapsed at the doorway, and lay there until it was light.
27 GLT Her master rose up in the morning and he opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way. But look, the woman, his concubine had fallen at the entrance of the house, and her hands were on the threshold. BSB BSB: In the morning, when her master got up and opened the doors of the house to go out on his journey, there was his concubine, collapsed in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold.
28 GLT He said to her,“Get up and let us go!” But there was no answering, so he took her on the donkey. Thus the man rose up and he went to his place. BSB BSB: “Get up,” he told her. “Let us go.” But there was no response. So the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.
29 GLT When he came to his house, he took the knife, and he seized his concubine, and he cut her in pieces to her bones, into twelve pieces, and he sent her into all of the territory of Israel. BSB BSB: When he reached his house, he picked up a knife, took hold of his concubine, cut her limb by limb into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel.
30 GLT Now it would happen, everyone who saw it said,“Nothing has happened and never has been seen anything like this from the day of the coming up of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt until this day. Consider about it for yourselves! Make a plan and speak up!” BSB BSB: And everyone who saw it said, “Nothing like this has been seen or done from the day the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt until this day. Think it over, take counsel, and speak up!”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.