1And 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.19.1 a concubine: Heb. a woman a concubine, or, a wife a concubine 2And 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.19.2 four whole months: or, a year and four month: Heb. days, four months 3And 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.19.3 friendly…: Heb. to her heart 4And 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.19.5 Comfort: Heb. Strengthen 6And 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. 7And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again. 8And 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.19.8 until afternoon: Heb. till the day declined 9And 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.19.9 draweth: Heb. is weak19.9 the day groweth to an end: Heb. it is the pitching time of the day19.9 home: Heb. to thy tent 10But 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.19.10 over against: Heb. to over against 11And 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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. 15And 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. 17And 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? 18And 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.19.18 receiveth: Heb. gathereth 19Yet 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. 20And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. 21So 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. 23And 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. 24Behold, 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.19.24 so vile…: Heb. the matter of this folly 25But 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. 26Then 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. 27And 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. 28And 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. 30And 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.
Lewini Ne Ne Mpena
1Saa bere no na Israel nni ɔhene. Na ɔbarima bi a ofi Lewi abusuakuw mu te Efraim bepɔw asase no so akyirikyiri baabi. Da bi, ɔde ɔbea bi fi Betlehem a ɛwɔ Yuda baa fie sɛ ne mpena. 2Nanso ɔbea no anni no nokware enti ɔsan kɔɔ nʼagya fi wɔ Betlehem. Asram anan akyi no, 3ne kunu no faa ɔsomfo ne afurum foforo kaa ne ho kɔɔ Betlehem sɛ ɔde rekɔdɛfɛdɛfɛ no na wasan nʼakyi aba. Oduu ɔbea no agya fi no, ɔde no kɔɔ ofi no mu maa nʼagya no gyee no fɛw so. 4Ɔbea no agya ka kyerɛɛ no se ɔntena nkyɛ kakra. Enti odii nnansa, didi, nom, daa hɔ.
5Ne nnannan so no, ɔbarima no sɔree anɔpa, pɛɛ sɛ ɔkɔ. Nanso ɔbea no agya ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Didi ansa na woakɔ.” 6Enti wɔn baanu no tenaa ase didi, nomee. Afei, ɔbea no agya ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Mesrɛ wo, da anadwo yi na gye wʼani.” 7Ɔbarima no sɔree sɛ anka ɔrekɔ, nanso nʼase no hyɛɛ no sɛ ɔntena. Enti ɔpenee so daa hɔ anadwo no. 8Nnaanum so anɔpa no, ɔsɔree bio a ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔkɔ. Nanso bio, ɔbea no agya kae se, “Didi ansa, na awia mu kakra no wubetumi akɔ.” Enti wɔsan didii bio.
9Awia no, ɔbarima no ne ne mpena no ne ne somfo boaboaa wɔn ho pɛɛ sɛ wɔkɔ. Nanso nʼase no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Muntie! Ade reyɛ asa. Montena na munnye mo ani anadwo yi. Ɔkyena mubetumi asi mu anɔpahema.”
10Nanso afei de, ɔbarima no pɛɛ sɛ ɔbɛkɔ. Enti ɔfaa ne mfurum abien a wɔahyehyɛ wɔn no ne ne mpena no, na wɔde wɔn ani kyerɛɛ Yebus (a ɛyɛ Yerusalem). 11Bere a woduu Yebus no na ade reyɛ asa, na ɔsomfo no ka kyerɛɛ ne wura no se, “Ade reyɛ asa, enti momma yɛnna Yebusifo kuropɔn yi mu anadwo yi.”
12Ne wura no buae se, “Dabi, yɛrentumi ntena ananafo kuropɔn a Israelfo nni mu yi mu. Yɛbɛtoa so akɔ Gibea. 13Yebenya nnabea anadwo yi wɔ Gibea anaa Rama.” 14Enti wɔtoaa so. Wɔrebedu kurow Gibea a ɛwɔ Benyamin asase so no, na owia rekɔtɔ. 15Ɛhɔ na wɔdaa anadwo no. Wɔdaa kurow no abɔnten kɛse so, na obiara amfa wɔn ankɔ fie ankɔsom wɔn hɔho.
16Anwummere no, akwakoraa bi fii nʼafum baa fie. Na ofi Efraim bepɔw asase so, nanso na ɔte Gibea wɔ Benyamin asase so. 17Bere a ohuu akwantufo yi sɛ wɔtete kurow no abɔnten kɛse so no, obisaa wɔn faako a wofi ne nea wɔrekɔ.
18Ɔbarima no buaa no se, “Yefi Betlehem a ɛwɔ Yuda na yɛrekɔ Efraim bepɔw asase no so; kurow bi a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri, na yɛrekɔ Awurade Hyiadan. Nanso obiara amfa yɛn ankɔ ne fi ankɔma yɛn nnabea, 19ɛwɔ mu sɛ yɛwɔ nea ehia yɛn biara. Yɛwɔ sare ne aduan a yɛde bɛma yɛn mfurum; yenhia hwee.”
20Akwakoraa no kae se, “Mommra me fi. Mɛma mo biribiara a ebehia mo. Na anadwo yi de, ɛnsɛ sɛ moda abɔnten kɛse so ha.” 21Enti ɔfaa wɔn de wɔn kɔɔ ne fi, na ɔmaa wɔn mfurum no aduan. Wɔhohoroo wɔn nan ase wiei no, wɔbɔɔ mu didii.
22Bere a wɔregye wɔn ani no, kurow no mu nnipa bɔnefo bi betwaa ofi no ho hyiae. Wofii ase pempem ɔpon no teɛteɛɛ mu guu akwakoraa no so se, “Fa ɔbarima a wabɛsoɛ wo no ma yɛn sɛnea yebetumi ne no ada.”
23Akwakoraa no fi ba bɛkasa kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Dabi, anuanom, monnyɛ bɔne a ɛte saa. Saa ɔbarima yi yɛ me hɔho na sɛ moyɛ saa a, ɛbɛyɛ animguase. 24Me babea ɔbabun ne ɔbarima yi mpena ni. Mede wɔn bɛma mo. Na nea mopɛ biara no monyɛ wɔn. Na mo ne saa ɔbarima yi nyɛ saa animguasede yi.”
25Nanso wɔantie no. Enti Lewini no faa ne mpena no piaa no fii adi. Na kurow no mu mmarima no faa no nnidiso nnidiso kosii adekyee. Ahemadakye no na wogyaw no ma ɔkɔe. 26Ɔbea no koduu ofi a ne kunu no te mu no pon ano ara pɛ na ɔtɔɔ mum. Ɔdaa hɔ ara kosii sɛ anim tetewee.
27Bere a ne kunu buee ɔpon no sɛ ɔrepue pɛ na ohuu sɛ ɔda hɔ. Na nʼanim butuw hɔ a ne nsa gu apongua no so. 28Ohuu no no, ɔkae se, “Sɔre! Ma yɛnkɔ!” Nanso wammua. Enti ɔde no too nʼafurum no so de no kɔɔ fie.
29Oduu fie no, ɔtwee afoa de twitwaa ne mpena no mu asinasin dumien. Na ɔde sin baako biara kɔɔ Israel mmusuakuw dumien no mu. 30Na obiara a ohuu saa aninyanne yi kae se, “Efi bere a Israel fii Misraim no, obi nnii saa amumɔyɛsɛm yi bi da. Adɛn nti na ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛkasa na yɛyɛ ho biribi?”
