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A
Levite and His Concubine
19:1 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.
19:2 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.
19:3 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.
19:4 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.
19:5 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.
19:6 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.
19:7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law
urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
19:8 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.
19:9 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.
19:10 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.
19:11 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.
19:12 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.
19:13 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.
19:14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun
went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which
belongeth to Benjamin.
19:15 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.
19:16 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.
19:17 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?
19:18 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.
19:19 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.
19:20 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever
let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
19:21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender
unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and
drink.
19:22 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.
19:23 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.
19:24 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.
19:25 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.
19:26 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.
19:27 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.
19:28 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.
19:29 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.
19:30 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. |
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
