1 Nesse tempo, em que ainda não havia rei em Israel, havia um homem da tribo de Levi, vivendo num extremo da região das colinas de Efraim, que trouxe para sua casa uma rapariga de Belém para ficar a viver com ele como concubina.
2 Porém a certa altura ela abandonou-o por outro e regressou para casa do pai, em Belém, lá ficando por uns quatro meses. O marido pegou num criado e preparou-se para ir a Belém; aparelhou também mais um jumento, que levou sem ninguém. O seu intuito era trazer a rapariga para casa de volta. Quando chegou a casa dela, ela recebeu-o, apresentou-o ao pai, e mostrou-se alegre de o tornar a ver.
4 O pai pediu-lhe muito que ficasse lá uns tempos, e ele aceitou, ficando três dias, mostrando-se satisfeitos de estarem juntos.
5 No quarto dia levantaram-se cedo, prontos para partir, mas o pai insistiu para que tomassem ao menos o pequeno almoço antes da viagem. Entretanto fez pressão sobre ele para que ficasse mais um dia, visto que tinham passado uns bons tempos juntos. A princípio o levita recusou, mas o pai da moça tanto fez que ele acabou por aceitar. Na manhã seguinte, tornaram a levantar-se cedo e novamente o pai instou: Fiquem mais hoje, e partam esta tarde, ao fim do dia. E foi mais um dia de festa lá em casa.
9 De tarde, quando o casal mais o criado se preparavam para a viagem, chega-se outra vez o pai: Não vêem que já é tarde. Fiquem mais esta noite. Fazemos um belo serão e amanhã cedo podem iniciar a viagem.
10 Mas desta feita o homem foi inflexível e partiram mesmo, tendo chegado a Jerusalém (também chamada Jebus) já muito tarde.
11 O criado disse-lhe: Já é muito tarde para viajar; fiquemos aqui esta noite.
12 Não. Não podemos ficar aqui numa cidade pagã, onde não há ninguém israelita. Vamos continuar até Gibeá, ou mesmo se possível até Ramá.
14 E assim continuaram a viagem. O Sol tinha-se posto há muito quando atingiram Gibeá, uma povoação da tribo de Benjamim; por isso resolveram entrar e passar ali a noite. Mas como ninguém os convidou para os recolher em casa, decidiram dormir ali mesmo no meio da praça.
16 Nessa altura chegou-se um homem idoso, que regressava do trabalho no campo, a caminho de casa. Era originário das colinas de Efraim, mas vivia agora em Gibeá, apesar daquele ser o território de Benjamim.
17 Quando viu aqueles viajantes assim acampados em plena praça, perguntou-lhes donde eram e para onde iam.
18 Estamos a caminho da nossa casa em Belém de Judá, respondeu o levita. Vivo no extremo da região das colinas de Efraim, perto de Silo. Ficámos aqui porque ninguém fez o gesto de nos recolher para passar a noite, ainda que tenhamos suficiente alimento para os nossos jumentos e comida e vinho que baste para nós próprios.
20 Não se preocupem. Vocês serão meus hóspedes. Mas aqui é que não vão ficar. É demasiado perigoso.
21 E assim levou-os para casa. Deu de comer aos animais e depois foram todos juntos jantar.
22 Quando o ambiente começava a aquecer, na alegria daquele convívio, um bando de gente pervertida começou a juntar-se em frente da casa, batendo na porta, gritando para o velho dono da casa que trouxesse para fora o homem que estava com eles, para que o levassem.
23 O homem idoso veio cá fora falar com eles: Não, meus irmãos, não façam um tal acto de tamanha loucura! Ele é meu hóspede. Ouçam.
24 Levem a minha filha, que é virgem, e a mulher dele. Trago-as aqui e façam delas o que quiserem, mas não levem por diante uma coisas dessas com este homem.
25 Os outros contudo não aceitaram. Então o levita trouxe a sua concubina para fora, e empurrou-a para junto deles; aquela gente abusou dela a noite inteira; pela madrugada deixaram-na. Ela arrastou-se até à entrada da casa e ali ficou até o dia clarear.
27 Quando o levita ia a abrir a porta para seguir viagem, viu-a caída, com as mãos sobre o limiar da moradia.
28 Levanta-te, disse-lhe, vamos embora.Mas não obteve resposta; estava morta. Então pô-la sobre o jumento e levou-a para casa.
29 Chegado ao seu destino pegou num cutelo, partiu o corpo em pedaços, e enviou um pedaço a cada uma das tribos de Israel. A nação inteira ficou escandalizada. Nunca se ouviu falar em tal crime, desde que Israel saiu do Egipto, dizia toda a gente. Temos de fazer qualquer coisa.
1 And it came to pass in those days, when, king, there was none in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah.
2 And his concubine went astray against him, and departed from him, unto the house of her father, in Bethlehem-judah,and remained there, the space of four months.
3 Then arose her husband, and went after her, to speak unto her heart, that he might bring her back again, having his young man with him, and a couple of asses,and she brought him into the house of her father, and, when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4 And his father-in-law, the father of the damsel, constrained him, and he abode with him three days,and 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, and gat up to go, that the father of the damsel said unto his son-in-law,Stay thy heart with a morsel of bread, and, afterwards, ye shall go your way.
6 So they both of them sat down and did eat together, and drink. Then said the father of the damsel unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry the night, and let thy heart be glad.
7 And, when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, so he turned back and tarried the night there.
8 And, when he arose early on the morning of the fifth day, to go, the father of the damsel saidCome now, stay thy heart, and tarry ye until the decline of the day. And they did eat, both of them.
9 And, when the man rose up to gohe and his concubine and his young man,his father-in-law, the father of the damsel, said to him, Come now, see! the day hath sunk down towards evening, come now! tarry the night; lo! the day goeth down, tarry the night here, and let thy heart be glad, so shall ye rise early to-morrow for your journey, and thou shalt go thy way to thine own home.
10 But the man would not tarry the night, but rose up and went his way, and came as far as over against Jebus, the same, is Jerusalem,and, with him, were a couple of asses, saddled, his concubine also, was with him.
11 They being by Jebus, and, the day, having gone far down, the young man said unto his lordDo come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and tarry the night therein.
12 And his lord said unto him, We will not turn aside into a city of aliens, who are, not of the sons of Israel,but will pass on as far as Gibeah.
13 And he said to his young man, Come and let us draw near unto one of the places,and tarry the night in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
14 So they passed on, and went their way,and the sun went in upon them beside Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
15 Then turned they aside there, to go in and tarry the night in Gibeah,so he went in and abode in the broadway of the city; and there was no one minded to take them into a house, to tarry the night.
16 But lo! an old man, coming in from his work, out of the field, in the evening, and, the man, was from the hill country of Ephraim, he himself, being a sojourner in Gibeah,but, the men of the place, were Benjamites.
17 So he lifted up his eyes, and saw a wayfaring man in the broadway of the city,and the old man saidWhither goest thou? and from whence hast thou come?
18 And he said unto himWe, are passing along, from Bethlehem-judah, unto the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, whence I am, but I have been as far as Bethlehem-judah, and now, unto the house of Yahweh, am I going, and there is no one minded to take me into a house.
19 Nevertheless, straw and fodder too, is there for our asses, yea moreover, bread and wine, there are for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man that is with thy servants,there is lack, of nothing.
20 And the old man saidThou art welcome! only, all thy wants, be on me,by no means, in the broadway, mayest thou lodge.
21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender to the asses,and they bathed their feet, and did eat and drink.
22 They, were gladdening their heart, when lo! men of the city, men of the sons of the Abandoned One, beset the house round about, beating violently against the door,and they spake unto the old man the owner of the house, saying, Bring forth the man that hath entered into thy house, that we may know him.
23 And the man, the owner of the house, went forth unto them, and said unto them, Do not, my brethren, do not act vilely, I pray you,after this man hath entered into my house, do not commit this impiety.
24 Lo, my virgin daughter, and his concubine, I must needs now bring, them, forth, and ye must humble, them, and do, unto them, what seemeth good in your own eyes,but, unto this man, must ye not do this impious thing!
25 But the men would not hearken unto him, so the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her forth unto them, outside,and they knew, her, and abused her all the night, until the morning, and let her go at the uprisings of the dawn.
26 So the woman came in at the turnings of the morning,and fell down at the entrance of the mans house where her lord was, and till it was light.
27 So then her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went forth, to go on his journey,when lo! the woman, his concubine, fallen at the entrance of the house, with her hands upon the threshold.
28 And he said unto herUp! and let us be going. But there was no answer. So he took her up on the ass, and the man rose up, and went his way to his own place.
29 And, when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces,and sent her throughout all the bounds of Israel.
30 And so it was, that every one who beheld saidThere hath not happened, nor been seen the like of this, from the day when the sons of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt, until this day: Put it to yourselves contemning it, take counsel and speak!