The Crime of the Benjamites
(Genesis 19:1–11)

1Also in those dayes, when there was no kyng in Israel, a certayne Leuite soiournyng on the syde of mount Ephraim, toke to wyfe a concubine out of Bethlehem Iuda. 2And his concubine played the whore by him, and went awaye from him vnto her fathers house to Bethlehem Iuda, and there continued foure monethes. 3And her husbande arose, and went after her, to speake frendly vnto her, and to bryng her agayne, hauyng his lad with him, and a couple of asses: And she brought hym vnto her fathers house, & when the father of the damosell sawe hym, he reioyced of his commyng. 4And his father in lawe, the damosels father, retayned hym, and he abode with hym three dayes: and so they dyd eate and drinke, and lodged there. 5The fourth day whan they arose early in the mornyng, the man stoode vp, to depart. And the damosels father sayde vnto his sonne in lawe: Comfort thyne heart with a morsell of bread, and then go your way. 6And they sate downe, and dyd eate and drincke both of them together. And the damosels father sayde vnto the man: Be content I pray thee, and tary all nyght, and let thyne heart be mery. 7And when the man stoode redy to depart, his father in lawe compelled hym: therfore he returned, and taryed all nyght there. 8And he rose vp early the fyfth day to departe, and the damosels father said: Comforte thyne hearte I pray thee. And they taryed vntyll after mydday: and they dyd eate both of them together. 9And when the man arose to depart with his concubine and his lad, his father in lawe the damosels father, sayd vnto hym: Behold nowe, the day goeth fast away, and draweth towarde euen, I pray you tary all night: Behold the sunne goeth to rest, lodge here, that thyne hearte may be mery: and to morowe get you early vpon your waye, that thou mayest get thee to thy tent.

10Neuerthelatere the man woulde not tary, but arose and departed, and came as farre as Iebus (which is Hierusalem) and his two asses laden, and his concubine with hym. 11And when they were fast by Iebus, the day was sore spent, and the young man sayde vnto his maister: Come I pray thee, and let vs turne in into this citie of the Iebusites, and lodge al night there. 12His maister aunswered him: We wyll not turne into a straunge citie that are not of the children of Israel, we will go foorth to Gibea. 13And he sayd vnto his lad: Go forwarde and let vs drawe neare to one of these places to lodge all nyght, either in Gibea, or in Rama 14And they went forwarde vpon their way, and the sunne went downe vpon them when they were fast by Gibea, which belongeth to them of Beniamin. 15And they turned thytherwarde to go in, and lodge all nyght in Gibea: And when he came, he sat him downe in a streate of the citie, for there was no man that toke them into his house to lodgyng.

16And behold, there came an olde man from his worke, out of the fielde at eue, which was also of mount Ephraim, and dwelt as a straunger in Gibea: But the men of the place, were the children of Iemini. 17And when he had lyft vp his eyes, he sawe a wayfaryng man in the streate of the citie: And the olde man sayde, Whyther goest thou? and whence commest thou? 18He aunswered hym: We come from Bethlehem Iuda towarde the syde of mount Ephraim, from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehem Iuda, and go nowe to the house of the Lorde, and there is no man that receaueth me to house. 19We haue strawe and prouender for our asses, and bread and wyne for me and thy handmayde, and for the lad that is with thy seruaunt: & we lacke nothing. 20The olde man sayd: Peace be with thee, all that thou lackest shalt thou fynde with me: Only abyde not in the streate all nyght. 21And so he brought him into his house, and gaue fodder vnto the Asses: and they wasshed their feete, and dyd eate and drynke.

22And as they were makyng their heartes mery, beholde, the men of the citie which were wicked, beset the house rounde about, and thrust at the doore, & spake to the man of the house, the olde man, saying: Bring foorth the man that came into thyne house, that we may knowe him. 23And this man the maister of the house went out, and sayd vnto them: Oh, nay my brethren, do not so wickedly, seyng that this man is come into myne house, do not so vnmeete a thyng. 24Behold, here is my daughter a mayden, and this mans concubine, them I wyll bryng out nowe vnto you, and humble them, & do with them what seemeth you good: but vnto this man do not so abhominable a thing. 25But the men woulde not hearken to hym: And the man toke his concubine, and brought her out vnto them, whiche knewe her, and abused her al the night, euen vnto the mornyng: and when the day began to spryng, they let her go. 26And then came the woman in the dawnyng of the day, and fell downe at the doore of the mans house where her lord was, tyll it was day.

27And her lorde arose vp in the morning, and opened the doores of the house, and went out to go his way: and beholde the woman, euen his concubine, laye along before the doore of the house, and her handes vpon the thresholde. 28And he sayde vnto her, Up, and let vs be goyng: But she aunswered not. Then the man toke her vp vpo an asse, & stoode vp, & gate hym vnto his place. 29And whe he was come into his house, he toke a knyfe, and caught his concubine, and deuided her in peeces, with the bones, into twelue partes, and sent her into all quarters of Israel. 30And all that sawe it, sayde: There was no suche deede done or seene sence the childre of Israel came out of Egypt vnto this day. Consider the matter, take aduisement, and say your myndes.