A Levite bringing home his wife, is lodged by an old man at Gabaa in
the tribe of Benjamin. His wife is there abused by wicked men, and in
the morning found dead. Her husband cutteth her body in pieces, and
sendeth to every tribe of Israel, requiring them to revenge the wicked
fact.
19:1. There was a certain Levite, who dwelt on the side of mount
Ephraim, who took a wife of Bethlehem Juda:
19:2. And she left him, and returned to her father’s house in
Bethlehem, and abode with him four months.
19:3. And her husband followed her, willing to be reconciled with her,
and to speak kindly to her, and to bring her back with him, having with
him a servant and two asses: and she received him, and brought him into
her father’s house. And when his father in law had heard this, and had
seen him, he met him with joy,
19:4. And embraced the man. And the son in law tarried in the house of
his father in law three days, eating with him and drinking familiarly.
19:5. But on the fourth day, arising early in the morning, he desired
to depart. But his father in law kept him, and said to him: Taste first
a little bread, and strengthen thy stomach, and so thou shalt depart.
19:6. And they sat down together, and ate and drank. And the father of
the young woman said to his son in law: I beseech thee to stay here to
day, and let us make merry together.
19:7. But he rising up, began to be for departing. And nevertheless his
father in law earnestly pressed him, and made him stay with him.
19:8. But when morning was come, the Levite prepared to go on his
journey. And his father in law said to him again: I beseech thee to
take a little meat, and strengthening thyself, till the day be farther
advanced, afterwards thou mayest depart. And they ate together.
19:9. And the young man arose to set forward with his wife and servant.
And his father in law spoke to him again: Consider that the day is
declining, and draweth toward evening: tarry with me to day also, and
spend the day in mirth, and to morrow thou shalt depart, that thou
mayest go into thy house.
19:10. His son in law would not consent to his words: but forthwith
went forward, and came over against Jebus, which by another name is
called Jerusalem, leading with him two asses laden, and his concubine.
Concubine. She was his lawful wife, but even lawful wives are
frequently in scripture called concubines. See above, chap. 8. ver.
31.—Ver. 16. Jemini.... That is, Benjamin.
19:11. And now they were come near Jebus, and the day was far spent:
and the servant said to his master: Come, I beseech thee, let us turn
into the city of the Jebusites, and lodge there.
19:12. His master answered him: I will not go into the town of another
nation, who are not of the children of Israel, but I will pass over to
Gabaa:
19:13. And when I shall come thither, we will lodge there, or at least
in the city of Rama.
19:14. So they passed by Jebus, and went on their journey, and the sun
went down upon them when they were by Gabaa, which is in the tribe of
Benjamin:
19:15. And they turned into it to lodge there. And when they were come
in, they sat in the street of the city, for no man would receive them
to lodge.
19:16. And behold they saw an old man, returning out of the field and
from his work in the evening, and he also was of mount Ephraim, and
dwelt as a stranger in Gabaa; but the men of that country were the
children of Jemini.
19:17. And the old man lifting up his eyes, saw the man sitting with
his bundles in the street of the city, and said to him: Whence comest
thou? and whither goest thou?
19:18. He answered him: We came out from Bethlehem Juda, and we are
going to our home, which is on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence
we went to Bethlehem: and now we go to the house of God, and none will
receive us under his roof:
19:19. We have straw and hay for provender of the asses, and bread and
wine for the use of myself and of thy handmaid, and of the servant that
is with me: we want nothing but lodging.
19:20. And the old man answered him: Peace be with thee: I will furnish
all things that are necessary: only I beseech thee, stay not in the
street.
19:21. And he brought him into his house, and gave provender to his
asses: and after they had washed their feet, he entertained them with a
feast.
19:22. While they were making merry, and refreshing their bodies with
meat and drink, after the labour of the journey, the men of that city,
sons of Belial (that is, without yoke), came and beset the old man’s
house, and began to knock at the door, calling to the master of the
house, and saying: Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that
we may abuse him:
19:23. And the old man went out to them, and said: Do not so, my
brethren, do not so wickedly: because this man is come into my lodging,
and cease I pray you from this folly.
19:24. I have a maiden daughter, and this man hath a concubine, I will
bring them out to you, and you may humble them, and satisfy your lust:
only, I beseech you, commit not this crime against nature on the man.
19:25. They would not be satisfied with his words; which the man
seeing, brought out his concubine to them, and abandoned her to their
wickedness: and when they had abused her all the night, they let her go
in the morning.
19:26. But the woman, at the dawning of the day, came to the door of
the house, where her lord lodged, and there fell down.
19:27. And in the morning the man arose, and opened the door, that he
might end the journey he had begun: and behold his concubine lay before
the door with her hands spread on the threshold.
19:28. He thinking she was taking her rest, said to her: Arise, and let
us be going. But as she made no answer, perceiving she was dead, he
took her up, and laid her upon his ass, and returned to his house.
19:29. And when he was come home, he took a sword, and divided the dead
body of his wife with her bones into twelve parts, and sent the pieces
into all the borders of Israel.
19:30. And when every one had seen this, they all cried out: There was
never such a thing done in Israel, from the day that our fathers came
up out of Egypt, until this day: give sentence, and decree in common
what ought to be done.