Jueces 19

1En aquel tiempo en que no había rey en Israel, habitaba un levita como forastero en la parte extrema de la montaña de Efraím, el cual se había tomado una mujer secundaria de Betlehem de Judá.

2Pero esa su segunda mujer cometió adulterio contra él, y dejándole se fue a casa de su padre, a Betlehem de Judá, donde permaneció por espacio de cuatro meses.

3Su marido se levantó y fue en pos de ella, para hablarla al corazón y traérsela consigo. Venía con uno de sus criados y un par de asnos; y ella lo introdujo en la casa de su padre, el cual al verlo lo recibió gozoso.

4Le instó su suegro, el padre de la joven, y se quedó con él tres días; y comieron y bebieron y se hospedaron allí.

5Al cuarto día se levantaron muy de mañana, y (el levita) se dispuso a marchar. Pero el padre de la joven dijo a su yerno: “Conforta primero tu corazón con un bocado de pan, después partiréis.”

6Se sentaron los dos y comieron y bebieron. Y el padre de la joven dijo al marido: “Te ruego consientas en pasar (aquí) también esta noche, y se alegrará tu corazón.”

7El marido se levantó para marcharse, pero le instó su suegro, de modo que volvió a pasar allí la noche.

8Al quinto día se levantó muy de mañana para ponerse en camino, pero le dijo el padre de la joven: “Conforta, te ruego, tu corazón, y espera hasta que decline el día”; y comieron ambos.

9Y cuando el marido se levantó para irse él con su mujer secundaria y su criado, le dijo su suegro, el padre de la joven: “Mira que comienza ya a caer la tarde; os ruego que pernoctéis aquí; ved cómo ya se acaba el día. Pasa aquí la noche, y alégrese tu corazón; mañana os levantareis muy temprano para emprender el viaje, y volverás a tu tienda.”

10Mas el marido no quiso pasar allí la noche; se levantó y partió, y llegó hasta enfrente de Jebús, que es Jerusalén, teniendo consigo los dos asnos aparejados y su mujer secundaria.

11Cuando se acercaron a Jebús, el día estaba ya muy avanzado, por lo cual el criado dijo a su amo: “Vamos, torzamos hacia esta ciudad de los jebuseos, para pasar allí la noche.”

12Su amo le contestó: “No torceremos hacia una ciudad de gente extraña, que no es de los hijos de Israel, sino que pasaremos hasta Gabaá.

13Y dijo a su criado: “Vamos, trataremos de llegar a uno de esos lugares para pasar la noche: Gabaá o Ramá.”

14Prosiguieron caminando, y se les puso el sol cuando estaban junto a Gabaá, que era de Benjamín.

15Torcieron hacia allá, para pasar la noche en Gabaá. Entró (el levita) y se sentó en la plaza de la ciudad; y no hubo quien los acogiese en su casa para pasar la noche,

16cuando he aquí que al anochecer volvió un anciano de su trabajo del campo; era ese natural de los montes de Efraím y moraba como forastero en Gabaá; pues los hombres del lugar eran benjaminitas.

17Levantando el anciano los ojos, vio al viajero en la plaza de la ciudad; y le dijo: “¿Adónde vas y de dónde vienes?”

18Respondió él: “Vamos de Betlehem de Judá a la parte extrema de la montaña de Efraím, de donde soy. Me había ido a Betlehem de Judá, y ahora voy a la casa de Yahvé; pero no hay nadie que me reciba en su casa.

19Tenemos paja y forraje para nuestros asnos, así como pan y vino para mí y para tu sierva, y para el criado que acompaña a tus siervos. No necesitamos nada.”

20Dijo entonces el anciano: “¡Paz sea contigo! Deja correr por mi cuenta todas tus necesidades; de ninguna manera podrás pasar la noche en la plaza.”

21Le llevó a su casa, y dio forraje a los asnos. Y después de lavarse los pies comieron y bebieron.

22Cuando ya iban alegrándose sus corazones, he aquí que unos hombres de la ciudad, hijos de Belial, rodearon la casa, y dando fuertes golpes en la puerta, dijeron al anciano, dueño de la casa: “Saca afuera al hombre que vino a tu casa, para que lo conozcamos.”

23Salió a ellos el dueño de la casa, y les dijo: “Por favor, hermanos míos, no hagáis tal maldad; pues este hombre vino a mi casa, no cometáis cosa tan infame.

24He aquí a mi hija, que es virgen, y la segunda mujer de ese hombre; a estas os sacaré, para que abuséis de ellas. Haced con ellas como bien os parezca; mas no hagáis a este hombre semejante infamia.

25Pero los hombres no quisieron escucharle; por lo cual tomó el (levita) a su mujer secundaria y la sacó fuera. La conocieron, y abusaron de ella toda la noche hasta la mañana, dejándola libre al rayar el alba.

26Al rayar la mañana vino la mujer y cayó a la puerta de la casa del hombre donde estaba su marido (quedando allí) hasta que fue de día.

27Cuando a la mañana se levantó su marido y abrió la puerta de la casa, para salir y proseguir su viaje, vio a su mujer secundaria postrada delante de la puerta de la casa, con las manos sobre el umbral.

28Le dijo: “Levántate, y vámonos.” Pero nadie le dio respuesta. Entonces el marido la cargó sobre el asno, partió y se fue a su lugar.

29Llegado a su casa, tomó un cuchillo, y echando mano de su mujer secundaria, la partió, con los huesos, en doce trozos, que envió por todo el territorio de Israel.

30Y todos los que lo vieron decían: “Nunca se ha hecho, ni se ha visto cosa como esta, desde el día en que los hijos de Israel subieron de Egipto, hasta el día de hoy. Poned vuestra atención sobre esto, deliberad y hablad.”

1Fuit quidam vir Levites habitans in latere montis Ephraim, qui accepit uxorem de Bethlehem Juda:

2quæ reliquit eum, et reversa est in domum patris sui in Bethlehem, mansitque apud eum quatuor mensibus.

3Secutusque est eam vir suus, volens reconciliari ei, atque blandiri, et secum reducere, habens in comitatu puerum et duos asinos: quæ suscepit eum, et introduxit in domum patris sui. Quod cum audisset socer ejus, eumque vidisset, occurrit ei lætus,

4et amplexatus est hominem. Mansitque gener in domo soceri tribus diebus, comedens cum eo et bibens familiariter.

5Die autem quarto de nocte consurgens, proficisci voluit: quem tenuit socer, et ait ad eum: Gusta prius pauxillum panis, et conforta stomachum, et sic proficisceris.

6Sederuntque simul, ac comederunt et biberunt. Dixitque pater puellæ ad generum suum: Quæso te ut hodie hic maneas, pariterque lætemur.

7At ille consurgens, cœpit velle proficisci. Et nihilominus obnixe eum socer tenuit, et apud se fecit manere.

8Mane autem facto, parabat Levites iter. Cui socer rursum: Oro te, inquit, ut paululum cibi capias, et assumptis viribus donec increscat dies, postea proficiscaris. Comederunt ergo simul.

9Surrexitque adolescens, ut pergeret cum uxore sua et puero. Cui rursum locutus est socer: Considera quod dies ad occasum declivior sit, et propinquat ad vesperum: mane apud me etiam hodie, et duc lætum diem, et cras proficisceris ut vadas in domum tuam.

10Noluit gener acquiescere sermonibus ejus: sed statim perrexit, et venit contra Jebus, quæ altero nomine vocatur Jerusalem, ducens secum duos asinos onustos, et concubinam.

11Jamque erant juxta Jebus, et dies mutabatur in noctem: dixitque puer ad dominum suum: Veni, obsecro: declinemus ad urbem Jebusæorum, et maneamus in ea.

12Cui respondit dominus: Non ingrediar oppidum gentis alienæ, quæ non est de filiis Israël: sed transibo usque Gabaa,

13et cum illuc pervenero, manebimus in ea, aut certe in urbe Rama.

14Transierunt ergo Jebus, et cœptum carpebant iter, occubuitque eis sol juxta Gabaa, quæ est in tribu Benjamin:

15diverteruntque ad eam, ut manerent ibi. Quo cum intrassent, sedebant in platea civitatis, et nullus eos recipere voluit hospitio.

16Et ecce, apparuit homo senex, revertens de agro et de opere suo vesperi, qui et ipse de monte erat Ephraim, et peregrinus habitabat in Gabaa: homines autem regionis illius erant filii Jemini.

17Elevatisque oculis, vidit senex sedentem hominem cum sarcinulis suis in platea civitatis, et dixit ad eum: Unde venis? et quo vadis?

18Qui respondit ei: Profecti sumus de Bethlehem Juda, et pergimus ad locum nostrum, qui est in latere montis Ephraim, unde ieramus in Bethlehem: et nunc vadimus ad domum Dei, nullusque sub tectum suum nos vult recipere,

19habentes paleas et fœnum in asinorum pabulum, et panem ac vinum in meos et ancillæ tuæ usus, et pueri qui mecum est: nulla re indigemus nisi hospitio.

20Cui respondit senex: Pax tecum sit, ego præbebo omnia quæ necessaria sunt: tantum, quæso, ne in platea maneas.

21Introduxitque eum in domum suam, et pabulum asinis præbuit: ac postquam laverunt pedes suos, recepit eos in convivium.

22Illis epulantibus, et post laborem itineris cibo et potu reficientibus corpora, venerunt viri civitatis illius, filii Belial (id est, absque jugo), et circumdantes domum senis, fores pulsare cœperunt, clamantes ad dominum domus atque dicentes: Educ virum, qui ingressus est domum tuam, ut abutamur eo.

23Egressusque est ad eos senex, et ait: Nolite, fratres, nolite facere malum hoc, quia ingressus est homo hospitium meum: et cessate ab hac stultitia.

24Habeo filiam virginem, et hic homo habet concubinam: educam eas ad vos, ut humilietis eas, et vestram libidinem compleatis: tantum, obsecro, ne scelus hoc contra naturam operemini in virum.

25Nolebant acquiescere sermonibus illius: quod cernens homo, eduxit ad eos concubinam suam, et eis tradidit illudendam: qua cum tota nocte abusi essent, dimiserunt eam mane.

26At mulier, recedentibus tenebris, venit ad ostium domus, ubi manebat dominus suus, et ibi corruit.

27Mane facto, surrexit homo, et aperuit ostium, ut cœptam expleret viam: et ecce concubina ejus jacebat ante ostium sparsis in limine manibus.

28Cui ille, putans eam quiescere, loquebatur: Surge, et ambulemus. Qua nihil respondente, intelligens quod erat mortua, tulit eam, et imposuit asino, reversusque est in domum suam.

29Quam cum esset ingressus, arripuit gladium, et cadaver uxoris cum ossibus suis in duodecim partes ac frustra concidens, misit in omnes terminos Israël.

30Quod cum vidissent singuli, conclamabant: Numquam res talis facta est in Israël, ex eo die quo ascenderunt patres nostri de Ægypto usque in præsens tempus: ferte sententiam, et in commune decernite quid facto opus sit.

1There was a certain Levite, who dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim, who took a wife of Bethlehem Juda:

2And she left him and returned to her father’s house in Bethlehem, and abode with him four months.

3And her husband followed her, willing to be reconciled with her, and to speak kindly to her, and to bring her back with him, having with him a servant and two asses: and she received him, and brought him into her father’s house. And when his father in law had heard this, and had seen him, he met him with joy,

4And embraced the man. And the son in law tarried in the house of his father in law three days, eating with him and drinking familiarly.

5But on the fourth day arising early in the morning he desired to depart. But his father in law kept him, and said to him: Taste first a little bread, and strengthen thy stomach, and so thou shalt depart.

6And they sat down together, and ate and drank. And the father of the young woman said to his son in law: I beseech thee to stay here today, and let us make merry together.

7But he rising up began to be for departing. And nevertheless his father in law earnestly pressed him, and made him stay with him.

8But when morning was come, the Levite prepared to go on his journey. And his father in law said to him again: I beseech thee to take a little meat, and strengthening thyself, till the day be farther advanced, afterwards thou mayest depart. And they ate together.

9And the young man arose to set forward with his wife and servant. And his father in law spoke to him again: Consider that the day is declining, and draweth toward evening: tarry with me today also, and spend the day in mirth, and tomorrow thou shalt depart, that thou mayest go into thy house.

10His son in law would not consent to his words: but forthwith went forward and came over against Jebus, which by another name is called Jerusalem, leading with him two asses laden, and his concubine.

11And now they were come near Jebus, and the day was far spent: and the servant said to his master: Come, I beseech thee, let us turn into the city of the Jebusites, and lodge there.

12His master answered him: I will not go into the town of another nation, who are not of the children of Israel, but I will pass over to Gabaa:

13And when I shall come thither, we will lodge there, or at least in the city of Rama.

14So they passed by Jebus, and went on their journey, and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gabaa, which is in the tribe of Benjamin:

15And they turned into it, to lodge there. And when they were come in, they sat in the street of the city, for no man would receive them to lodge.

16And behold they saw an old man, returning out of the field and from his work in the evening, and he also was of mount Ephraim, and dwelt as a stranger in Gabaa; but the men of that country were the children of Jemini.

17And the old man lifting up his eyes, saw the man sitting with his bundles in the street of the city, and said to him: Whence comest thou? and whither goest thou?

18He answered him: We came out from Bethlehem Juda, and we are going to our home, which is on the side of mount Ephraim, from whence we went to Bethlehem: and now we go to the house of God, and none will receive us under his roof:

19We have straw and hay for provender of the asses, and bread and wine for the use of myself and of thy handmaid, and of the servant that is with me: we want nothing but lodging.

20And the old man answered him: Peace be with thee: I will furnish all things that are necessary: only I beseech thee, stay not in the street.

21And he brought him into his house, and gave provender to his asses: and after they had washed their feet, he entertained them with a feast.

22While they were making merry, and refreshing their bodies with meat and drink, after the labour of the journey, the men of that city, sons of Belial, (that is, without yoke,) came and beset the old man’s house, and began to knock at the door, calling to the master of the house, and saying: Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may abuse him.

23And the old man went out to them, and said: Do not so, my brethren, do not so wickedly: because this man is come into my lodging, and cease I pray you from this folly.

24I have a maiden daughter, and this man hath a concubine, I will bring them out to you, and you may humble them, and satisfy your lust: only, I beseech you, commit not this crime against nature on the man.

25They would not be satisfied with his words; which the man seeing, brought out his concubine to them, and abandoned her to their wickedness: and when they had abused her all the night, they let her go in the morning.

26But the woman, at the dawning of the day, came to the door of the house where her lord lodged, and there fell down.

27And in the morning the man arose, and opened the door that he might end the journey he had begun: and behold his concubine lay before the door with her hands spread on the threshold.

28He thinking she was taking her rest, said to her: Arise, and let us be going. But as she made no answer, perceiving she was dead, he took her up, and laid her upon his ass, and returned to his house.

29And when he was come home he took a sword, and divided the dead body of his wife with her bones into twelve parts, and sent the pieces into all the borders of Israel.

30And when every one had seen this, they all cried out: There was never such a thing done in Israel from the day that our fathers came up out of Egypt, until this day: give sentence, and decree in common what ought to be done.