A Levite and His Concubine
1
In those days, 1when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of 2the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from 3Bethlehem in Judah.
2
And his concubine was unfaithful toa 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, 4"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 5let 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, 6"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 7Jebus (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 8Gibeah."
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 9Ramah."
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, 10for 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 11the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah. 12The 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 13to the house of the Lord,b14but 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. 15There is no lack of anything."
20
And the old man said, 16"Peace be to you; I will care for all your wants. 17Only, do not spend the night in the square."
21
So he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys feed. 18And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
Almeida Atualizada (Portuguese) AA
Juízes 19:1
Aconteceu também naqueles dias, quando não havia rei em Israel, que certo levita, habitante das partes remotas da região montanhosa de Efraim, tomou para si uma concubina, de Belém de Judá.
King James Version KJV
Judges 19:1
And 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*.
New King James Version NKJV
Judges 19:1
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote mountains of Ephraim. He took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
Nova Versão Internacional NVIP
Juízes 19:1
Naquela época, não havia rei em Israel. Aconteceu que um levita que vivia nos montes de Efraim, numa região afastada, tomou para si uma concubina, que era de Belém de Judá.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)