Judges 19

A Levite and His Concubine

1 In those days, x when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of y the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from z Bethlehem in Judah. 2 And his concubine was unfaithful to 1 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, a "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 b 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, c "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 d 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 e 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 f 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, g 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 h the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah. i 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 j to the house of the Lord, 2 g 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. k There is no lack of anything." 20 And the old man said, l "Peace be to you; I will care for all your wants. m Only, do not spend the night in the square." 21 So he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys feed. n And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

Gibeah's Crime

22 As they were o making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, p 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, q do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, r do not do this vile thing. 24 s Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine. Let me bring them out now. t Violate them and do with them what seems good to you, but against this man r 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." u 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 v divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. 30 w 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; x consider it, take counsel, and speak."

  1. Cross References
    Judges 17:6
    In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
    Judges 18:1
    In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the people of Dan was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in, for until then no inheritance among the tribes of Israel had fallen to them.
    Judges 21:25
    In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 24:33
    And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
  3. Cross References
    Judges 17:7
    Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
  4. Cross References
    Judges 19:8
    And on the fifth day he arose early in the morning to depart. And the girl's father said, "Strengthen your heart and wait until the day declines." So they ate, both of them.
    Genesis 18:5
    While I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on - since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said.
  5. Cross References
    Judges 19:9
    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.
    Judges 19:22
    As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, 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.
    Judges 16:25
    And when their hearts were merry, they said, "Call Samson, that he may entertain us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars.
    Ruth 3:7
    And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down.
    2 Samuel 13:28
    Then Absalom commanded his servants, "Mark when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.
  6. Cross References
    Judges 19:5
    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, "Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go.
  7. Cross References
    Joshua 15:8
    Then the boundary goes up by the Valley of the Son of Hinnom at the southern shoulder of the Jebusite ( that is, Jerusalem). And the boundary goes up to the top of the mountain that lies over against the Valley of Hinnom, on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.
    Joshua 15:63
    But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.
  8. Cross References
    Joshua 18:28
    Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim - fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans.
  9. Cross References
    Joshua 18:25
    Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth.
  10. Cross References
    Judges 19:18
    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 to the house of the Lord, but no one has taken me into his house.
  11. Cross References
    Judges 19:1
    In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
    Joshua 24:33
    And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
  12. Cross References
    Judges 19:14
    So they passed on and went their way. And the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
    Judges 20:4
    And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, "I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night.
  13. Cross References
    Judges 18:31
    So they set up Micah's carved image that he made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.
  14. Cross References
    Judges 19:15
    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, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.
  15. Cross References
    Judges 18:10
    As soon as you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people. The land is spacious, for God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.
  16. Cross References
    Genesis 43:23
    He replied, "Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 19:2
    And said, "My lords, please turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way." They said, "No; we will spend the night in the town square.
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 18:4
    Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
    Genesis 24:32
    So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
    Genesis 43:24
    And when the man had brought the men into Joseph's house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder.
    John 13:5
    Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
  19. Cross References
    Judges 19:6
    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 let your heart be merry.
  20. Cross References
    Judges 20:5
    And the leaders of Gibeah rose against me and surrounded the house against me by night. They meant to kill me, and they violated my concubine, and she is dead.
    Genesis 19:4
    But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house.
  21. Cross References
    Genesis 19:7
    And said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.
  22. Cross References
    Judges 20:6
    So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel.
    Genesis 34:7
    The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, for such a thing must not be done.
    Deuteronomy 22:21
    Then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father's house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
    2 Samuel 13:12
    She answered him, "No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing.
    Joshua 7:15
    And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.'
  23. Cross References
    Genesis 19:8
    Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.
  24. Cross References
    Genesis 34:2
    And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her.
    Deuteronomy 21:14
    But if you no longer delight in her, you shall let her go where she wants. But you shall not sell her for money, nor shall you treat her as a slave, since you have humiliated her.
  25. Cross References
    Judges 19:23
    And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, "No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not do this vile thing.
  26. Cross References
    Judges 20:5
    And the leaders of Gibeah rose against me and surrounded the house against me by night. They meant to kill me, and they violated my concubine, and she is dead.
  27. Cross References
    Judges 20:6
    So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel.
    1 Samuel 11:7
    He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!" Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.
  28. Cross References
    Hosea 9:9
    They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins.
    Hosea 10:9
    From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel; there they have continued. Shall not the war against the unjust overtake them in Gibeah?
  29. Cross References
    Judges 20:7
    Behold, you people of Israel, all of you, give your advice and counsel here.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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