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Judges 19
Contemporary English Version
Judges 19
Contemporary English Version
A Woman Is Murdered
19 Before kings ruled Israel, a Levite[a] was living deep in the hill country of the Ephraim tribe. He married[b] a woman from Bethlehem in Judah, 2 but she was unfaithful and went back to live with her family in Bethlehem.
Four months later 3 her husband decided to try and talk her into coming back. So he went to Bethlehem, taking along a servant and two donkeys. He talked with his wife, and she invited him into her family's home. Her father was glad to see him 4 and did not want him to leave. So the man stayed three days, eating and drinking with his father-in-law.
5 When everyone got up on the fourth day, the Levite started getting ready to go home. But his father-in-law said, “Don't leave until you have a bite to eat. You'll need strength for your journey.”
6 The two men sat down together and ate a big meal. “Come on,” the man's father-in-law said. “Stay tonight and have a good time.”
7 The Levite tried to leave, but his father-in-law insisted, and he spent one more night there. 8 The fifth day, the man got up early to leave, but his wife's father said, “You need to keep up your strength! Why don't you leave right after lunch?” So the two of them started eating.
9 Finally, the Levite got up from the meal, so he and his wife and servant could leave. “Look,” his father-in-law said, “it's already late afternoon, and if you leave now, you won't get very far before dark. Stay with us one more night and enjoy yourself. Then you can get up early tomorrow morning and start home.”
10 But the Levite decided not to spend the night there again. He had the saddles put on his two donkeys, then he and his wife and servant traveled as far as Jebus, which is now called Jerusalem. 11 It was beginning to get dark, and the man's servant said, “Let's stop and spend the night in this town where the Jebusites live.”
12 “No,” the Levite answered. “They aren't Israelites, and I refuse to spend the night there. We'll stop for the night at Gibeah, 13 or maybe we can even reach Ramah[c] before dark.”
14 They walked on and reached Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin just after sunset. 15 They left the road and went into Gibeah. But the Levite couldn't find a house where anyone would let them spend the night, and they sat down in the open area just inside the town gates.
16 Soon an old man came in through the gates on his way home from working in the fields. Most of the people who lived in Gibeah belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, but this man was originally from the hill country of Ephraim. 17 He noticed that the Levite was just in town to spend the night. “Where are you going?” the old man asked. “Where did you come from?”
18 “We've come from Bethlehem in Judah,” the Levite answered. “We went there on a visit. Now we're going to the place where the Lord is worshiped, and later we will return to our home in the hill country of Ephraim. But no one here will let us spend the night[d] in their home. 19 We brought food for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves, so we don't need anything except a place to sleep.”
20 The old man said, “You are welcome to spend the night in my home and to be my guest, but don't stay out here!”
21 The old man brought them into his house and fed their donkeys. Then he and his guests washed their feet[e] and began eating and drinking. 22 (A) They were having a good time, when some worthless men of that town surrounded the house and started banging on the door and shouting, “A man came to your house tonight. Send him out, so we can have sex with him!”
23 The old man went outside and said, “My friends, please don't commit such a horrible crime against a man who is a guest in my house. 24 Let me send out my daughter instead. She's a virgin. And I'll even send out the man's wife.[f] You can rape them or do whatever else you want, but please don't do such a horrible thing to this man.”
25 The men refused to listen, so the Levite grabbed his wife and shoved her outside. The men raped her and abused her all night long. Finally, they let her go just before sunrise, 26 and it was almost daybreak when she went back to the house where her husband[g] was staying. She collapsed at the door and lay there until sunrise.
27 About that time, her husband woke up and got ready to leave. He opened the door and went outside, where he found his wife lying at the door with her hands on the doorstep. 28 “Get up!” he said. “It's time to leave.”
But his wife didn't move.[h]
He lifted her body onto his donkey and left. 29 (B) When he got home, he took a butcher knife and cut her body into twelve pieces. Then he told some messengers, “Take one piece to each tribe of Israel 30 and ask everyone if anything like this has ever happened since Israel left Egypt. Tell them to think about it, talk it over, and tell us what should be done.”
Everyone who saw a piece of the body said, “This is horrible! Nothing like this has ever happened since the day Israel left Egypt.”[i]
Footnotes
- 19.1 a Levite: Someone from the Levi tribe, which had no tribal lands of its own.
- 19.1 married: See the note at 8.31.
- 19.13 Gibeah … Ramah: It was about five kilometers from Jerusalem to Gibeah, and another five kilometers to Ramah.
- 19.18 spend the night: People usually considered it a duty to ask travelers to spend the night in their homes, since there were often no other places to stay.
- 19.21 washed their feet: This was a custom, since people wore open sandals and their feet would be dirty after walking on the dirt roads or working in the fields.
- 19.24 wife: See the note at 8.31.
- 19.26 husband: Or “owner”; the Hebrew word may mean that she was his slave and had no legal rights.
- 19.28 move: Hebrew; one ancient translation “move. She was dead.”
- 19.29,30 he told some messengers … since the day Israel left Egypt: One ancient translation; Hebrew “he told some messengers, ‘Take one piece to each tribe of Israel.’ Everyone who saw a piece of the body said, ‘This is horrible! Nothing like this has ever happened since Israel left Egypt. Think of it! Let's talk it over and decide what to do.’ ”
Judges 19
King James Version
Judges 19
King James Version
19 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 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 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 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 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 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 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
8 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
22 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
Mga Hukom 19
Ang Dating Biblia (1905)
Mga Hukom 19
Ang Dating Biblia (1905)
19 At nangyari nang mga araw na yaon, nang walang hari sa Israel, na may isang Levita na nakikipamayan sa malayong dako ng lupaing maburol ng Ephraim, na kumuha ng babae mula sa Bethlehem-juda.
2 At ang kaniyang babae ay nagpatutot at iniwan siya na napasa bahay ng kaniyang ama sa Bethlehem-juda, at dumoon sa loob ng apat na buwan.
3 At ang kaniyang asawa ay yumaon at sumunod sa kaniya, upang makiusap na maigi sa kaniya, na ibalik siya, na kasama ang kaniyang bataan, at dalawang magkatuwang na asno: at ipinasok siya ng babae sa bahay ng kaniyang ama: at nang makita siya ng ama ng babae, ay galak na sinalubong siya.
4 At pinigil siya ng kaniyang biyanan, ng ama ng babae; at siya'y tumahang kasama niya na tatlong araw: sa gayo'y sila'y nagkainan at naginuman, at tumuloy roon.
5 At nangyari nang ikaapat na araw, na sila'y bumangong maaga ng kinaumagahan, at siya'y bumangon upang yumaon: at sinabi ng ama ng babae sa kaniyang manugang, Palakasin mo muna ang iyong puso ng isang subong tinapay, at pagkatapos ay ipagpatuloy ninyo ang inyong lakad.
6 Sa gayo'y naupo sila, at kumain at uminom silang dalawa: at sinabi ng ama ng babae sa lalake, Isinasamo ko sa iyo na magsaya ka, at magpahinga sa buong gabi, at matuwa ang iyong puso.
7 At ang lalake ay bumangon upang umalis; nguni't pinilit siya ng kaniyang biyanan; at siya'y tumigil uli roon.
8 At siya'y bumangong maaga sa kinaumagahan nang ikalimang araw upang yumaon; at sinabi ng ama ng babae, Isinasamo ko sa iyong palakasin mo muna ang iyong puso, at maghintay ka hanggang sa kumulimlim ang araw; at sila'y kumain, silang dalawa.
9 At nang tumindig ang lalake upang yumaon, siya, at ang kaniyang babae, at ang kaniyang bataan, ay sinabi ng kaniyang biyanan, na ama ng kaniyang babae, sa kaniya, Narito, ngayo'y ang araw ay gumagabi na, isinasamo ko sa inyong magpahinga sa buong gabi: narito, ang araw ay nananaw; tumigil dito, upang ang iyong puso ay sumaya; at bukas ay yumaon kayong maaga sa inyong paglakad, upang makauwi ka.
10 Nguni't hindi na inibig ng lalake na magpahinga roon nang gabing yaon, kundi siya'y tumindig at yumaon at tinapat ang Jebus (na siyang Jerusalem): at may dala siyang dalawang magkatuwang na asno na gayak; ang kaniyang babae ay kasama rin niya.
11 Nang sila'y nasa tabi na ng Jebus, ang araw ay nananaw; at sinabi ng bataan sa kaniyang panginoon, Isinasamo ko sa iyo na halina, at tayo'y lumiko sa bayang ito ng mga Jebuseo, at tumigil dito.
12 At sinabi ng kaniyang panginoon sa kaniya, Hindi tayo liliko sa bayan ng iba, na hindi sa mga anak ni Israel; kundi dadaan tayo sa Gabaa.
13 At sinabi niya sa kaniyang alipin, Halina at tayo'y lumapit sa isa sa mga dakong ito; at tayo'y titigil sa Gabaa o sa Rama.
14 Sa gayo'y nagdaan sila at nagpatuloy ng kanilang paglakad; at nilubugan sila ng araw sa malapit sa Gabaa, na nauukol sa Benjamin.
15 At sila'y lumiko roon, upang pumasok na tumigil sa Gabaa: at sila'y pumasok, at naupo sila sa lansangan ng bayan: sapagka't walang taong magpatuloy sa kanila.
16 At, narito, may umuwing isang matandang lalake na galing sa kaniyang paggawa sa bukid sa paglubog ng araw; ang lalake nga'y taga lupaing maburol ng Ephraim, at nakikipamayan sa Gabaa; nguni't ang mga tao sa dakong yaon ay mga Benjamita.
17 At itiningin niya ang kaniyang mga mata, at nakita niya ang naglalakbay sa lansangan ng bayan; at sinabi ng matandang lalake, Saan ka paroroon? at saan ka nanggaling?
18 At sinabi niya sa kaniya, Kami ay nagdadaang mula sa Bethlehem-juda na patungo sa malayong dako ng lupaing maburol ng Ephraim; tagaroon ako at ako'y naparon sa Bethlehem-juda: at ako'y pasasabahay ng Panginoon; at walang taong magpatuloy sa akin.
19 Gayon man ay may dayami at damo para sa aming mga asno; at may tinapay at alak naman para sa akin, at sa iyong lingkod na babae, at sa batang kasama ng iyong mga lingkod: walang kakulangang anomang bagay,
20 At sinabi ng matandang lalake, Kapayapaan nawa ang sumaiyo; sa anomang paraa'y pabayaan mo sa akin ang lahat ng iyong mga kailangan: at huwag ka lamang tumigil sa lansangan.
21 Sa gayo'y kaniyang ipinasok sa kaniyang bahay, at binigyan ng pagkain ang mga asno: at sila'y naghugas ng kanilang mga paa, at nagkainan at naginuman.
22 Nang nangatutuwa na ang kanilang mga puso, narito, ang mga lalake sa bayan, na ilang hamak na tao, ay kinubkob ang bahay sa palibot, na hinahampas ang pintuan; at sila'y nagsalita sa may-ari ng bahay, sa matanda, na sinasabi, Ilabas mo ang lalake na pumasok sa iyong bahay upang makilala namin siya.
23 At lumabas sa kanila ang lalake, ang may-ari ng bahay, at sinabi sa kanila, Huwag, mga kapatid ko, isinasamo ko sa inyong huwag kayong gumawa ng ganiyang kasamaan; yamang ang lalaking ito'y pumasok sa aking bahay, ay huwag ninyong gawin ang kaululang ito.
24 Narito, nandito ang aking anak na dalaga, at ang kaniyang babae; akin silang ilalabas ngayon, at pangayupapain ninyo sila, at gawin ninyo sa kanila ang magalingin ninyo sa kanila: nguni't sa lalaking ito ay huwag kayong gumawa ng anomang masama.
25 Nguni't hindi siya dininig ng mga lalake: sa gayo'y hinawakan ng lalake ang kaniyang babae at inilabas sa kanila: at sinipingan nila siya, at hinalay buong gabi hanggang sa kinaumagahan; at nang magbukang liwayway, ay pinayaon nila siya.
26 Nang magkagayo'y dumating ang babae, pagbubukang liwayway, at nabuwal sa pintuan ng bahay ng lalake, na kinaroroonan ng kaniyang panginoon, hanggang sa lumiwanag.
27 At bumangon ang kaniyang panginoon ng kinaumagahan, at ibinukas ang mga pinto ng bahay, at lumabas na nagpatuloy ng kaniyang lakad: at, narito, ang babae na kaniyang kinakasama ay nakabuwal sa pintuan ng bahay, na ang kaniyang mga kamay ay nasa tayuan.
28 At sinabi niya sa kaniya, Bumangon ka, at tayo na; nguni't walang sumagot: nang magkagayo'y kaniyang isinakay sa asno; at ang lalake ay bumangon, at napasa kaniyang dako.
29 At nang siya'y pumasok sa kaniyang bahay, ay kumuha siya ng isang sundang, at itinaga sa kaniyang babae, at pinagputolputol siya ayon sa kaniyang buto, ng labing dalawang putol; at ipinadala siya sa lahat ng hangganan ng Israel.
30 At nangyari, na lahat ng nakakita ay nagsabi, Walang ganitong gawang ginawa o nakita man mula sa araw na umahon ang mga anak ni Israel na mula sa lupain ng Egipto hanggang sa araw na ito: kayo'y magdilidili, pumayo, at magsalita.
Judges 19
New International Version
Judges 19
New International Version
A Levite and His Concubine
19 In those days Israel had no king.
Now a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim(A) took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.(B) 2 But she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went back to her parents’ home in Bethlehem, Judah. After she had been there four months, 3 her husband went to her to persuade her to return. He had with him his servant and two donkeys. She took him into her parents’ home, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him. 4 His father-in-law, the woman’s father, prevailed on him to stay; so he remained with him three days, eating and drinking,(C) and sleeping there.
5 On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to leave, but the woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh yourself(D) with something to eat; then you can go.” 6 So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Afterward the woman’s father said, “Please stay tonight and enjoy yourself.(E)” 7 And when the man got up to go, his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed there that night. 8 On the morning of the fifth day, when he rose to go, the woman’s father said, “Refresh yourself. Wait till afternoon!” So the two of them ate together.
9 Then when the man, with his concubine and his servant, got up to leave, his father-in-law, the woman’s father, said, “Now look, it’s almost evening. Spend the night here; the day is nearly over. Stay and enjoy yourself. Early tomorrow morning you can get up and be on your way home.” 10 But, unwilling to stay another night, the man left and went toward Jebus(F) (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.
11 When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Come, let’s stop at this city of the Jebusites(G) and spend the night.”
12 His master replied, “No. We won’t go into any city whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.” 13 He added, “Come, let’s try to reach Gibeah or Ramah(H) and spend the night in one of those places.” 14 So they went on, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin.(I) 15 There they stopped to spend the night.(J) They went and sat in the city square,(K) but no one took them in for the night.
16 That evening(L) an old man from the hill country of Ephraim,(M) who was living in Gibeah (the inhabitants of the place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the fields. 17 When he looked and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”(N)
18 He answered, “We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah and now I am going to the house of the Lord.[a](O) No one has taken me in for the night. 19 We have both straw and fodder(P) for our donkeys(Q) and bread and wine(R) for ourselves your servants—me, the woman and the young man with us. We don’t need anything.”
20 “You are welcome at my house,” the old man said. “Let me supply whatever you need. Only don’t spend the night in the square.” 21 So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.(S)
22 While they were enjoying themselves,(T) some of the wicked men(U) of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him.(V)”
23 The owner of the house went outside(W) and said to them, “No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this outrageous thing.(X) 24 Look, here is my virgin daughter,(Y) and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But as for this man, don’t do such an outrageous thing.”
25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her(Z) and abused her(AA) throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. 26 At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight.
27 When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.
29 When he reached home, he took a knife(AB) and cut up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Israel.(AC) 30 Everyone who saw it was saying to one another, “Such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt.(AD) Just imagine! We must do something! So speak up!(AE)”
Footnotes
- Judges 19:18 Hebrew, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum; Septuagint going home
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