1 Tanīs dienās nebija Israēlā ķēniņa, un notika, ka kāds levīts piemita Efraima kalnu pašā attālākā novadā, un viņš ņēma sev blakussievu no Bētlemes Jūdā. 2 Bet viņa blakussieva, pie viņa būdama, bija piekopusi netiklību un pēdīgi aizgāja projām no viņa un atgriezās sava tēva namā Bētlemē Jūdā; tur viņa sabija kādus četrus mēnešus. 3 Tad viņas vīrs cēlās un gāja, lai mīlīgi ar viņu parunātu un pierunātu atgriezties pie viņa; arī viņa puisis un pāris ēzeļu bija viņam līdzi. Viņa to ieveda sava tēva namā, un, kad tās sievas tēvs viņu ieraudzīja, tad viņš nāca tam priecīgi pretī. 4 Un šīs sievas tēvs, viņa sievastēvs, to paturēja pie sevis, un viņš tur palika trīs dienas; un tie ēda un dzēra un palika tur arī naktis. 5 Bet ceturtajā dienā viņš agri no rīta apjozās, lai dotos ceļā, bet tad jaunās sievas tēvs sacīja savam znotam: "Stiprini savu sirdi ar kumosu maizes, tad jūs varat iet." 6 Tad tie apsēdās un ēda un dzēra abi kopā; tad jaunās sievas tēvs sacīja tam vīram: "Dari man pa prātam un paliec pa nakti, un lai tavai sirdij būtu patīkami." 7 Bet, kad vīrs cēlās, lai ietu projām, tad viņa sievastēvs to pierunāja, un viņš tur palika un vēl pārnakšņoja. 8 Kad piektajā dienā jo agri no rīta viņš apjozās, lai dotos ceļā, tad jaunās sievas tēvs sacīja: "Stiprini savu sirdi un pakavējieties vēl viens pie otra, līdz šīs dienas ēnas pastiepsies garas." Un tie vēlreiz ēda abi kopā. 9 Un, kad vīrs piecēlās, lai dotos ceļā, viņš un viņa blakussieva, un viņa puisis, tad viņa sievastēvs, jaunās sievas tēvs, tam sacīja: "Redzi, diena ir sarukusi uz pievakara pusi; paliec šeit pa nakti. Redzi, šī diena jau tuvojas vakara laikam; paliec pa nakti, un lai tava sirds labi jūtas, bet jūs paspēsit rīt agri posties ceļam un atgriezties savās mājās." 10 Bet vīrs vairs negribēja pārnakšņot, viņš cēlās un devās ceļā un nonāca pretim Jebusai, tas ir, Jeruzālemei, un pie viņa bija pāris apseglotu ēzeļu un arī viņa blakussieva. 11 Kad tie bija nonākuši līdz Jebusai, tad bija jau pavakare, un viņa puisis sacīja savam kungam: "Nāc jel, iegriezīsimies šinī jebusiešu pilsētā, lai mēs tur varētu pārnakšņot." 12 Bet viņa kungs tam atbildēja: "Mēs nenogriezīsimies uz šo sveštautiešu pilsētu, kas nepieder pie Israēla bērniem, bet mēs iesim tālāk, tai garām, uz Gibeu." 13 Tad viņš sacīja savam puisim: "Nāc, lai mēs tuvojamies vienam no šiem ciemiem un paliekam pa nakti vai nu Gibeā, vai arī Rāmā." 14 Un tie devās tālāk, bet saule tiem norietēja, kad viņi bija pie Gibeas, kas pieder Benjamīnam. 15 Un tie tur nogriezās no ceļa, lai iegrieztos un pārnakšņotu Gibeā, un, kad tas tur nonāca, tad viņš palika pilsētas tirgus laukumā, jo tur nebija neviena cilvēka, kas viņu būtu uzņēmis savā namā. 16 Un redzi, kāds vecs vīrs nāca vakarā no sava darba tīrumā, un šis vīrs arī bija no Efraima kalniem, bet piemita Gibeā, kurpretī paši pilsētas iemītnieki bija no Benjamīna cilts. 17 Un, kad tas pacēla savas acis, tad viņš ieraudzīja šo ceļinieku pilsētas tirgus laukumā, un vecais vīrs sacīja: "Uz kurieni tu ej? Un no kurienes tu nāc?" 18 Tas viņam atbildēja: "Mēs nākam no Bētlemes Jūdā un ejam uz tālākiem Efraima kalnu novadiem, jo no turienes es esmu. Es biju nogājis uz Bētlemi Jūdā un tagad eju uz Tā Kunga namu, bet te nav neviena, kas būtu ar mieru mani uzņemt savā namā. 19 Tomēr salmi un barība mums ir mūsu ēzeļiem, un man un kalponei, un šim puisim, kas pavada tavu kalpu, ir arī maize un vīns; mums itin nekā netrūkst." 20 Tad vecais vīrs sacīja: "Miers lai ir ar tevi! Un, ja tev kā trūkst, tad tā lai ir mana bēda! Tikai nepārnakšņo uz šī atklātā laukuma!" 21 Un viņš to veda savā namā un deva ēzeļiem barību; un, kad tie bija savas kājas nomazgājuši, tad tie ēda un dzēra. 22 Kamēr tie savu sirdi atspirdzināja, pilsētas vīri, netikli ļaudis, ielenca namu, dauzījās pie durvīm un sauca veco vīru, kas bija nama īpašnieks, teikdami: "Izdod mums to vīru, kas ir ienācis tavā namā, mēs viņu iepazīsim!" 23 Bet vecais vīrs, nama īpašnieks, izgāja pie tiem ārā un sacīja: "Ne tā, mani brāļi. Nedariet tik ļauni; pēc tam kad šis vīrs ir ienācis manā namā, nedariet tādu kauna darbu. 24 Redzi, man ir meita, kas vēl ir jaunava, un arī viņa blakussieva, tās es jums izvedīšu, un jūs varat viņas piesmiet un rīkoties ar tām, kā vien tas jūsu prātam labi patīk, bet šim vīram nedariet nekādu apkaunojumu." 25 Bet tie ļaudis negribēja viņam klausīt; tad tas vīrs sagrāba savu blakussievu un izvilka to ar varu pie viņiem ārā; un viņi to ņēma un piesmēja to visu nakti līdz rītam, un, tikai gaismai austot, viņi to atlaida. 26 Tad šī sieva nāca, kad rīts bija ausis, nokrita zemē pie tā vīra nama durvīm, kur iekšā atradās viņas kungs, un palika tur guļot līdz lielai gaismai. 27 Kad no rīta cēlās viņas kungs un atvēra nama durvis, lai izietu ārā un dotos ceļā, tad redzi, pie pašām nama durvīm zemē gulēja viņa blakussieva, ar abām rokām pieķērusies slieksnim. 28 Un viņš tai sacīja: "Piecelies, mēs gribam doties ceļā!" Bet viņa neatbildēja. Tad viņš to uzcēla uz sava ēzeļa un devās ceļā uz savu dzīves vietu. 29 Kad viņš nonāca savā namā, tad viņš ņēma nazi un savu blakussievu un sagrieza to ar visiem kauliem divpadsmit gabalos un izsūtīja tos pa visiem Israēla novadiem. 30 Tad ikviens, kas to redzēja, sacīja: "Tas nav noticis un tāda lieta nav pieredzēta kopš tiem laikiem, kad Israēla bērni iznāca no Ēģiptes zemes, līdz pat mūsu dienām. Tad ņemiet to vērā, apspriedieties un sakait vārdu."
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?”
