The Man Went to Get His Mistress at His Father-in-Law’s Home |
Judges 19:1-30 The Book of Judges [in Smaller Chunks] |
It [happened] in those days, when there was no king in Israel & there was a certain Levite [temporarily staying] on the side of Mount Ephraim, who took [a mistress for himself] out of Bethlehem Judah. |
His [mistress played the unfaithful harlot] against him & went away from him to her father’s house in Bethlehem Judah & was there 4 whole months. Her husband went after her[with his servant & a couple of [donkeys,] to speak [kindly] to her & bring her [back] again. |
She brought him into her father’s house & when her father saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. His father-in-law, the damsel’s father, [delayed] him [from going] & he [stayed] with him 3 days & they ate & [drank] & lodged there. |
It [happened,] on the 4th day, when they arose early in the morning & [got up to leave,] the damsel’s father said to his son-in-law, Comfort your heart with a [bit of] bread & afterward go [on] your way. |
They both sat down together & ate & [drank,] for [her] father had said to the man, I pray [that] you can be [content] & let your heart be merry & [stay] here all night. When the man rose up to [leave,] his father-in-law urged him & he lodged there again. |
On the 5th day, he arose early to [leave] & [her] father said, I pray [that] you comfort your heart & they [waited] until afternoon & they both [ate.] When the man rose up to [leave] with his [mistress] & his servant, his father-in-law said to him, [Look, it’s almost] evening. |
I pray that you [stay] all night, [since it's almost sunset,] lodge here, [so] that your heart may be merry & tomorrow you can get [up] early [& be] on your way, [so] you [may] go home. |
The man [wouldn’t wait] that night & rose up & [left] with his 2 saddled [donkeys,] his [mistress] [& servant] [were] also with him & [headed toward] Jebus. When they were [near] Jebus, the day was [almost over] & the servant said to his master, I pray [that] you come & let us turn in to this city of Jebusites & lodge in it. |
His master said, We won’t turn aside [to go] into the city of a stranger, [who isn’t] of the children [people] of Israel. We will [cross] over to Gibeah. He said to his servant, Come, let us draw [close] to one of these places in Gibeah, or in Ramah, to lodge all night. |
They [continued] on & went their way & the sun [had gone] down, when they were by Gibeah, which [belongs] to Benjamin. They turned aside [there] to go in & lodge in Gibeah. |
When he went in, he sat down in a street of the city, [since] there was no man [who] took them into their house to [lodge.] [He saw,] there came an old man from his work [in] the field [who] also was [from] Mount Ephraim & he [temporarily stayed] in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites. |
When he lifted up his eyes & saw a [traveler] in the street of the city, the old man said, [Where] are you going? [Where do] you [come from]? [The man] said, We are [leaving] from Bethlehem Judah, toward the side of Mount Ephraim. |
I am from [there] & I went to Bethlehem Judah, but now I am going to the house of the Lord, [since] there is no man, [who] receives me [into his] house. Yet, [we have] both [enough] straw & [feed] for our [donkeys.] |
And there is [enough] bread & wine for me, [the] handmaid & the young man, [who] is with your servants. There is [nothing we lack.] [So,] the old man said, Peace be with you. [However,] let all your [needs] lie upon me. |
Only [don’t] lodge in the street. So, he brought him into his house & gave [feed] to the [donkeys] & they washed their feet & [ate & drank] & were making their hearts merry. |
Certain [wicked troublemakers] of the city [surrounded] the house & beat [on] the door & spoke to the old man, [who] was the master of the house, saying, Bring [out] the man [who] came into your house, [so] that we may know him [intimately.] |
The master of the house, went out to them & said, No, my brethren, I pray [that] you don’t [do] so wickedly; seeing this man [has] come into my house. [Don’t do this outrageous thing.] |
[Look,] here is my daughter, a maiden & his [mistress.] I will bring them out now & you humble them & do what seems good to you, but don’t do this [disgraceful] thing to this man. |
But the men [wouldn’t listen] to him; so the man took his [mistress] & brought her [out] to them & they knew her [intimately] & abused her all night until the morning & when the day began to [dawn,] they let her go. |
Then, the woman came at [daybreak] & fell down at the door of the man’s house where her [husband] was, [until] it was light. Her husband rose up in the morning & opened the doors of the house, to go his way & [saw his mistress had] fallen down at the door of the house & her hands were upon the threshold. |
He said to her, [Get] up. Let’s be going. But [there was no answer.] Then, the man [put] her upon [the donkey] & rose up & [went] to his place. |
When he [came] into his house, he took a knife & took hold of his [deceased mistress] & divided her together with her bones into 12 pieces & sent her into all the coasts of Israel. |
So it was, that all [who] saw it said, There hasn’t been such a [wicked thing like this] done or seen from the day that the children [people] of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt [until] this day. Consider [this] & [get] advice & speak your minds [about this.] |