1   There was a certaine man a Leuite, dwelling on the side of mount Ephraim, who tooke a wife of Bethlehem Iuda:

2   which left him, and returned vnto her fathers house into Bethlehem, and abode with him foure monethes.

3   And her husband folowed her, willing to be reconciled vnto her, and to speake her fayre, and to bring her backe with him, hauing in his companie a seruant and two asses: who receiued him, and brought him into her fathers house. Which when his father in law had heard, and had seene him, he mette him ioyful,

4   and embraced the man. And the sonne in law taried in the house of his father in law three daies, eating with him and drinking familiarly.

5   But the fourth day arysing before day, he would depart. Whom his father in law held, and said to him: Tast first a litle bread, & strengthen thy stomacke, and so thou shalt depart.

6   And they sate together, and did eate and drinke. And the father of the yong

A Leuites wife slaine. woman said to his sonne in law: I besech thee that thou tarie here to day, and let vs make merie together.

7   But he rysing vp, beganne as if he would depart. And neuertheles with much adoe his father in law stayed him, and made him to tarie with him.

8   But when morning was come, the Leuite prepared to goe his iourney. To whom his father in law againe: I besech thee, quoth he, that thou take a litle meate, and making thy self strong, til the day be farder spent, afterward thou mayest depart. They did eate therfore together.

9   And the yong man arose, that he might sette forward with his wife and his seruant. To whom his father in law spake againe: Consider that the day is more declining to the west, and draweth nigh to euening: tarie with me to day also, and spend the day in mirth, and to morrow thou shalt depart that thou mayst goe into thy house.

10   His sonne in law would not condescend to his wordes: but forthwith went forward, and came ouer against Iebus, which by an other name is called Ierusalem, leading with him two asses loden, and his ^note concubine.

11   And now they were come nigh to Iebus and the day changed into night: & the seruant said to his maister: Come, I besech thee, let vs turne into the citie of the Iebuseites, and tarie in it.

12   To whom his maister answered: I wil not enter iuto the towne of a strange nation, which is not of the children of Israel, but I wil passe as farre as Gabaa:

13   and when I shal come thither, we wil lodge in it, or at the least in the citie of Rama.

14   They passed therfore by Iebus, and went on their iourney begone, and the sonne went downe to them byside Gabaa, which is in the tribe of Beniamin:

15   and they turned into it, that they might lodge there. Whither when they were entred, they sate in the streate of the citie, and no man would receiue them to lodge.

16   And behold there appeared an old man, returning out of the field and from his worke in the euening, who him self also was of mount Ephraim, and dwelt as a stranger in Gabaa, but the men of that countrie were the children of Iemini.

17   And lifting vp his eies, the old man saw the man sitting with his fardels in the streate of the citie, and said to him: Whence comest thou? and whither goest thou?

18   Who answered him: We departed from Bethlehem Iuda, and we goe to our place, which is on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence we went into Bethlehem: and now we goe to the house of God, and none

A Leuites wife slaine. wil receiue vs vnder his roofe,

19   hauing straw and hay for prouender of the asses, and bread and wine for the vse of my self and of thy handmaid, and of the seruant that is with me: we lacke nothing but lodging.

20   To whom the old man answered: Peace be with thee, I wil geue al thinges that are necessarie: only, I besech thee, tarie not in the streate.

21   And he brought him into his house, and gaue prouender to his asses: and after they had washed their feete, he receiued them to a bankette.

22   They making merie, and after the labour of their iourney, refreshing their bodie with meate and drinke, there came men of that citie, the children of Belial (that is to say, without yoke) and besetting the old mans house, beganne to knocke at the doores, crying to the maister of the house, and saying: Bring forth the man, that entred into thy house, that we may abuse him.

23   And the old man went out to them, and said: Doe not so brethren, doe not this euil: because this man is entered to my lodging, and cease from this folie:

24   I haue a daughter that is a virgin, and this man hath a concubine, I wil bring them forth to you, that you may humble them, & fulfil your lust: only, I beseche you, worke not this wickednes against nature on the man.

25   They would not agree to his wordes. which the man seing, he brought forth his concubine to them, and he deliuered her to them to be illuded: whom when they had abused al the night, they let her goe in the morning.

26   But the woman, when the darkenes departed, came to the doore of the house, where her lord lodged, and there fel downe.

27   Morning being come, the man arose, and opened the doore, that he might finish his iourney begone: and behold his concubine lay before the doore, her handes spredde on the threshold.

28   To whom he, thinking that she tooke her rest, spake: Arise, and let vs walke. Who answering nothing, perceiuing that she was dead; he tooke her, and laid her vpon his asse, & returned into his house.

29   Which when he was entered vnto, he tooke a sword, and cutting the carcasse of his wife with her bones into twelue partes and peeces, he sent them into al the borders of Israel.

30   Which when euerie one had seene, they cried together: There was neuer such a thing done in Israel from that day, when our fathers ascended out of Ægypt, vntil this present time: geue sentence, and decree in common what is needeful to be done.

Battle against Beniamin.

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