Judges 19
Expanded Bible
A Levite and His Servant
19 At that time Israel did not have a king [17:6].
There was a Levite who lived in the ·faraway [remote] ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim. He had taken a ·slave woman [concubine; 8:31] from the city of Bethlehem in the land of Judah to live with him, 2 but she ·was unfaithful to [or became angry with] him. She left him and went back to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah and stayed there for four months. 3 Then her husband went to ·ask her [persuade her; L speak to her heart] to come back to him, taking with him his servant and two donkeys. When the Levite came to her father’s house, she invited him to come in, and her father was happy to ·see [welcome; meet] him. 4 The father-in-law, the young woman’s father, ·asked [urged; persuaded] him to stay. So he stayed for three days and ate, drank, and slept there [C hospitality was (and is) a very high cultural value in the Middle East].
5 On the fourth day they got up early in the morning. The Levite was getting ready to leave, but the woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “·Refresh [Strengthen] yourself by eating something. Then go.” 6 So the two men sat down to eat and drink together. After that, the father said to him, “Please stay tonight. Relax and enjoy yourself.” 7 When the man got up to go, his father-in-law ·asked [urged; persuaded] him to stay. So he stayed again that night. 8 On the fifth day the man got up early in the morning to leave. The woman’s father said, “·Refresh [Strengthen] yourself. Wait until this afternoon.” So the two men ate together.
9 When the Levite, his ·slave woman [concubine; v. 1], and his servant got up to leave, the father-in-law, the young woman’s father, said, “It’s almost night. The day is almost gone. Spend the night here and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow morning you can get up early and go home.” 10 But the Levite did not want to stay another night. So he took his two saddled donkeys and his ·slave woman [concubine] and ·traveled toward [L arose and went and came opposite] the city of Jebus (also called Jerusalem).
11 As the day was almost over, they came near Jebus. So the servant said to his master, “Let’s stop at this city of the Jebusites, and spend the night here.”
12 But his master said, “No. We won’t go inside a foreign city. Those people are not ·Israelites [L of the sons/T children of Israel]. We will go on to the city of Gibeah.” 13 He said, “Come on. Let’s try to make it to Gibeah or Ramah so we can spend the night in one of those cities.” 14 So they went on. The sun went down as they came near Gibeah, which belongs to the tribe of Benjamin. 15 They stopped there to spend the night. They came to the public square [C an open area inside the city gate, the hub for business, government, and social interaction] of the city and sat down, but no one invited them home to spend the night [C a mark of shame for the city, since hospitality was of great importance; contrast this with vv. 3–9].
16 Finally, in the evening an old man came in from his work in the fields. His home was in the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim, but now he was ·living [residing; staying] in Gibeah. (The people of Gibeah were from the tribe of Benjamin.) 17 He saw the traveler in the public square and asked, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”
18 The Levite answered, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to my home in a remote area of the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah, but now I am going to the ·Holy Tent [L House] of the Lord [C probably the shrine at Shiloh; 18:31; Josh. 18:1].[a] No one has invited me to stay in his house. 19 We already have straw and food for our donkeys and bread and wine for me, ·the young woman [L your maidservant], and my ·servant [L the young man with your servants; C politely referring to himself and his servants as the old man’s servants]. We don’t need anything.”
20 The old man said, “You are welcome to stay at my house. Let me give you anything you need, but don’t spend the night in the public square.” 21 So the old man took the Levite into his house, and he fed their donkeys. They washed their feet and had something to eat and drink.
22 While they were enjoying themselves, [L look; T behold] some ·wicked [worthless; troublemaking] men of the city surrounded the house and beat on the door. They shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house. We want to ·have sexual relations with [L know; C a euphemism for sex] him.” [C The Benjamites had become as evil as the men of Sodom; Gen. 19:1–11.]
23 The owner of the house went outside and said to them, “No, my ·friends [brothers]. Don’t be so evil. This man is a guest in my house. Don’t do this ·terrible [outrageous; disgraceful; vile] thing! 24 Look, here are my ·daughter, who has never had sexual relations before [L virgin daughter], and the man’s ·slave woman [concubine; v. 1]. I will bring them out to you now. You can ·abuse [violate] them and do ·anything you want [L what is good in your eyes] with them, but don’t do such a ·terrible [outrageous; disgraceful; vile] thing to this man.”
25 But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took his ·slave woman [concubine; v. 1] and sent her outside to them. They ·forced her to have sexual relations with them [raped her], and they abused her all night long. Then, at dawn, they let her go. 26 She came back to the house where her master was staying and fell down at the door and lay there until daylight.
27 In the morning when the Levite got up, he opened the door of the house and went outside to go on his way. But his slave woman was lying at the doorway of the house, with her hands on the ·doorsill [threshold]. 28 The Levite said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But she did not answer. So he put her on his donkey and went home.
29 When the Levite got home, he took a knife and cut his ·slave woman [concubine; v. 1] into twelve parts, limb by limb. Then he sent a part to each area of Israel. 30 Everyone who saw this said, “Nothing like this has ever happened before, not since the ·people [L sons; T children] of Israel came out of Egypt. Think about it [Consider this; or Just imagine!]. Discuss it [Take counsel; or Make a plan]. Tell us what to do [or Speak out against this!].”
Footnotes
- Judges 19:18 going to the Holy Tent of the Lord Some Greek copies read “going home.”
Judges 19
English Standard Version
A Levite and His Concubine
19 In those days, (A)when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of (B)the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from (C)Bethlehem in Judah. 2 And his concubine was unfaithful to[a] him, and she went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there some four months. 3 Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly to her and bring her back. He had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into her father's house. And when the girl's father saw him, he came with joy to meet him. 4 And his father-in-law, the girl's father, made him stay, and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and spent the night there. 5 And on the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to go, but the girl's father said to his son-in-law, (D)“Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go.” 6 So the two of them sat and ate and drank together. And the girl's father said to the man, “Be pleased to spend the night, and (E)let your heart be merry.” 7 And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, till he spent the night there again. 8 And on the fifth day he arose early in the morning to depart. And the girl's father said, (F)“Strengthen your heart and wait until the day declines.” So they ate, both of them. 9 And when the man and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart, his father-in-law, the girl's father, said to him, “Behold, now the day has waned toward evening. Please, spend the night. Behold, the day draws to its close. Lodge here and let your heart be merry, and tomorrow you shall arise early in the morning for your journey, and go home.”
10 But the man would not spend the night. He rose up and departed and arrived opposite (G)Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him a couple of saddled donkeys, and his concubine was with him. 11 When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, “Come now, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.” 12 And his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners, who do not belong to the people of Israel, but we will pass on to (H)Gibeah.” 13 And he said to his young man, “Come and let us draw near to one of these places and spend the night at Gibeah or at (I)Ramah.” 14 So they passed on and went their way. And the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin, 15 and they turned aside there, to go in and spend the night at Gibeah. And he went in and sat down in the open square of the city, (J)for no one took them into his house to spend the night.
16 And behold, an old man was coming from his work in the field at evening. The man was from (K)the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah. (L)The men of the place were Benjaminites. 17 And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city. And the old man said, “Where are you going? And where do you come from?” 18 And he said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, from which I come. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going (M)to the house of the Lord,[b] (N)but no one has taken me into his house. 19 We have straw and feed for our donkeys, with bread and wine for me and your female servant and the young man with your servants. (O)There is no lack of anything.” 20 And the old man said, (P)“Peace be to you; I will care for all your wants. (Q)Only, do not spend the night in the square.” 21 So he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys feed. (R)And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
Gibeah's Crime
22 As they were (S)making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, (T)surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they said to the old man, the master of the house, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him.” 23 And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, (U)do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, (V)do not do this vile thing. 24 (W)Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine. Let me bring them out now. (X)Violate them and do with them what seems good to you, but against this man (Y)do not do this outrageous thing.” 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and made her go out to them. And they knew her and abused her all night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go. 26 And as morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was, until it was light.
27 And her master rose up in the morning, and when he opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, behold, there was his concubine lying at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up, let us be going.” (Z)But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey, and the man rose up and went away to his home. 29 And when he entered his house, he took a knife, and taking hold of his concubine he (AA)divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. 30 (AB)And all who saw it said, “Such a thing has never happened or been seen from the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day; (AC)consider it, take counsel, and speak.”
Footnotes
- Judges 19:2 Septuagint, Old Latin became angry with
- Judges 19:18 Septuagint my home; compare verse 29
Judges 19
New King James Version
The Levite’s Concubine
19 And it came to pass in those days, (A)when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote mountains of Ephraim. He took for himself a concubine from (B)Bethlehem in Judah. 2 But his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father’s house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there four whole months. 3 Then her husband arose and went after her, to (C)speak [a]kindly to her and bring her back, having his servant and a couple of donkeys with him. So she brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young woman saw him, he was glad to meet him. 4 Now his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, detained him; and he stayed with him three days. So they ate and drank and lodged there.
5 Then it came to pass on the fourth day that they arose early in the morning, and he stood to depart; but the young woman’s father said to his son-in-law, (D)“Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.”
6 So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the young woman’s father said to the man, “Please be content to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.” 7 And when the man stood to depart, his father-in-law urged him; so he lodged there again. 8 Then he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart, but the young woman’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they delayed until afternoon; and both of them ate.
9 And when the man stood to depart—he and his concubine and his servant—his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is now drawing toward evening; please spend the night. See, the day is coming to an end; lodge here, that your heart may be merry. Tomorrow go your way early, so that you may get [b]home.”
10 However, the man was not willing to spend that night; so he rose and departed, and came opposite (E)Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). With him were the two saddled donkeys; his concubine was also with him. 11 They were near Jebus, and the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, “Come, please, and let us turn aside into this city (F)of the Jebusites and lodge in it.”
12 But his master said to him, “We will not turn aside here into a city of foreigners, who are not of the children of Israel; we will go on (G)to Gibeah.” 13 So he said to his servant, “Come, let us draw near to one of these places, and spend the night in Gibeah or in (H)Ramah.” 14 And they passed by and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. 15 They turned aside there to go in to lodge in Gibeah. And when he went in, he sat down in the open square of the city, for no one would (I)take them into his house to spend the night.
16 Just then an old man came in from (J)his work in the field at evening, who also was from the mountains of Ephraim; he was staying in Gibeah, whereas the men of the place were Benjamites. 17 And when he raised his eyes, he saw the traveler in the open square of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?”
18 So he said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah toward the remote mountains of Ephraim; I am from there. I went to Bethlehem in Judah; now I am going to (K)the house of the Lord. But there is no one who will take me into his house, 19 although we have both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and bread and wine for myself, for your female servant, and for the young man who is with your servant; there is no lack of anything.”
20 And the old man said, (L)“Peace be with you! However, let all your needs be my responsibility; (M)only do not spend the night in the open square.” 21 (N)So he brought him into his house, and gave fodder to the donkeys. (O)And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
Gibeah’s Crime
22 As they were (P)enjoying themselves, suddenly (Q)certain men of the city, (R)perverted[c] men, surrounded the house and beat on the door. They spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, (S)“Bring out the man who came to your house, that we may know him carnally!”
23 But (T)the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brethren! I beg you, do not act so wickedly! Seeing this man has come into my house, (U)do not commit this outrage. 24 (V)Look, here is my virgin daughter and [d]the man’s concubine; let me bring them out now. (W)Humble them, and do with them as you please; but to this man do not do such a vile thing!” 25 But the men would not heed him. So the man took his concubine and brought her out to them. And they (X)knew her and abused her all night until morning; and when the day began to break, they let her go.
26 Then the woman came as the day was dawning, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, till it was light.
27 When her master arose in the morning, and opened the doors of the house and went out to go his way, there was his concubine, fallen at the door of the house with her hands on the threshold. 28 And he said to her, “Get up and let us be going.” But (Y)there was no answer. So the man lifted her onto the donkey; and the man got up and went to his place.
29 When he entered his house he took a knife, laid hold of his concubine, and (Z)divided her into twelve pieces, [e]limb by limb, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. 30 And so it was that all who saw it said, “No such deed has been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up from the land of Egypt until this day. Consider it, (AA)confer, and speak up!”
Footnotes
- Judges 19:3 Lit. to her heart
- Judges 19:9 Lit. to your tent
- Judges 19:22 Lit. sons of Belial
- Judges 19:24 Lit. his
- Judges 19:29 Lit. with her bones
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
