Liber Iudicum

Iudicum, chapter 19, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 19 Vulgate

   19 In diebus illis non erat rex in Israel.
   1 Fuit quidam vir Levi tes habitans ut advena in extrema parte montis Ephraim, qui accepit concubinam de Bethlehem Iudae.
   2 Quae irritata reversa est in domum patris sui in Bethlehem mansitque apud eum quattuor mensibus.
   3 Secutusque est eam vir suus volens loqui ad cor eius et secum reducere habens in comitatu puerum et duos asinos. Quae suscepit eum et introduxit in domum patris sui. Quem cum socer eius vidisset, occurrit ei laetus
   4 et retinuit hominem. Mansitque gener in domo soceri tribus diebus comedens cum eo et bibens familiariter.
   5 Die autem quarto, cum de nocte consurrexissent, et ille proficisci vellet, socer ait ad eum: "Gusta prius pauxillum panis et conforta cor tuum et sic proficisceris"
   6 Sederuntque ambo simul et comederunt ac biberunt. Dixitque pater puellae ad generum suum: "Quaeso te, ut hodie hic maneas, pariterque laetemur"
   7 At ille consurgens coepit velle proficisci. Et nihilominus obnixe eum socer tenuit et apud se fecit manere.
   8 Mane autem facto, quinta die parabat Levites iter; cui socer rursum: "Oro te, inquit, ut confortes cor tuum" Et tardabant, donec declinaret dies; et ambo comederunt simul.
   9 Surrexitque adulescens, ut pergeret cum uxore sua et puero. Cui rursum locutus est socer eius pater puellae: "Considera quod dies ad occasum declivior sit et propinquet ad vesperum; manete apud me etiam hodie, pernocta hic et esto laeto animo, et cras mane proficiscemini, ut vadas in domum tuam"
   10 Noluit gener acquiescere sermonibus eius, sed statim perrexit et venit contra Iebus, id est Ierusalem, ducens secum duos asinos onustos et concubinam.
   11 Iamque aderant iuxta Iebus, et dies mutabatur in noctem; dixitque puer ad dominum suum: "Veni, obsecro, declinemus ad urbem Iebusaeorum et maneamus in ea"
   12 Cui respondit dominus: "Non ingrediamur oppidum gentis alienae, quae non est de filiis Israel, sed transibimus usque Gabaa"
   13 Dixitque puero suo: "Veni, accedamus ad unum de locis et manebimus in Gabaa aut Rama"
   14 Transierunt igitur Iebus et coeptum carpebant iter; occubuitque eis sol iuxta Gabaa, quae est in tribu Beniamin.
   15 Diverteruntque ad eam, ut manerent ibi; quo cum intrassent, sedebant in platea civitatis, et nullus eos recipere volebat hospitio.
   16 Et ecce apparuit homo senex revertens de agro et de opere suo vespere, qui et ipse erat de monte Ephraim et peregrinus habitabat in Gabaa; homines autem loci illius erant de tribu Beniamin.
   17 Elevatisque oculis, vidit senex sedentem hominem viatorem in platea civitatis et dixit ad eum: "Unde venis et quo vadis?"
   18 Qui respondit ei: "Profecti sumus de Bethlehem Iudae et pergimus ad locum meum, qui est in extrema parte montis Ephraim, unde profectus sum in Bethlehem. Et nunc vado ad domum meam, nullusque sub tectum suum me vult recipere
   19 habentem paleas et pabulum pro asinis nostris et panem ac vinum in meos et ancillae tuae usus et pueri, qui cum servo tuo sunt; nulla re indigemus nisi hospitio"
   20 Cui respondit senex: "Pax tecum sit! Ego praebebo omnia, quae necessaria sunt; tantum, quaeso, ne in platea maneas"
   21 Introduxitque eum in domum suam et commixtum migma asinis praebuit; ac, postquam laverunt pedes suos, recepit eos in convivium.
   22 Illis laeto corde epulantibus, venerunt viri civitatis illius filii Belial et circumdantes domum senis fores pulsare coeperunt clamantes ad dominum domus atque dicentes: "Educ virum, qui ingressus est domum tuam, ut abutamur eo"
   23 Egressusque est ad eos senex et ait: "Nolite, fratres, nolite facere malum hoc, quia ingressus est homo hospitium meum, et cessate ab hac stultitia.
   24 Habeo filiam virginem, et hic homo habet concubinam; educam eas ad vos, ut humilietis eas et faciatis eis, quod vobis placuerit; tantum, obsecro, ne scelus hoc operemini in virum"
   25 Nolebant acquiescere sermonibus eius; quod cernens homo apprehendit et eduxit ad eos concubinam suam. Qua cum abusi essent et tota nocte ei illusissent, dimiserunt eam mane.
   26 At mulier, recedentibus tenebris, venit ad ostium domus, ubi manebat dominus suus, et ibi corruit.
   27 Mane facto surrexit homo et aperuit ostium, ut coeptam expleret viam; et ecce concubina eius iacebat ante ostium, sparsis in limine manibus.
   28 Cui ille loquebatur: "Surge, ut ambulemus" Qua nihil respondente, intellegens quod erat mortua, tulit eam et imposuit asino; reversusque est in domum suam.
   29 Quam cum esset ingressus, arripuit gladium et cadaver uxoris secundum ossa sua in duodecim partes ac frusta concidens misit in omnes terminos Israel.
   30 Quod cum vidissent singuli, conclamabant: "Numquam res talis facta et visa est in Israel ex eo die, quo ascenderunt patres nostri de Aegypto, usque in praesens tempus!" Praeceperat enim viris, quos miserat, dicens: "Haec dicite omni viro Israel: Si factum est quidquam tale ex die, quo ascenderunt filii Israel de terra Aegypti, usque ad praesentem diem? Attendite ad hoc, consiliamini et decernite quid facto opus sit!"

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

King James Version

   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 Beth-lehem-judah.
   2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there four whole months.
   3 And 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'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: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
   5 ¶ And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.
   6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
   7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
   8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
   9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's 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.
   10 But 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.
   11 And 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.
   12 And 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.
   13 And 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.
   14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
   15 And 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.
   16 ¶ And, 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.
   17 And 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?
   18 And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Beth-lehem-judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
   19 Yet 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.
   20 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
   21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
   22 ¶ Now 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.
   23 And 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.
   24 Behold, 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.
   25 But 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.
   26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
   27 And 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.
   28 And 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.
   29 ¶ And 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.
   30 And 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.