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A Levite’s Concubine Degraded
19 Now it came about in those days, when (A)there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite [a]staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah. 2 But his concubine played the harlot against him, and she went away from him to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah, and was there for a period of four months. 3 Then her husband arose and went after her to (B)speak [b]tenderly to her in order to bring her back, [c]taking with him his servant and a pair of donkeys. So she brought him into her father’s house, and when the girl’s father saw him, he was glad to meet him. 4 His father-in-law, the girl’s father, detained him; and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and lodged there. 5 Now on the fourth day they got up early in the morning, and he [d]prepared to go; and the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “(C)Sustain [e]yourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go.” 6 So both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl’s father said to the man, “Please be willing to spend the night, and (D)let your heart be merry.” 7 Then the man arose to go, but his father-in-law urged him so that he spent the night there again. 8 On the fifth day he arose to go early in the morning, and the girl’s father said, “Please sustain [f]yourself, and wait until [g]afternoon”; so both of them ate. 9 When the man arose to go along with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Behold now, the day has drawn [h]to a close; please spend the night. Lo, the day is [i]coming to an end; spend the night here that your heart may be merry. Then tomorrow you may arise early for your journey so that you may go [j]home.”
10 But the man was not willing to spend the night, so he arose and departed and came to a place opposite (E)Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). And there were with him a pair of saddled donkeys; his concubine also was with him. 11 When they were near Jebus, the day was almost gone; and (F)the servant said to his master, “Please come, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.” 12 However, his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners who are not of the sons of Israel; but we will go on as far as Gibeah.” 13 He said to his servant, “Come and let us approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.” 14 So they passed along and went their way, and the sun set on them near Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin. 15 They turned aside there in order to enter and lodge in Gibeah. When [k]they entered, [l]they sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.
16 Then behold, an old man was coming out of the field from his work at evening. Now the man was from (G)the hill country of Ephraim, and he was [m]staying in Gibeah, but the men of the place (H)were Benjamites. 17 And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?” 18 He said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, for I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to [n]my house, and no man will take me into his house. 19 Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, [o]your maidservant, and (I)the young man who is with your servants; there is no lack of anything.” 20 The old man said, “(J)Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the open square.” 21 (K)So he took him into his house and gave the donkeys fodder, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.
22 While they were [p]celebrating, behold, (L)the men of the city, certain [q](M)worthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have [r]relations with him.” 23 Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, (N)do not commit this act of folly. 24 (O)Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them [s]whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.” 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them; and they raped her and abused her all night until morning, then let her go at the approach of dawn. 26 [t]As the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man’s house where her master was, until full daylight.
27 When her master arose in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, then behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up and let us go,” (P)but there was no answer. Then he placed her on the donkey; and the man arose and went to his [u]home. 29 When he entered his house, he took a knife and laid hold of his concubine and (Q)cut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel. 30 All who saw it said, “Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, (R)take counsel and speak up!”
Resolve to Punish the Guilty
20 Then all the sons of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, came out, and the congregation assembled as one man to the Lord at (S)Mizpah. 2 The [v]chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, took their stand in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 foot [w]soldiers (T)who drew the sword. 3 (Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this wickedness take place?” 4 So the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, “I came with my concubine to spend the night at Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin. 5 But the (U)men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they (V)ravished my concubine so that she died. 6 And I (W)took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for (X)they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel. 7 Behold, all you sons of Israel, (Y)give your advice and counsel here.”
8 Then all the people arose as one man, saying, “Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us return to his house. 9 But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot. 10 And we will take 10 men out of 100 throughout the tribes of Israel, and 100 out of 1,000, and 1,000 out of 10,000 to [x]supply food for the people, that when they come to [y]Gibeah of Benjamin, they may [z]punish them for all the disgraceful acts that they have committed in Israel.” 11 Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man.
12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire [aa]tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has taken place among you? 13 Now then, deliver up the men, the [ab](Z)worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and (AA)remove this wickedness from Israel.” But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 14 The sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel. 15 From the cities on that day the (AB)sons of Benjamin were [ac]numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were [ad]numbered, 700 choice men. 16 Out of all these people 700 (AC)choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
17 Then the men of Israel besides Benjamin were [ae]numbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war.
Civil War, Benjamin Defeated
18 Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and (AD)inquired of God and said, “Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?” Then the Lord said, “Judah shall go up first.”
19 So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah. 20 The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah. 21 Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and [af](AE)felled to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel. 22 But the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and arrayed for battle again in the place where they had arrayed themselves the first day. 23 (AF)The sons of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and (AG)inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall we again draw near for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And the Lord said, “Go up against him.”
24 Then the sons of Israel [ag]came against the sons of Benjamin the second day. 25 Benjamin went out [ah]against them from Gibeah the second day and [ai]felled to the ground again 18,000 men of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword. 26 Then (AH)all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remained there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 27 The sons of Israel (AI)inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, Aaron’s son, stood before it to minister in those days), saying, “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease?” And the Lord said, “Go up, (AJ)for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”
29 (AK)So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. 30 The sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times. 31 (AL)The sons of Benjamin went out [aj]against the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike [ak]and kill some of the people as at other times, on the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32 The sons of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us, as at the first.” But the sons of Israel said, “Let us flee that we may draw them away from the city to the highways.” 33 Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; (AM)and the men of Israel in ambush broke out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba. 34 When ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, the battle became [al]fierce; (AN)but [am]Benjamin did not know that [an]disaster was [ao]close to them. 35 And the Lord struck Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day, all [ap]who draw the sword.
36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were [aq]defeated. (AO)When the men of Israel gave [ar]ground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah, 37 (AP)the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah; the men in ambush also deployed and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. 38 Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was (AQ)that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city. 39 Then the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike [as]and kill about thirty men of Israel, (AR)for they said, “Surely they are [at]defeated before us, as in the first battle.” 40 But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, Benjamin looked (AS)behind them; and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven. 41 Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were terrified; for they saw that [au](AT)disaster was [av]close to them. 42 Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel (AU)toward the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them while those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them. 43 (AV)They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest and trod them down opposite Gibeah toward the [aw]east. 44 Thus 18,000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant warriors. 45 [ax]The rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of (AW)Rimmon, but they [ay]caught 5,000 of them on the highways and overtook them [az]at Gidom and [ba]killed 2,000 of them. 46 So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 men who draw the sword; all these were valiant warriors. 47 But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. 48 The men of Israel then turned back against the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city with the cattle and all that they found; they also set on fire all the cities which they found.
John’s Last Testimony
22 After these things Jesus and His (A)disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and (B)baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— 24 for (C)John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about (D)purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “(E)Rabbi, He who was with you (F)beyond the Jordan, to whom you (G)have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” 27 John answered and said, “(H)A man can receive nothing unless it (I)has been given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves [a]are my witnesses that I said, ‘(J)I am not the [b]Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is (K)the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this (L)joy of mine has been made full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 “(M)He who comes from above is above all, (N)he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. (O)He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 What He has seen and heard, of that He (P)testifies; and (Q)no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony (R)has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For He whom God has (S)sent speaks the words of God; [c](T)for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 (U)The Father loves the Son and (V)has given all things into His hand. 36 He who (W)believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who (X)does not [d]obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Jesus Goes to Galilee
4 Therefore when (Y)the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and (Z)baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although (AA)Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His (AB)disciples were), 3 He left (AC)Judea and went away (AD)again into Galilee.
24 O Lord, how (A)many are Your works!
[a]In (B)wisdom You have made them all;
The (C)earth is full of Your [b]possessions.
25 [c]There is the (D)sea, great and [d]broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Animals both small and great.
26 There the (E)ships move along,
And [e](F)Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.
27 They all (G)wait for You
To (H)give them their food in [f]due season.
28 You give to them, they gather it up;
You (I)open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.
29 You (J)hide Your face, they are dismayed;
You (K)take away their [g]spirit, they expire
And (L)return to their dust.
30 You send forth Your [h](M)Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the ground.
31 Let the (N)glory of the Lord endure forever;
Let the Lord (O)be glad in His works;
32 [i]He (P)looks at the earth, and it (Q)trembles;
He (R)touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 [j]I will sing to the Lord [k](S)as long as I live;
[l]I will (T)sing praise to my God [m]while I have my being.
34 Let my (U)meditation be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall (V)be glad in the Lord.
35 Let sinners be (W)consumed from the earth
And let the (X)wicked be no more.
(Y)Bless the Lord, O my soul.
[n](Z)Praise [o]the Lord!
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.