Book 07 : NEVIIM - JUDGES - Chapter 019
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And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king
in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the
hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem in Judah
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And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went
away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem in Judah, and was there the
space of four months
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And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly
unto her, to bring her back, 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
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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
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And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose
early in the morning, and he rose up to depart; and the damsel's father said
unto his son-in-law: 'Stay thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward ye
shall go your way.
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So they sat down, and did eat and drink, both of them
together; and the damsel's father said unto the man: 'Be content, I pray thee,
and tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry.
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And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged
him, and he lodged there again
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And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to
depart; and the damsel's father said: 'Stay thy heart, I pray thee, and tarry ye
until the day declineth'; and they did eat, both of them
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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; tarry, I pray you, all night; behold, the
day groweth to an end; lodge here, that thy heart may be merry; and to-morrow
get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
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But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and
departed, and came over against Jebus--the same is Jerusalem; and there were
with him a couple of asses saddled; his concubine also was with him
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When they were by Jebus--the day was far spent--the
servant said unto his master: 'Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into
this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
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And his master said unto him: 'We will not turn aside into
the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass
over to Gibeah.
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And he said unto his servant: 'Come and let us draw near
to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
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So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went
down upon them near to Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin
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And they turned aside thither, to go in to lodge in Gibeah;
and he went in, and sat him down in the broad place of the city; for there was
no man that took them into his house to lodge
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And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of
the field at even; now the man was of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he
sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites
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And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in
the broad place of the city; and the old man said: 'Whither goest thou? and
whence comest thou?
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And he said unto him: 'We are passing from Beth-lehem in
Judah unto the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim; from thence am I,
and I went to Beth-lehem in Judah, and I am now going to the house of HaShem;
and there is no man that taketh me into his house
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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
that is with thy servants; there is no want of any thing.
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And the old man said: 'Peace be unto thee; howsoever let
all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the broad place.
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So he brought him into his house, and gave the asses
fodder; and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink
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As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of
the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the
door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying: 'Bring
forth the man that came into thy house, that we may know him.
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And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them,
and said unto them: 'Nay, my brethren, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing
that this man is come into my house, do not this wanton deed
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Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine; I
will bring them out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good
unto you; but unto this man do not so wanton a thing.
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But the men would not hearken to him; so the man laid hold
on 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
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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
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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, with her hands upon the threshold
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And he said unto her. 'Up, and let us be going'; but none
answered; then he took her up upon the ass; and the man rose up, and got him
unto his place
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And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and
laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces,
and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel
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And it was so, that all that saw it said: 'Such a thing
hath not happened nor been seen from the day that the children of Israel came up
out of the land of Egypt unto this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak.
Book 07 : NEVIIM - JUDGES - Chapter 019
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