1På den tid, da der endnu ingen konge var i Israel, boede der en mand af Levis stamme på et afsides sted i Efraims højland. Han havde hentet sig en medhustru i Betlehem i Juda.2Men hun blev vred på ham og tog derefter tilbage til sin fars hus i Betlehem. Da der var gået fire måneder,3opsøgte manden hende for at få hende med tilbage. Han havde taget sin tjener og et ekstra æsel med. Pigen førte ham ind til sin far, og faderen bød ham velkommen4og bad ham blive nogle dage. Så blev han boende i tre dage. Han både spiste og sov der.5På den fjerde dag stod levitten og hans tjener tidligt op for at begive sig på hjemturen sammen med konen, men svigerfaderen sagde: „I må da ikke tage af sted, før I har fået et godt måltid.”6Så satte de sig ned og spiste et større måltid. „Bliv dog en dag mere!” bad svigerfaderen. „Vi har det jo dejligt sammen.”7Levitten afslog, men hans svigerfar blev ved med at presse ham, indtil han gav efter og blev der natten over.8Næste morgen stod de igen tidligt op for at komme af sted. „Spis nu først,” insisterede svigerfaderen. „Så kan I tage af sted i eftermiddag.”9Samme eftermiddag, da levitten og hans medhustru og tjener gjorde klar til afrejsen, sagde svigerfaderen: „Det er ved at blive sent! Hvad med at blive endnu en nat, så vi kan hygge os sammen denne sidste aften? Så kan I tage af sted i morgen tidlig!”10Men denne gang var levitten fast besluttet på at tage af sted. Så han sadlede sine to æsler og red af sted sammen med sin medhustru i retning af Jebus, som nu hedder Jerusalem.11Det var sent på dagen, da de nåede til byen. „Vi kan ikke nå længere i dag,” sagde tjeneren. „Lad os overnatte i den her jebusitiske by.”12„Nej,” svarede hans herre, „vi kan ikke tage ind i en fremmed by, hvor der ikke bor nogen israelitter. Lad os fortsætte til Gibea eller helt til Rama.”14Så fortsatte de, indtil de kort efter solnedgang nåede Gibea, en landsby, som tilhørte Benjamins stamme,15og de standsede for at overnatte der. De satte sig til at vente på torvet, men ingen tilbød dem husly for natten.16Så kom en gammel mand forbi, der var på vej hjem fra arbejdet i marken. Han var efraimit, men boede nu i Gibea, skønt byen tilhørte Benjamins stamme.17Da han fik øje på de fremmede, der sad på torvet, spurgte han dem, hvor de kom fra, og hvor de var på vej hen.18„Vi er på vej hjem fra Betlehem i Juda,” svarede levitten. „Vi bor på et afsides sted i Efraims højland. Men ingen har tilbudt os husly for natten,19skønt vi har foder til æslerne og rigeligt med mad og vin til os selv.”20„Kom dog med mig!” udbrød den gamle mand. „Jeg skal nok sørge godt for jer. I kan da ikke blive siddende her på torvet.”21Så tog han dem med hjem og fodrede deres æsler, og efter at de havde vasket deres fødder, spiste de til aften sammen.22Men bedst som de sad og hyggede sig, blev huset omringet af en flok onde mænd fra byen. De hamrede på døren og råbte til den gamle mand: „Bring din gæst herud til os, så vi kan stille vores lyst på ham!”23Den gamle mand gik ud for at tale dem fra det. „Hør nu her, venner,” sagde han. „I må ikke være så onde ved min gæst.24I huset her er der både hans medhustru og min datter, der endnu er jomfru. Dem kan vi sende ud til jer, så I kan forlyste jer med dem. Men gør ikke noget så skammeligt mod min gæst.”25Men de ville ikke tage imod fornuft. Så tog levitten sin medhustru og skubbede hende ud på gaden, hvor mændene på skift voldtog hende natten igennem, indtil det begyndte at blive lyst.26Da solen stod op, slæbte hun sig hen til den gamle mands hus, hvor hun besvimede på dørtrinet og blev liggende, til det var helt lyst.27Da levitten senere åbnede døren for at gøre sig klar til at tage af sted, fandt han sin medhustru liggende med hænderne på dørtrinet.28„Rejs dig, og lad os komme af sted!” sagde han. Men der kom ikke noget svar, for hun var død. Så lagde han hende op på æslet og bragte hende hjem til sit hus.29Der tog han en kniv og skar hendes lig i 12 stykker, som han sendte ud til Israels 12 stammer.30Alle, som hørte om det, sagde: „Så grusom en forbrydelse er ikke blevet begået siden vi forlod Egypten! Vi har aldrig set noget lignende. Der må gøres noget, men hvad?”
King James Version
1And 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.2And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father' house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.3And 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' house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.4And his father in law, the damsel' father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.5And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel' father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.6And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel' father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.7And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.8And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel' father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.9And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel' 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.10But 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.11And 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.12And 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.13And 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.14And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.15And 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.16And, 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.17And 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?18And 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.19Yet 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.20And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.21So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.22Now 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.23And 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.24Behold, 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.25But 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.26Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man' house where her lord was , till it was light.27And 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.28And 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.29And 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.30And 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 .
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