The Levite and His Concubine
1 In those days before Israel had a king, there was a Levite living far back in the hill country of Ephraim. He took a young woman from Bethlehem in Judah to be his concubine. 2 But she became angry with him, went back to her father's house in Bethlehem, and stayed there four months. 3 Then the man decided to go after her and try to persuade her to return to him. He took his servant and two donkeys with him. The woman showed the Levite into the house, and when her father saw him, he gave him a hearty greeting. 4 The father insisted that he stay, and so he stayed for three days. The couple had their meals and spent the nights there. 5 On the morning of the fourth day they woke up early and got ready to go. But the woman's father said to the Levite, “Have something to eat first. You'll feel better. You can go later.”
6 So the two men sat down and ate and drank together. Then the woman's father told him, “Please spend the night and enjoy yourself.”
7 The Levite got up to go, but the father urged him to stay, so he spent another night there. 8 Early in the morning of the fifth day he started to leave, but the woman's father said, “Eat something, please. Wait until later in the day.” So the two men ate together.
9 When the man, his concubine, and the servant once more started to leave, the father said, “Look, it's almost evening now; you might as well stay all night. It will be dark soon; stay here and have a good time. Tomorrow you can get up early for the trip and go home.”
10-11 But the man did not want to spend another night there, so he and his concubine started on their way, with their servant and two donkeys with pack saddles. It was late in the day when they came near Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), so the servant said to his master, “Why don't we stop and spend the night here in this Jebusite city?”
12-13 But his master said, “We're not going to stop in a city where the people are not Israelites. We'll pass on by and go a little farther and spend the night at Gibeah or Ramah.” 14 So they passed by Jebus and continued on their way. It was sunset when they came to Gibeah in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. 15 They turned off the road to go and spend the night there. They went into town and sat down in the city square, but no one offered to take them home for the night.
16 While they were there, an old man came by at the end of a day's work on the farm. He was originally from the hill country of Ephraim, but he was now living in Gibeah. (The other people there were from the tribe of Benjamin.) 17 The old man noticed the traveler in the city square and asked him, “Where do you come from? Where are you going?”
18 The Levite answered, “We have been in Bethlehem in Judah, and now we are on our way home deep in the hill country of Ephraim. No one will put us up for the night, 19 even though we have fodder and straw for our donkeys, as well as bread and wine for my concubine and me and for my servant. We have everything we need.”
20 The old man said, “You are welcome in my home! I'll take care of you; you don't have to spend the night in the square.” 21 So he took them home with him and fed their donkeys. His guests washed their feet and had a meal.
22 They were enjoying themselves when all of a sudden some sexual perverts from the town surrounded the house and started beating on the door. They said to the old man, “Bring out that man that came home with you! We want to have sex with him!”
23 But the old man went outside and said to them, “No, my friends! Please! Don't do such an evil, immoral thing! This man is my guest. 24 Look! Here is his concubine and my own virgin daughter. I'll bring them out now, and you can have them. Do whatever you want to with them. But don't do such an awful thing to this man!” 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took his concubine and put her outside with them. They raped her and abused her all night long and didn't stop until morning.
26 At dawn the woman came and fell down at the door of the old man's house, where her husband was. She was still there when daylight came. 27 Her husband got up that morning, and when he opened the door to go on his way, he found his concubine lying in front of the house with her hands reaching for the door. 28 He said, “Get up. Let's go.” But there was no answer. So he put her body across the donkey and started on his way home. 29 When he arrived, he went in the house and got a knife. He took his concubine's body, cut it into twelve pieces, and sent one piece to each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 30 Everyone who saw it said, “We have never heard of such a thing! Nothing like this has ever happened since the Israelites left Egypt! We have to do something about this! What will it be?”
Levīta blakussieva
1 Tas notika tolaik, kad Israēlā nebija ķēniņa. Kāds levīts bija apmeties Efraima kalnu malienē, un viņš ņēma sev blakussievu no Betlēmes Jūdā. 2 Bet viņa blakussieva maukoja un aizgāja no viņa uz sava tēva mājām, uz Betlēmi Jūdā, un palika tur kādus četrus mēnešus. 3 Tad viņas vīrs cēlās un gāja viņai pakaļ, lai pierunātu un atvestu atpakaļ. Viņam līdzi bija puisis un pāris ēzeļu. Viņa to ieveda sava tēva namā, un, to ieraudzījis, meitenes tēvs viņu uzņēma ar prieku. 4 Meitenes tēvs, viņa sievastēvs, viņu aizturēja, un viņš pie tā palika trīs dienas. Viņi tur ēda, dzēra un nakšņoja. 5 Ceturtajā dienā tie cēlās agri no rīta, lai ietu, bet meitenes tēvs teica znotam: “Stiprinies ar kumosu maizes, tad vari iet.” 6 Tā viņi abi apsēdās, ēda un dzēra, un meitenes tēvs teica tam vīram: “Lūdzams, pārlaid jel nakti un iepriecē savu sirdi!” 7 Kad tas vīrs cēlās, lai ietu, viņa sievastēvs spieda viņu palikt, un viņš pārnakšņoja turpat. 8 Un viņš posās agri piektās dienas rītā, lai ietu, bet meitenes tēvs teica: “Jel iestiprinies! Uzkavējieties, kamēr ierit diena!” Un tie abi sēdās pie maltītes. 9 Kad tas vīrs cēlās, lai ietu – viņš, viņa blakussieva un puisis – tad sievastēvs, meitenes tēvs, teica: “Nu paskat, diena ir nosliekusies uz vakaru! Jel paliec pa nakti! Redzi, diena jau beidzas, pārnakšņo tepat un iepriecē savu sirdi! Tad rīt agri jūs dosieties ceļā, un tu nonāksi savā teltī.” 10 Bet tas vīrs negribēja palikt pa nakti. Viņš ar savu blakussievu un apseglotu ēzeļu pāri devās ceļā, un tie nonāca pret Jebūsu, tas ir, Jeruzālemi.
11 Kad tie bija pie Jebūsas un diena bija gandrīz galā, puisis teica savam kungam: “Jel nāc, iegriezīsimies šajā jebūsiešu pilsētā un tur pārnakšņosim.” 12 Bet viņa kungs sacīja: “Mēs nepaliksim sveštautiešu pilsētā, kuri nav no Israēla dēliem, bet iesim tālāk uz Gibu!” 13 Viņš teica puisim: “Nāc, ka tiekam tuvāk kādai no šīm vietām un varam pārnakšņot Gibā vai Rāmā.” 14 Viņi devās tālāk, un saule rietēja, kad tie bija netālu no Gibas, kas pieder benjāminiešiem. 15 Viņi nogriezās turp, lai pārnakšņotu Gibā, un, tur nonācis, viņš apstājās pilsētas laukumā, bet neviens tos neaicināja savā namā pārnakšņot. 16 Un, redzi, kāds vecs vīrs vakarā nāca no darba tīrumā – šis vīrs bija no Efraima kalniem un ienācējs Gibā, bet turienieši bija benjāminieši. 17 Viņš pacēla skatienu un ieraudzīja pilsētas laukumā ceļinieku. Vecais vīrs jautāja: “Kurp iedams un no kurienes nākdams?” 18 Tas atbildēja: “Mēs te nākam no Betlēmes Jūdā uz Efraima kalnu malieni, es esmu no turienes. Es biju aizgājis uz Betlēmi Jūdā; tagad es eju uz Kunga namu, bet neviens mani neuzņem namā! 19 Mūsu ēzeļiem ir gan salmi, gan barība, un man ir maize un vīns gan sev, gan šai kalponei un šim puisim, kas ir kopā ar tavu kalpu, nekā mums netrūkst.” 20 Un vecais vīrs teica: “Miers ar tevi! Lai viss, kā tev pietrūkst, ir mana rūpe, vien nenakšņo te laukumā.” 21 Viņš to ieveda savā namā un pabaroja ēzeļus. Tad viņi mazgāja kājas, ēda un dzēra.
Gibas iedzīvotāju noziegums
22 Kamēr viņi iepriecināja savas sirdis, redzi, pilsētas vīri, nelieši, ielenkuši māju, dauzīja pa durvīm un sauca tam vecajam vīram, nama saimniekam: “Izved to vīru, kas ir ienācis tavā namā, mēs to iegūsim!” 23 Tad nama saimnieks izgāja pie tiem un sacīja: “Nē, mani brāļi, jel nedariet tādu ļaunumu! Kad nu šis vīrs ir nācis manā namā, nedariet tādu vājprātu! 24 Redzi, mana meita, jaunava, un viņa blakussieva, izvedīšu jums tās! Piesmejiet tās un dariet viņām, kā jums tīk, bet šim vīram nedariet tādu vājprātīgu lietu!” 25 Taču vīri negribēja klausīties. Tad tas vīrs satvēra savu blakussievu un izgrūda ārā pie viņiem. Tie viņu ieguva un izmantoja visu nakti līdz pat rītam, un atlaida, gaismai austot. 26 Sieva pārnāca rīta agrumā un nokrita tā vīra nama durvju priekšā, kur bija viņas kungs. Tur viņa palika līdz dienas gaismai. 27 Viņas kungs rītā cēlās, atvēra nama durvis un izgāja ārā, lai dotos ceļā, un, redzi, tā sieva, viņa blakussieva, gulēja nama durvju priekšā ar rokām uz sliekšņa. 28 Viņš tai sacīja: “Celies, dodamies!” Bet viņa neatbildēja. Tad vīrs pacēla viņu uz ēzeļa un devās mājup. 29 Nonācis mājās, viņš ņēma nazi, satvēra savu blakussievu, sacirta to pa locekļiem divpadsmit gabalos un izsūtīja visās Israēla robežās. 30 Tad visi, kas to redzēja, teica: “Nekas tamlīdzīgs nav noticis, nedz pieredzēts kopš tās dienas, kad Israēla dēli iznāca no Ēģiptes zemes, līdz šai dienai. Lieciet vērā, apsveriet un izsakieties!”
