1And it came to be in those days, when there was no sovereign in Yisra’ĕl, that there was a certain Lĕwite sojourning on the further side of the mountains of Ephrayim. And he took for himself a concubine from Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah.

2And his concubine committed whoring against him, and went away from him to her father’s house at Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah, and was there four months.

3And her husband arose and went after her, to speak to her heart and bring her back, having his servant and a couple of donkeys with him. And she brought him into her father’s house. And the father of the young woman saw him, and he was glad to meet him.

4And his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, detained him, and he dwelt with him three days. And they ate and drank and spent the nights there.

5And it came to be on the fourth day that they arose early in the morning. And he prepared to leave, but the young woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh your heart with a piece of bread, and afterward go your way.”

6So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together. And the young woman’s father said to the man, “Please agree to stay all night, and let your heart be glad.”

7And when the man arose to go, his father-in-law urged him. So he spent the night there again.

8And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to go. But the young woman’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they delayed until afternoon, and both of them ate.

9And the man arose to go, he and his concubine and his servant. But his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, said to him, “See, the day is now drawing toward evening. Please spend the night. See, the day is coming to an end. Stay here, and let your heart be glad. And you shall rise early tomorrow for your journey, and you shall go to your tent.”

10But the man would not stay that night. And he arose and left, and came to a place opposite Yeḇus, that is Yerushalayim. And with him were the two saddled donkeys, and his concubine with him.

11They were near Yeḇus, and the day was far spent. And the servant said to his master, “Come, please, and let us turn aside into this city of the Yeḇusites and spend the night in it.”

12And his master said to him, “Let us not turn aside here into a city of foreigners, who are not of the children of Yisra’ĕl. But we shall pass over to Giḇ‛ah.”

13And he said to his servant, “Come, let us draw near to one of these places, and spend the night in Giḇ‛ah or in Ramah.”

14And they passed over and went their way. And the sun went down on them near Giḇ‛ah, which belongs to Binyamin,

15and they turned off there to go in to spend the night in Giḇ‛ah. So he went in, and he sat down in the open square of the city, for no one would take them into his house to spend the night.

16But see, an old man came in from his work in the field at evening, who also was from the mountains of Ephrayim. And he was sojourning in Giḇ‛ah, whereas the men of the place were Binyamites.

17And when he lifted up his eyes, he saw the traveller in the open square of the city. And the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?”

18And he said to him, “We are passing over from Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah to the other side of the mountains of Ephrayim. I am from there, and I went to Bĕyth Leḥem in Yehuḏah, and I am going to the House of יהוה. But there is no one taking me into his house,

19yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and bread and wine for myself, and for your female servant, and for the young man who is with your servant; there is no lack of any matter.”

20And the old man said, “Peace be with you! However, let all your needs be on me, only do not spend the night in the open square.”

21And he brought him into his house, and gave fodder to the donkeys. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

22They were making their hearts glad, and see, men of the city, sons of Beliya‛al, surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so that we know him!”

23But the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers! I beg you, do no evil! Since this man has come into my house, do not do this folly.

24“Look, here is my maiden daughter and the man’s concubine. Let me bring them out now, and humble them, and do with them what is good in your eyes, but do not do such a foolish matter to this man!”

25But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and brought her out to them. And they knew her and rolled themselves on her all night until morning, and let her go when the day began to break.

26And as morning appeared the woman came back and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, till it was light.

27And her master rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house and went out to go his way, and saw his concubine, fallen at the door of the house with her hands on the threshold.

28And he said to her, “Rise up and let us go.” But there was no answer. Then he took her on the donkey, and the man rose and went to his place,

29and came into his house and took a knife, then laid hold of his concubine, and cut her up limb by limb into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Yisra’ĕl.

30And it came to be that all who saw it said, “There has never been, and there has not been seen the like of this, from the day that the children of Yisra’ĕl came up from the land of Mitsrayim until this day. Set your heart on it, take counsel, and speak up!”