1And it came to pass in those days, when there was no melekh in Yisra’el, that there was a certain Levi sojourning on the farther side of the hill country of Efrayim, who took to him a concubine out of Beit Lekhem in Yehudah. 2And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Beit Lekhem in Yehudah, and was there the space of four months. 3And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly unto her, to bring her back, having his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys; and she brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. 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. 5And 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 unto his son-in-law, “Stay your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.” 6So they sat down, and did eat and drink, both of them together; and the damsel’s father said unto the man, “Be content, I pray, and tarry all night, and let your heart be merry.” 7And the man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again. 8And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the damsel’s father said, “Stay your heart, I pray, and tarry you until the day declines;” and they did eat, both of them. 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 draws toward evening; tarry, I pray, all night; behold, the day grows to an end; lodge here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow get on your way early, that you may go home.” 10But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Yebus–the same is Yerushalayim; and there were with him a couple of donkeys saddled; his concubine also was with him. 11When they were by Yebus–the day was far spent–the servant said unto his master, “Come, I pray, and let us turn aside into this city of the Yebusi, and lodge in it.” 12And his master said unto him, “We will not turn aside into the city of a foreigner, that is not of the B’nei Yisra’el; but we will pass over to Givah.” 13And he said unto his servant, “Come and let us draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Givah, or in Ramah.” 14So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them near to Givah, which belongs to Binyamin. 15And they turned aside there, to go in to lodge in Givah; and he went in, and sat down in the broad place of the city; for there was no man that took them into his house to lodge. 16And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field in the evening; now the man was of the hill country of Efrayim, and he sojourned in Givah; but the men of the place were B’nei Yemini. 17And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the broad place of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going? And from where do you come?” 18And he said unto him, “We are passing from Beit Lekhem in Yehudah unto the farther side of the hill country of Efrayim; from there am I, and I went to Beit Lekhem in Yehudah, and I am now going to the house of יהוה ; and there is no man that takes me into his house. 19Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your handmaid, and for the young man that is with your servants; there is no want of any thing.” 20And the old man said, “Shalom lakh; however, let all your wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the broad place.” 21So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder; and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink. 22As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring forth the man that came into your house, that we may know him.” 23And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, “No, my brethren, I pray, do not do so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, do not do this wanton deed. 24Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine; I will bring them out now, and you may humble them, and do with them what seems good unto you; but unto this man do not so wanton a thing.” 25But the men would not hearken to him; so the man laid hold on 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, with her hands upon the threshold. 28And he said unto her, “Up, and let us be going.” But no one answered; then he took her up upon the donkey; and the man rose up, and got him unto his place. 29And 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 borders of Yisra’el. 30And it was so, that all that saw it said, “Such a thing has not happened nor been seen from the day that B’nei Yisra’el came up out of the land of Mitzrayim unto this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak.”
אוַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וּמֶלֶךְ אֵין בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיְהִי אִישׁ לֵוִי גָּר בְּיַרְכְּתֵי הַר אֶפְרַיִם וַיִּקַּח לוֹ אִשָּׁה פִילֶגֶשׁ מִבֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה. בוַתִּזְנֶה עָלָיו פִּילַגְשׁוֹ וַתֵּלֶךְ מֵאִתּוֹ אֶל בֵּית אָבִיהָ אֶל בֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה; וַתְּהִי שָׁם יָמִים אַרְבָּעָה חֳדָשִׁים. גוַיָּקָם אִישָׁהּ וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ לְדַבֵּר עַל לִבָּהּ להשיבו (לַהֲשִׁיבָהּ) וְנַעֲרוֹ עִמּוֹ וְצֶמֶד חֲמֹרִים; וַתְּבִיאֵהוּ בֵּית אָבִיהָ וַיִּרְאֵהוּ אֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה וַיִּשְׂמַח לִקְרָאתוֹ. דוַיַּחֲזֶק בּוֹ חֹתְנוֹ אֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה וַיֵּשֶׁב אִתּוֹ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים; וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ וַיָּלִינוּ שָׁם. הוַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הָרְבִיעִי וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וַיָּקָם לָלֶכֶת; וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה אֶל חֲתָנוֹ סְעָד לִבְּךָ פַּת לֶחֶם וְאַחַר תֵּלֵכוּ. ווַיֵּשְׁבוּ וַיֹּאכְלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו וַיִּשְׁתּוּ; וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה אֶל הָאִישׁ הוֹאֶל נָא וְלִין וְיִיטַב לִבֶּךָ. זוַיָּקָם הָאִישׁ לָלֶכֶת; וַיִּפְצַר בּוֹ חֹתְנוֹ וַיָּשָׁב וַיָּלֶן שָׁם. חוַיַּשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר בַּיּוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי לָלֶכֶת וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה סְעָד נָא לְבָבְךָ וְהִתְמַהְמְהוּ עַד נְטוֹת הַיּוֹם; וַיֹּאכְלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם. טוַיָּקָם הָאִישׁ לָלֶכֶת הוּא וּפִילַגְשׁוֹ וְנַעֲרוֹ; וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ חֹתְנוֹ אֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה הִנֵּה נָא רָפָה הַיּוֹם לַעֲרוֹב לִינוּ נָא הִנֵּה חֲנוֹת הַיּוֹם לִין פֹּה וְיִיטַב לְבָבֶךָ וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּם מָחָר לְדַרְכְּכֶם וְהָלַכְתָּ לְאֹהָלֶךָ. יוְלֹא אָבָה הָאִישׁ לָלוּן וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיָּבֹא עַד נֹכַח יְבוּס הִיא יְרוּשָׁלִָם; וְעִמּוֹ צֶמֶד חֲמוֹרִים חֲבוּשִׁים וּפִילַגְשׁוֹ עִמּוֹ. יאהֵם עִם יְבוּס וְהַיּוֹם רַד מְאֹד; וַיֹּאמֶר הַנַּעַר אֶל אֲדֹנָיו לְכָה נָּא וְנָסוּרָה אֶל עִיר הַיְבוּסִי הַזֹּאת וְנָלִין בָּהּ. יבוַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲדֹנָיו לֹא נָסוּר אֶל עִיר נָכְרִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵנָּה; וְעָבַרְנוּ עַד גִּבְעָה. יגוַיֹּאמֶר לְנַעֲרוֹ לְךָ וְנִקְרְבָה בְּאַחַד הַמְּקֹמוֹת; וְלַנּוּ בַגִּבְעָה אוֹ בָרָמָה. ידוַיַּעַבְרוּ וַיֵּלֵכוּ; וַתָּבֹא לָהֶם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אֵצֶל הַגִּבְעָה אֲשֶׁר לְבִנְיָמִן. טווַיָּסֻרוּ שָׁם לָבוֹא לָלוּן בַּגִּבְעָה; וַיָּבֹא וַיֵּשֶׁב בִּרְחוֹב הָעִיר וְאֵין אִישׁ מְאַסֵּף אוֹתָם הַבַּיְתָה לָלוּן. טזוְהִנֵּה אִישׁ זָקֵן בָּא מִן מַעֲשֵׂהוּ מִן הַשָּׂדֶה בָּעֶרֶב וְהָאִישׁ מֵהַר אֶפְרַיִם וְהוּא גָר בַּגִּבְעָה; וְאַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם בְּנֵי יְמִינִי. יזוַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הָאִישׁ הָאֹרֵחַ בִּרְחֹב הָעִיר; וַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ הַזָּקֵן אָנָה תֵלֵךְ וּמֵאַיִן תָּבוֹא. יחוַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו עֹבְרִים אֲנַחְנוּ מִבֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה עַד יַרְכְּתֵי הַר אֶפְרַיִם מִשָּׁם אָנֹכִי וָאֵלֵךְ עַד בֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה; וְאֶת בֵּית יהוה אֲנִי הֹלֵךְ וְאֵין אִישׁ מְאַסֵּף אוֹתִי הַבָּיְתָה. יטוְגַם תֶּבֶן גַּם מִסְפּוֹא יֵשׁ לַחֲמוֹרֵינוּ וְגַם לֶחֶם וָיַיִן יֶשׁ לִי וְלַאֲמָתֶךָ וְלַנַּעַר עִם עֲבָדֶיךָ: אֵין מַחְסוֹר כָּל דָּבָר. כוַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ הַזָּקֵן שָׁלוֹם לָךְ רַק כָּל מַחְסוֹרְךָ עָלָי; רַק בָּרְחוֹב אַל תָּלַן. כאוַיְבִיאֵהוּ לְבֵיתוֹ ויבול (וַיָּבָל) לַחֲמוֹרִים; וַיִּרְחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיהֶם וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ. כבהֵמָּה מֵיטִיבִים אֶת לִבָּם וְהִנֵּה אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר אַנְשֵׁי בְנֵי בְלִיַּעַל נָסַבּוּ אֶת הַבַּיִת מִתְדַּפְּקִים עַל הַדָּלֶת; וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל הָאִישׁ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת הַזָּקֵן לֵאמֹר הוֹצֵא אֶת הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בָּא אֶל בֵּיתְךָ וְנֵדָעֶנּוּ. כגוַיֵּצֵא אֲלֵיהֶם הָאִישׁ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אַל אַחַי אַל תָּרֵעוּ נָא; אַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר בָּא הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה אֶל בֵּיתִי אַל תַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת הַנְּבָלָה הַזֹּאת. כדהִנֵּה בִתִּי הַבְּתוּלָה וּפִילַגְשֵׁהוּ אוֹצִיאָה נָּא אוֹתָם וְעַנּוּ אוֹתָם וַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם; וְלָאִישׁ הַזֶּה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ דְּבַר הַנְּבָלָה הַזֹּאת. כהוְלֹא אָבוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים לִשְׁמֹעַ לוֹ וַיַּחֲזֵק הָאִישׁ בְּפִילַגְשׁוֹ וַיֹּצֵא אֲלֵיהֶם הַחוּץ; וַיֵּדְעוּ אוֹתָהּ וַיִּתְעַלְּלוּ בָהּ כָּל הַלַּיְלָה עַד הַבֹּקֶר וַיְשַׁלְּחוּהָ בעלות (כַּעֲלוֹת) הַשָּׁחַר. כווַתָּבֹא הָאִשָּׁה לִפְנוֹת הַבֹּקֶר; וַתִּפֹּל פֶּתַח בֵּית הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אֲדוֹנֶיהָ שָּׁם עַד הָאוֹר. כזוַיָּקָם אֲדֹנֶיהָ בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּפְתַּח דַּלְתוֹת הַבַּיִת וַיֵּצֵא לָלֶכֶת לְדַרְכּוֹ; וְהִנֵּה הָאִשָּׁה פִילַגְשׁוֹ נֹפֶלֶת פֶּתַח הַבַּיִת וְיָדֶיהָ עַל הַסַּף. כחוַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ קוּמִי וְנֵלֵכָה וְאֵין עֹנֶה; וַיִּקָּחֶהָ עַל הַחֲמוֹר וַיָּקָם הָאִישׁ וַיֵּלֶךְ לִמְקֹמוֹ. כטוַיָּבֹא אֶל בֵּיתוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת וַיַּחֲזֵק בְּפִילַגְשׁוֹ וַיְנַתְּחֶהָ לַעֲצָמֶיהָ לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר נְתָחִים; וַיְשַׁלְּחֶהָ בְּכֹל גְּבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. לוְהָיָה כָל הָרֹאֶה וְאָמַר לֹא נִהְיְתָה וְלֹא נִרְאֲתָה כָּזֹאת לְמִיּוֹם עֲלוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה; שִׂימוּ לָכֶם עָלֶיהָ עֻצוּ וְדַבֵּרוּ.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 