1Nesse tempo, em que ainda não havia rei em Israel, houve um homem da tribo de Levi, que vivia num extremo da região das colinas de Efraim, que levou para sua casa uma rapariga de Belém para ficar a viver com ele como concubina.2A certa altura, porém, ela abandonou-o por outro e regressou para casa do pai, em Belém, ficando lá por uns quatro meses.3O marido, acompanhado dum criado, preparou-se para ir a Belém; aparelhou também mais um jumento que levou sem ninguém; o seu intuito era trazer a rapariga de volta para casa. Quando chegou, ela recebeu-o, apresentou-o ao pai e mostrou-se alegre por tornar a vê-lo.4O pai pediu-lhe muito que ficasse e ele aceitou, ficando três dias, mostrando-se satisfeitos por estarem juntos.5No quarto dia levantaram-se cedo, prontos para partir, mas o pai insistiu para que tomassem ao menos alguma coisa antes da viagem.6Entretanto, fez pressão sobre ele para que ficasse mais um dia, visto que tinham passado um bom tempo juntos.7A princípio o levita recusou, mas o pai da moça tanto insistiu que ele acabou por aceitar.8Na manhã seguinte, tornaram a levantar-se cedo e novamente o pai insistiu: “Fiquem mais hoje e partam esta tarde, ao fim do dia.” E foi mais um dia de festa lá em casa.9De tarde, quando o casal e o criado se preparavam para a viagem, chegou-se outra vez o pai: “Não veem que já é tarde. Fiquem mais esta noite. Fazemos um belo serão e amanhã cedo podem iniciar a viagem.”10Contudo, desta vez partiram mesmo, tendo chegado a Jebus, que é Jerusalém, já muito tarde, com os dois jumentos aparelhados.11O criado disse-lhe: “Já é muito tarde para viajar; fiquemos aqui esta noite.”12“Não. Não podemos ficar aqui numa cidade pagã, onde não há ninguém israelita. Vamos continuar até Gibeá13ou mesmo, se possível, até Ramá.”14E assim continuaram a viagem. O Sol tinha-se posto há muito quando atingiram Gibeá, uma povoação da tribo de Benjamim.15Por isso, resolveram entrar e passar ali a noite; mas como ninguém os convidou para recebê-los em casa, decidiram dormir ali mesmo na praça.16Nessa altura, chegou-se um homem idoso, que regressava do trabalho no campo, a caminho de casa. Era originário das colinas de Efraim, mas vivia agora em Gibeá, apesar daquele ser o território de Benjamim.17Quando viu os viajantes acampados em plena praça, perguntou-lhes donde eram e para onde iam.18“Vimos de Belém, na Judeia”, respondeu o levita. “Vivo no extremo da região das colinas de Efraim, porém agora vou à casa do SENHOR. Ficámos aqui porque ninguém fez o gesto de nos acolher para passar a noite,19ainda que tenhamos alimento suficiente para os nossos jumentos e comida e vinho que baste para nós próprios.”20“Não se preocupem, serão meus hóspedes; aqui é que não vão ficar, pois é demasiado perigoso.”21E levou-os para casa. Deu de comer aos animais e depois todos jantaram juntos.22Na alegria daquele convívio, um bando de gente pervertida começou a juntar-se em frente da casa, batendo na porta e gritando para o velho, o dono da casa, que trouxesse para fora o homem que estava com eles, para que o possuíssem.23O homem idoso veio cá fora falar com eles: “Não, meus irmãos, não façam um tal ato de tamanha loucura! Ele é meu hóspede.24Levem a minha filha, que é virgem, e a mulher dele. Trago-as aqui e façam delas o que quiserem, mas não levem por diante uma coisas dessas com este homem.”25Os outros contudo não aceitaram. Então o levita trouxe a sua concubina para fora e empurrou-a para junto deles; e aquela gente abusou dela a noite inteira.26De madrugada deixaram-na. Ela arrastou-se até à entrada da casa e ali ficou até o dia clarear.27Quando o levita abriu a porta para seguir viagem, viu-a caída, com as mãos sobre o limiar.28“Levanta-te”, disse-lhe, “vamos embora.” Mas não obteve resposta; estava morta. Então pô-la sobre o jumento e levou-a para casa.29Chegado ao seu destino pegou num cutelo, partiu o corpo em pedaços, e enviou um pedaço a cada uma das tribos de Israel.30A nação inteira ficou escandalizada. “Nunca se ouviu falar num crime assim, desde que Israel saiu do Egito”, dizia toda a gente. “Temos de fazer alguma coisa!”
1In 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. (Js 24:33; Jz 17:6; Jz 17:7; Jz 18:1; Jz 21:25)2And 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.3Then 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.4And 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.5And 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.” (Gn 18:5; Jz 19:8)6So 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.” (Jz 16:25; Jz 19:9; Jz 19:22; Rt 3:7; 2 Sm 13:28)7And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, till he spent the night there again.8And 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. (Jz 19:5)9And 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.”10But the man would not spend the night. He rose up and departed and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him a couple of saddled donkeys, and his concubine was with him. (Js 15:8; Js 15:63)11When 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.”12And 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 Gibeah.” (Js 18:28)13And 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 Ramah.” (Js 18:25)14So they passed on and went their way. And the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin,15and 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. (Jz 19:18)16And behold, an old man was coming from his work in the field at evening. The man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah. The men of the place were Benjaminites. (Js 24:33; Jz 19:1; Jz 19:14; Jz 20:4)17And 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?”18And 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,[2] but no one has taken me into his house. (Jz 18:31; Jz 19:15)19We have straw and feed for our donkeys, with bread and wine for me and your female servant and the young man with your servants. There is no lack of anything.” (Jz 18:10)20And the old man said, “Peace be to you; I will care for all your wants. Only, do not spend the night in the square.” (Gn 19:2; Gn 43:23)21So he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys feed. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank. (Gn 18:4; Gn 24:32; Gn 43:24; Jo 13:5)
Gibeah’s Crime
22As 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.” (Gn 19:4; Jz 19:6; Jz 20:5)23And 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. (Gn 19:7; Gn 34:7; Dt 22:21; Js 7:15; Jz 20:6; 2 Sm 13:12)24Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine. Let me bring them out now. Violate them and do with them what seems good to you, but against this man do not do this outrageous thing.” (Gn 19:8; Gn 34:2; Dt 21:14; Jz 19:23)25But 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.26And 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.27And 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.28He said to her, “Get up, let us be going.” But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey, and the man rose up and went away to his home. (Jz 20:5)29And when he entered his house, he took a knife, and taking hold of his concubine he divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. (Jz 20:6; 1 Sm 11:7)30And 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; consider it, take counsel, and speak.” (Jz 20:7; Os 9:9; Os 10:9)