Judges Chapter 19
King James Version (KJV)
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
Out of the eater came forth food,
2
And out of the strong came forth sweetness.
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And they could not in three days declare the riddle.
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And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to impoverish us? is it not
5
so?
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And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell thee?
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And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
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And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them,
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If ye had not plowed with my heifer,
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Ye had not found out my riddle.
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And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes
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of raiment unto them that declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
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But Samson’s wife was
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given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
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But it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
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And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
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And Samson said unto them, This time shall I be blameless in regard of the Philistines, when I do them a mischief.
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And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between every two tails.
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And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks and the standing grain, and also the oliveyards.
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Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they said, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he hath taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
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And Samson said unto them, If ye do after this manner, surely I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
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And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.
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Then the Philistines went up, and encamped in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.
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And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they said, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
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Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what then is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
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And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
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And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.
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When he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him: and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands dropped from off his hands.
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And he found a fresh jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and smote a thousand men therewith.
30
And Samson said,
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that a certain Levite, sojourning on the further side of mount Ephraim, took him a concubine out of Bethlehem-Judah.
2
And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-Judah, and was there some time, — four months.
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And her husband rose up and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again; and his servant was with him, and a couple of asses. And she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the damsel saw him he rejoiced to meet him.
4
And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days; and they ate and drank, and lodged there.
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And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart; and the damsel's father said to his son-in-law, Refresh thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterwards ye may go your way.
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And they sat down, and ate and drank, both of them together. And the damsel's father said to the man, Be content, I pray thee, and pass the night, and let thy heart be glad.
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And the man rose up to depart, but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.
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And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; but the damsel's father said, Refresh thy heart, I pray thee. And they lingered until the afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
9
And the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant; and his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said to him, Behold now, the day draws toward evening — I pray you stay all night; behold, the day is declining, lodge here, and let thy heart be merry; and to-morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go to thy tent.
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But the man would not tarry the night; and he rose up and departed, and came opposite to Jebus, that is, Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, and his concubine was with him.
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They were near Jebus, and the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
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But his master said to him, We will not turn aside into the city of a stranger, which is not of the children of Israel, but we will pass on to Gibeah.
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And he said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places, and lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
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And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them [when they were] by Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
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And they turned aside thither, to go in, to lodge in Gibeah. And he went in, and sat down in the open place of the city; and there was no one that received him into his house to pass the night.
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And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even; and the man was of mount Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjaminites.
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And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the open place of the city; and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
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And he said to him, We are travelling from Bethlehem-Judah towards the further side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I; and I went to Bethlehem-Judah, and I have to do with the house of Jehovah; and there is no man that receives me into his house.
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And we have both straw and provender for our asses; and I have bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man with thy servants: there is no lack of anything.
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Then the old man said, Peace be with thee; only let all thy wants lie on me; but lodge not in the street.
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And he brought him into his house, and gave the asses provender; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
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They were making their hearts merry, when behold, the men of the city, sons of Belial, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may know him.
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And the man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brethren, I pray you, do not wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, do not this villany.
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Behold, my daughter, who is a virgin, and his concubine; let me bring them out, and humble ye them, and do to them as is good in your sight; but to this man do not so vile a thing.
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But the men would not hearken to him; and the man took his concubine, and brought her forth to them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning; and let her go when the morning-dawn arose.
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And the woman came at the dawning of the day, and fell down at the entrance of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
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And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the door of the house, and went out to go his way, and behold, there lay the woman his concubine at the entrance of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.
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And he said to her, Up, and let us go; but no one answered. And he took her upon the ass; and the man rose up, and went to his place.
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And when he was come into his house, he took the knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, according to her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the borders of Israel.
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And it came to pass that every one that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came out of Egypt to this day. Think it over, advise, and speak.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
And there was a Levite sojourning in the sides of mount Ephraim, and he took to himself a concubine from Bethleem Juda.
2
And his concubine departed from him, and went away from him to the house of her father to Bethleem Juda, and she was there four months.
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And her husband rose up, and went after her to speak kindly to her, to recover her to himself; and he had his young man with him, and a pair of asses; and she brought him into the house of her father; and the father of the damsel saw him, and was well pleased to meet him.
4
And his father-in-law, the father of the damsel, constrained him, and he staid with him for three days; and they ate and drank, and lodged there.
5
And it came to pass on the fourth day that they rose early, and he stood up to depart; and the father of the damsel said to his son-in-law, Strengthen thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterwards ye shall go.
6
So they two sat down together and ate and drank: and the father of the damsel said to her husband, Tarry now the night, and let thy heart be merry.
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And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law constrained him, and he staid and lodged there.
8
And he rose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the father of the damsel said, Strengthen now thine heart, and quit thyself as a soldier till the day decline; and the two ate.
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And the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine, and his young man; but his father-in-law the father of the damsel said to him, Behold now, the day has declined toward evening; lodge here, and let thy heart rejoice; and ye shall rise early to-morrow for your journey, and thou shalt go to thy habitation.
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But the man would not lodge there, but he arose and departed, and came to the part opposite Jebus, (this is Jerusalem,) and [there was] with him a pair of asses saddled, and his concubine [was] with him.
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And they came as far as Jebus: and the day had far advanced, and the young man said to his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites, and let us lodge in it.
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And his master said to him, We will not turn aside to a strange city, where there is not one of the children of Israel, but we will pass on as far as Gabaa.
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And he said to his young man, Come, and let us draw nigh to one of the places, and we will lodge in Gabaa or in Rama.
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And they passed by and went on, and the sun went down upon them near to Gabaa, which is in Benjamin.
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And they turned aside thence to go in to lodge in Gabaa; and they went in, and sat down in the street of the city, and there was no one who conducted them into a house to lodge.
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And behold, an old man came out of the field from his work in the evening; and the man was of mount Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gabaa, and the men of the place [were] sons of Benjamin.
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And he lifted up his eyes, and saw a traveller in the street of the city; and the old man said to him, Whither goest thou, and whence comest thou?
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And he said to him, We are passing by from Bethleem Juda to the sides of mount Ephraim: I am from thence, and I went as far as Bethleem Juda, and I am going home, and there is no man to take me into his house.
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Yet is there straw and food for our asses, and bread and wine for me and my handmaid and the young man with thy servants; there is no want of anything.
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And the old man said, Peace [be] to thee; only be every want of thine upon me, only do thou by no means lodge in the street.
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And he brought him into his house, and made room for his asses; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
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And they [were] comforting their heart, when, behold, the men of the city, sons of transgressors, compassed the house, knocking at the door: and they spoke to the old man the owner of the house, saying, Bring out the man who came into thy house, that we may know him.
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And the master of the house came out to them, and said, Nay, brethren, do not ye wrong, I pray you, after this man has come into my house; do not ye this folly.
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Behold my daughter a virgin, and the man's concubine: I will bring them out, and humble ye them, and do to them that which is good in your eyes; but to this man do not this folly.
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But the men would not consent to hearken to him; so the man laid hold of his concubine, and brought her out to them; and they knew her, and abused her all night till the morning, and let her go when the morning dawned.
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And the woman came toward morning, and fell down at the door of the house where her husband was, until it was light.
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And her husband rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went forth to go on his journey; and, behold, the woman his concubine had fallen down by the doors of the house, and her hands were on the threshold.
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And he said to her, Rise, and let us go; and she answered not, for she was dead: and he took her upon his ass, and went to his place.
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And he took his sword, and laid hold of his concubine, and divided her into twelve parts, and sent them to every coast of Israel.
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And it was so, that every one who saw it said, [Such a day] as this has not happened nor has been seen from the day of the going up of the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt until this day: take ye counsel concerning it, and speak.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Fuit quidam vir Levites habitans in latere montis Ephraim, qui accepit uxorem de Bethlehem Iuda:
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quæ reliquit eum, et reversa est in domum patris sui in Bethlehem, mansitque apud eum quattuor mensibus.
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Secutusque est eam vir suus, volens reconciliari ei, atque blandiri, et secum reducere, habens in comitatu puerum et duos asinos: quæ suscepit eum, et introduxit in domum patris sui. Quod cum audisset socer eius, eumque vidisset, occurrit ei lætus,
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et amplexatus est hominem. Mansitque gener in domo soceri tribus diebus, comedens cum eo et bibens familiariter.
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Die autem quarto de nocte consurgens, proficisci voluit. Quem tenuit socer, et ait ad eum: Gusta prius pauxillum panis, et conforta stomachum, et sic proficisceris.
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Sederuntque simul, ac comederunt et biberunt. Dixitque pater puellæ ad generum suum: Quæso te ut hodie hic maneas, pariterque lætemur.
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At ille consurgens, cœpit velle proficisci. Et nihilominus obnixe eum socer tenuit, et apud se fecit manere.
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Mane autem facto, parabat Levites iter. Cui socer rursum: Oro te, inquit, ut paululum cibi capias, et assumptis viribus, donec increscat dies, postea proficiscaris. Comederunt ergo simul.
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Surrexitque adolescens, ut pergeret cum uxore sua et puero. Cui rursum locutus est socer: Considera quod dies ad occasum declivior sit, et propinquat ad vesperum: mane apud me etiam hodie, et duc lætum diem, et cras proficisceris ut vadas in domum tuam.
10
Noluit gener acquiescere sermonibus eius: sed statim perrexit, et venit contra Iebus, quæ altero nomine vocatur Ierusalem, ducens secum duos asinos onustos, et concubinam.
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Iamque erant iuxta Iebus, et dies mutabatur in noctem: dixitque puer ad dominum suum: Veni, obsecro, declinemus ad urbem Iebusæorum, et maneamus in ea.
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Cui respondit dominus: Non ingrediar oppidum gentis alienæ, quæ non est de filiis Israel, sed transibo usque Gabaa:
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et cum illuc pervenero, manebimus in ea, aut certe in urbe Rama.
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Transierunt ergo Iebus, et cœptum carpebant iter, occubuitque eis sol iuxta Gabaa, quæ est in tribu Beniamin:
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diverteruntque ad eam, ut manerent ibi. Quo cum intrassent, sedebant in platea civitatis, et nullus eos recipere voluit hospitio.
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Et ecce, apparuit homo senex, revertens de agro et de opere suo vesperi, qui et ipse de monte erat Ephraim, et peregrinus habitabat in Gabaa. homines autem regionis illius erant filii Iemini.
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Elevatisque oculis, vidit senex sedentem hominem cum sarcinulis suis in platea civitatis: et dixit ad eum: Unde venis? et quo vadis?
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Qui respondit ei: Profecti sumus de Bethlehem Iuda, et pergimus ad locum nostrum, qui est in latere montis Ephraim, unde ieramus in Bethlehem: et nunc vadimus ad domum Dei, nullusque sub tectum suum nos vult recipere,
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habentes paleas et fœnum in asinorum pabulum, et panem ac vinum in meos et ancillæ tuæ usus, et pueri, qui mecum est: nulla re indigemus nisi hospitio.
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Cui respondit senex: Pax tecum sit, ego præbebo omnia quæ necessaria sunt: tantum, quæso, ne in platea maneas.
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Introduxitque eum in domum suam, et pabulum asinis præbuit: ac postquam laverunt pedes suos, recepit eos in convivium.
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Illis epulantibus, et post laborem itineris, cibo et potu reficientibus corpora, venerunt viri civitatis illius, filii Belial, (id est, absque iugo) et circumdantes domum senis, fores pulsare cœperunt, clamantes ad dominum domus, atque dicentes: Educ virum, qui ingressus est domum tuam, ut abutamur eo.
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Egressusque est ad eos senex, et ait: Nolite fratres, nolite facere malum hoc: quia ingressus est homo hospitium meum, et cessate ab hac stultitia:
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habeo filiam virginem, et hic homo habet concubinam, educam eas ad vos, ut humilietis eas, et vestram libidinem compleatis: tantum, obsecro, ne scelus hoc contra naturam operemini in virum.
25
Nolebant acquiescere sermonibus illius. quod cernens homo, eduxit ad eos concubinam suam, et eis tradidit illudendam: qua cum tota nocte abusi essent, dimiserunt eam mane.
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At mulier, recedentibus tenebris, venit ad ostium domus, ubi manebat dominus suus, et ibi corruit.
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Mane facto, surrexit homo, et aperuit ostium, ut cœptam expleret viam: et ecce concubina eius iacebat ante ostium sparsis in limine manibus.
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Cui ille, putans eam quiescere, loquebatur: Surge, et ambulemus. Qua nihil respondente, intelligens quod erat mortua; tulit eam, et imposuit asino, reversusque est in domum suam.
29
Quam cum esset ingressus, arripuit gladium, et cadaver uxoris cum ossibus suis in duodecim partes ac frustra concidens, misit in omnes terminos Israel.
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Quod cum vidissent singuli, conclamabant. Numquam res talis facta est in Israel ex eo die, quo ascenderunt patres nostri de Ægypto, usque in præsens tempus: ferte sententiam, et in commune decernite quid facto opus sit.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a certain Levite living on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took for himself a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah.
2
His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father’s house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there for four months.
3
Her husband arose and went after her to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him and a couple of donkeys. She brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4
His father-in-law, the young lady’s father, kept him there; and he stayed with him three days. So they ate and drank, and stayed there.
5
On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning, and he rose up to depart. The young lady’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.”
6
So they sat down, ate, and drank, both of them together. Then the young lady’s father said to the man, “Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.”
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The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he stayed there again.
8
He arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the young lady’s father said, “Please strengthen your heart and stay until the day declines;” and they both ate.
9
When the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the young lady’s father, said to him, “Behold, now the day draws toward evening, please stay all night. Behold, the day is ending. Stay here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow go on your way early, that you may go home.”
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But the man wouldn’t stay that night, but he rose up and went near Jebus (also called Jerusalem). With him were a couple of saddled donkeys. His concubine also was with him.
11
When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, “Please come and let’s enter into this city of the Jebusites, and stay in it.”
12
His master said to him, “We won’t enter into the city of a foreigner that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.”
13
He said to his servant, “Come and let’s draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.”
14
So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
15
They went over there, to go in to stay in Gibeah. He went in, and sat down in the street of the city; for there was no one who took them into his house to stay.
16
Behold, an old man came from his work out of the field at evening. Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he lived in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites.
17
He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”
18
He said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem Judah to the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem Judah. I am going to the LORD’s house; and there is no one who has taken me into his house.
19
Yet there is both straw and feed for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your servant, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything.”
20
The old man said, “Peace be to you! Just let me supply all your needs, but don’t sleep in the street.”
21
So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder. Then they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
22
As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain wicked fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we can have sex with him!”
23
The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, “No, my brothers, please don’t act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, don’t do this folly.
24
Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. I will bring them out now. Humble them, and do with them what seems good to you; but to this man don’t do any such folly.”
25
But the men wouldn’t listen to him; so the man grabbed his concubine, and brought her out to them; and they had sex with her, and abused her all night until the morning. When the day began to dawn, they let her go.
26
Then the woman came in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord was, until it was light.
27
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 had fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.
28
He said to her, “Get up, and let’s get going!” but no one answered. Then he took her up on the donkey; and the man rose up, and went to his place.
29
When he had come into his house, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.
30
It was so, that all who saw it said, “Such a deed has not been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day! Consider it, take counsel, and speak.”
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
And it cometh to pass, in those days, when there is no king in Israel, that there is a man a Levite, a sojourner in the sides of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he taketh to him a wife, a concubine, out of Beth-Lehem-Judah;
2
and commit whoredom against him doth his concubine, and she goeth from him unto the house of her father, unto Beth-Lehem-Judah, and is there days--four months.
3
And her husband riseth and goeth after her, to speak unto her heart, to bring her back, and his young man <FI>is<Fi> with him, and a couple of asses; and she bringeth him into the house of her father, and the father of the young woman seeth him, and rejoiceth to meet him.
4
And keep hold on him doth his father-in-law, father of the young woman, and he abideth with him three days, and they eat and drink, and lodge there.
5
And it cometh to pass, on the fourth day, that they rise early in the morning, and he riseth to go, and the father of the young woman saith unto his son-in-law, `Support thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward ye go on.'
6
And they sit and eat both of them together, and drink, and the father of the young woman saith unto the man, `Be willing, I pray thee, and lodge all night, and let thy heart be glad.'
7
And the man riseth to go, and his father-in-law presseth on him, and he turneth back and lodgeth there.
8
And he riseth early in the morning, on the fifth day, to go, and the father of the young woman saith, `Support, I pray thee, thy heart;' and they have tarried till the turning of the day, and they eat, both of them.
9
And the man riseth to go, he and his concubine, and his young man, and his father-in-law, father of the young woman, saith to him, `Lo, I pray thee, the day hath fallen toward evening, lodge all night, I pray thee; lo, the declining of the day! lodge here, and let thine heart be glad--and ye have risen early to-morrow for your journey, and thou hast gone to thy tent.'
10
And the man hath not been willing to lodge all night, and he riseth, and goeth, and cometh in till over-against Jebus (It <FI>is<Fi> Jerusalem), and with him <FI>are<Fi> a couple of asses saddled; and his concubine <FI>is<Fi> with him.
11
They <FI>are<Fi> near Jebus, and the day hath gone greatly down, and the young man saith unto his lord, `Come, I pray thee, and we turn aside unto this city of the Jebusite, and lodge in it.'
12
And his lord saith unto him, `Let us not turn aside unto the city of a stranger, that is not of the sons of Israel, thither, but we have passed over unto Gibeah.'
13
And he saith to his young man, `Come, and we draw near to one of the places, and have lodged in Gibeah, or in Ramah.'
14
And they pass over, and go on, and the sun goeth in upon them near Gibeah, which is to Benjamin;
15
and they turn aside there to go in to lodge in Gibeah, and he goeth in and sitteth in a broad place of the city, and there is no man gathering them into the house to lodge.
16
And lo, a man, an aged one, hath come from his work from the field in the evening, and the man <FI>is<Fi> of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he <FI>is<Fi> a sojourner in Gibeah, and the men of the place <FI>are<Fi> Benjamites.
17
And he lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the man, the traveller, in a broad place of the city, and the aged man saith, `Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?'
18
And he saith unto him, `We are passing over from Beth-Lehem-Judah unto the sides of the hill-country of Ephraim--thence I <FI>am<Fi> , and I go unto Beth-Lehem-Judah; and to the house of Jehovah I am going, and there is no man gathering me into the house,
19
and both straw and provender are for our asses, and also bread and wine there are for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man with thy servants; there is no lack of anything.'
20
And the old man saith, `Peace to thee; only, all thy lack <FI>is<Fi> on me, only in the broad place lodge not.'
21
And he bringeth him in to his house, and mixeth <FI>food<Fi> for the asses, and they wash their feet, and eat and drink.
22
They are making their heart glad, and lo, men of the city, men--sons of worthlessness--have gone round about the house, beating on the door, and they speak unto the old man, the master of the house, saying, `Bring out the man who hath come unto thine house, and we know him.'
23
And the man, the master of the house, goeth out unto them, and saith unto them, `Nay, my brethren, do not evil, I pray you, after that this man hath come in unto my house, do not this folly;
24
lo, my daughter, the virgin, and his concubine, let me bring them out, I pray you, and humble ye them, and do to them that which is good in your eyes, and to this man do not this foolish thing.'
25
And the men have not been willing to hearken to him, and the man taketh hold on his concubine, and bringeth <FI>her<Fi> out unto them without, and they know her, and roll themselves upon her all the night, till the morning, and send her away in the ascending of the dawn;
26
and the woman cometh in at the turning of the morning, and falleth at the opening of the man's house, where her lord <FI>is<Fi> , till the light.
27
And her lord riseth in the morning, and openeth the doors of the house, and goeth out to go on his way, and lo, the woman, his concubine, is fallen at the opening of the house, and her hands <FI>are<Fi> on the threshold,
28
and he saith unto her, `Rise, and we go;' and there is none answering, and he taketh her on the ass, and the man riseth and goeth to his place,
29
and cometh in unto his house, and taketh the knife, and layeth hold on his concubine, and cutteth her in pieces to her bones--into twelve pieces, and sendeth her into all the border of Israel.
30
And it hath come to pass, every one who seeth hath said, `There hath not been--yea, there hath not been seen like this, from the day of the coming up of the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt till this day; set your <FI>heart<Fi> upon it, take counsel, and speak.'
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).