Judges 19:6

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So they sat down and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Please agree to stay overnight and enjoy yourself.”

Hebrew Names Version
So they sat down, and ate and drink, both of them together: and the young lady's father said to the man, Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.

King James Version
And 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.

Lexham English Bible
So the two of them sat and ate and drank together, and the father of the young woman said to the man, "Please, agree to spend the night and enjoy yourself."

English Standard Version
So the two of them sat and ate and drank together. And the girl's father said to the man, "Be pleased to spend the night, and let your heart be merry."

New Century Version
So the two men sat down to eat and drink together. After that, the father said to him, "Please stay tonight. Relax and enjoy yourself."

New English Translation
So the two of them sat down and had a meal together. Then the girl's father said to the man, "Why not stay another night and have a good time!"

Amplified Bible
So both men sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl's father said to the man, "Please be willing to spend the night and enjoy yourself."

New American Standard Bible
So both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl's father said to the man, "Please be so kind as to spend the night, and let your heart be cheerful."

Geneva Bible (1587)
So they sate downe, and did eate & drinke both of them together. And the yong womans father said vnto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tary all night, and let thine heart be mery.

Legacy Standard Bible
En hulle het gebly, en hulle twee het saam geëet en gedrink. Daarop sê die vader van die jong vrou aan die man: Bly tog asseblief die nag oor, en laat jou hart vrolik wees.

Contemporary English Version
The two men sat down together and ate a big meal. "Come on," the man's father-in-law said. "Stay tonight and have a good time."

Complete Jewish Bible
So the two of them sat down and ate and drank together. Then the girl's father said to the man, "Please stay one more night, and have a good time."

Darby Translation
And they sat down, and ate and drank, both of them together. And the damsel's father said to the man, Be content, I pray thee, and pass the night, and let thy heart be glad.

Easy-to-Read Version
So the Levite and his father-in-law sat down to eat and drink together. After that the young woman's father said to the Levite, "Please stay tonight. Relax and enjoy yourself." So the two men ate together.

George Lamsa Translation
So they sat down and did eat and drink, both of them together; and the damsels father said to his son-in-law, If you wish you may spend the night and it will do you good.

Good News Translation
So the two men sat down and ate and drank together. Then the woman's father told him, "Please spend the night and enjoy yourself."

Literal Translation
And they sat and ate both of them together, and drank. And the young woman's father said to the man, Please be content and stay all night, and let your heart be good.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And they sat them downe, & ate and dronke both together: Then sayde the damsels father vnto the man: Oh tarye all nighte, yt we waie refresh thine hert.

American Standard Version
So they sat down, and did eat and drink, both of them together: and the damsel's father said unto the man, Be pleased, I pray thee, to tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry.

Bible in Basic English
So seating themselves they had food and drink, the two of them together; and the girl's father said to the man, If it is your pleasure, take your rest here tonight, and let your heart be glad.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And 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.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
So 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 thee, and tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry.'

King James Version (1611)
And they sate downe, and did eat and drinke both of them together: for the damosels father had saide vnto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tary all night, and let thine heart be merrie.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So they two sat down together and ate and drank: and the father of the damsel said to her husband, Tarry now the night, and let thy heart be merry.

English Revised Version
So 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 thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.

Berean Standard Bible
So they sat down and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the girl's father said to the man, "Please agree to stay overnight and let your heart be merry."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei saten togidere, and eeten, and drunkun. And the fadir of the damysele seide to `the hosebonde of his douyter, Y beseche thee, that thou dwelle here to dai, and that we be glad togidere.

Young's Literal Translation
And they sit and eat both of them together, and drink, and the father of the young woman saith unto the man, `Be willing, I pray thee, and lodge all night, and let thy heart be glad.'

Update Bible Version
So they sat down, and ate and drank, both of them together: and the damsel's father said to the man, Be pleased, I pray you, to tarry all night, and let your heart be merry.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they sat down, and ate and drank both of them together: for the damsel's father had said to the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry.

World English Bible
So they sat down, and ate and drink, both of them together: and the young lady's father said to the man, Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.

New King James Version
So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the young woman's father said to the man, "Please be content to stay all night, and let your heart be merry."

New Living Translation
So the two men sat down together and had something to eat and drink. Then the woman's father said, "Please stay another night and enjoy yourself."

New Life Bible
So both of them sat down and ate and drank together. The girl's father said to the man, "I beg you, agree to stay the night. Let your heart be happy."

New Revised Standard
So the two men sat and ate and drank together; and the girl's father said to the man, "Why not spend the night and enjoy yourself?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So they both of them sat down and did eat together, and drink. Then said the father of the damsel unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry the night, and let thy heart be glad.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And 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 to day, and let us make merry together.

Revised Standard Version
So the two men sat and ate and drank together; and the girl's father said to the man, "Be pleased to spend the night, and let your heart be merry."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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 let your heart be merry."

Contextual Overview

¹It was an era when there was no king in Israel. A Levite, living as a stranger in the backwoods hill country of Ephraim, got himself a concubine, a woman from Bethlehem in Judah. But she quarreled with him and left, returning to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there four months. Then her husband decided to go after her and try to win her back. He had a servant and a pair of donkeys with him. When he arrived at her father's house, the girl's father saw him, welcomed him, and made him feel at home. His father-in-law, the girl's father, pressed him to stay. He stayed with him three days; they feasted and drank and slept. ⁵On the fourth day, they got up at the crack of dawn and got ready to go. But the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen yourself with a hearty breakfast and then you can go." So they sat down and ate breakfast together. The girl's father said to the man, "Come now, be my guest. Stay the night—make it a holiday." The man got up to go, but his father-in-law kept after him, so he ended up spending another night. On the fifth day, he was again up early, ready to go. The girl's father said, "You need some breakfast." They went back and forth, and the day slipped on as they ate and drank together. But the man and his concubine were finally ready to go. Then his father-in-law, the girl's father, said, "Look, the day's almost gone—why not stay the night? There's very little daylight left; stay another night and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get an early start and set off for your own place." But this time the man wasn't willing to spend another night. He got things ready, left, and went as far as Jebus (Jerusalem) with his pair of saddled donkeys, his concubine, and his servant. At Jebus, though, the day was nearly gone. The servant said to his master, "It's late; let's go into this Jebusite city and spend the night." But his master said, "We're not going into any city of foreigners. We'll go on to Gibeah." He directed his servant, "Keep going. Let's go on ahead. We'll spend the night either at Gibeah or Ramah." So they kept going. As they pressed on, the sun finally left them in the vicinity of Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. They left the road there to spend the night at Gibeah. The Levite went and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them in to spend the night. Then, late in the evening, an old man came in from his day's work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and lived temporarily in Gibeah where all the local citizens were Benjaminites. When the old man looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, he said, "Where are you going? And where are you from?" The Levite said, "We're just passing through. We're coming from Bethlehem on our way to a remote spot in the hills of Ephraim. I come from there. I've just made a trip to Bethlehem in Judah and I'm on my way back home, but no one has invited us in for the night. We wouldn't be any trouble: We have food and straw for the donkeys, and bread and wine for the woman, the young man, and me—we don't need anything." The old man said, "It's going to be all right; I'll take care of you. You aren't going to spend the night in the town square." He took them home and fed the donkeys. They washed up and sat down to a good meal. They were relaxed and enjoying themselves when the men of the city, a gang of local hell-raisers all, surrounded the house and started pounding on the door. They yelled for the owner of the house, the old man, "Bring out the man who came to your house. We want to have sex with him." He went out and told them, "No, brothers! Don't be obscene—this man is my guest. Don't commit this outrage. Look, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. I'll bring them out for you. Abuse them if you must, but don't do anything so senselessly vile to this man." But the men wouldn't listen to him. Finally, the Levite pushed his concubine out the door to them. They raped her repeatedly all night long. Just before dawn they let her go. The woman came back and fell at the door of the house where her master was sleeping. When the sun rose, there she was. It was morning. Her master got up and opened the door to continue his journey. There she was, his concubine, crumpled in a heap at the door, her hands on the threshold. "Get up," he said. "Let's get going." There was no answer. He lifted her onto his donkey and set out for home. When he got home he took a knife and dismembered his concubine—cut her into twelve pieces. He sent her, piece by piece, throughout the country of Israel. And he ordered the men he sent out, "Say to every man in Israel: ‘Has such a thing as this ever happened from the time the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until now? Think about it! Talk it over. Do something!'" ⁷The Levite It was an era when there was no king in Israel. A Levite, living as a stranger in the backwoods hill country of Ephraim, got himself a concubine, a woman from Bethlehem in Judah. But she quarreled with him and left, returning to her father's house in Bethlehem in Judah. She was there four months. Then her husband decided to go after her and try to win her back. He had a servant and a pair of donkeys with him. When he arrived at her father's house, the girl's father saw him, welcomed him, and made him feel at home. His father-in-law, the girl's father, pressed him to stay. He stayed with him three days; they feasted and drank and slept. On the fourth day, they got up at the crack of dawn and got ready to go. But the girl's father said to his son-in-law, "Strengthen yourself with a hearty breakfast and then you can go." So they sat down and ate breakfast together. The girl's father said to the man, "Come now, be my guest. Stay the night—make it a holiday." The man got up to go, but his father-in-law kept after him, so he ended up spending another night. ⁸On the fifth day, he was again up early, ready to go. The girl's father said, "You need some breakfast." They went back and forth, and the day slipped on as they ate and drank together. But the man and his concubine were finally ready to go. Then his father-in-law, the girl's father, said, "Look, the day's almost gone—why not stay the night? There's very little daylight left; stay another night and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get an early start and set off for your own place." ¹⁰But this time the man wasn't willing to spend another night. He got things ready, left, and went as far as Jebus (Jerusalem) with his pair of saddled donkeys, his concubine, and his servant. At Jebus, though, the day was nearly gone. The servant said to his master, "It's late; let's go into this Jebusite city and spend the night." ¹²But his master said, "We're not going into any city of foreigners. We'll go on to Gibeah." He directed his servant, "Keep going. Let's go on ahead. We'll spend the night either at Gibeah or Ramah." ¹⁴So they kept going. As they pressed on, the sun finally left them in the vicinity of Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. They left the road there to spend the night at Gibeah. The Levite went and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them in to spend the night. Then, late in the evening, an old man came in from his day's work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and lived temporarily in Gibeah where all the local citizens were Benjaminites. When the old man looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, he said, "Where are you going? And where are you from?" The Levite said, "We're just passing through. We're coming from Bethlehem on our way to a remote spot in the hills of Ephraim. I come from there. I've just made a trip to Bethlehem in Judah and I'm on my way back home, but no one has invited us in for the night. We wouldn't be any trouble: We have food and straw for the donkeys, and bread and wine for the woman, the young man, and me—we don't need anything." The old man said, "It's going to be all right; I'll take care of you. You aren't going to spend the night in the town square." He took them home and fed the donkeys. They washed up and sat down to a good meal. They were relaxed and enjoying themselves when the men of the city, a gang of local hell-raisers all, surrounded the house and started pounding on the door. They yelled for the owner of the house, the old man, "Bring out the man who came to your house. We want to have sex with him." He went out and told them, "No, brothers! Don't be obscene—this man is my guest. Don't commit this outrage. Look, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. I'll bring them out for you. Abuse them if you must, but don't do anything so senselessly vile to this man." But the men wouldn't listen to him. Finally, the Levite pushed his concubine out the door to them. They raped her repeatedly all night long. Just before dawn they let her go. The woman came back and fell at the door of the house where her master was sleeping. When the sun rose, there she was. It was morning. Her master got up and opened the door to continue his journey. There she was, his concubine, crumpled in a heap at the door, her hands on the threshold. "Get up," he said. "Let's get going." There was no answer. He lifted her onto his donkey and set out for home. When he got home he took a knife and dismembered his concubine—cut her into twelve pieces. He sent her, piece by piece, throughout the country of Israel. And he ordered the men he sent out, "Say to every man in Israel: ‘Has such a thing as this ever happened from the time the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until now? Think about it! Talk it over. Do something!'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

let thine heart: Judges 19:9, Judges 19:21, Judges 9:27, Judges 16:25, Ruth 3:7, 1 Samuel 25:36, Esther 1:10, Psalms 104:15, Luke 12:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:3, Revelation 11:10, Revelation 11:13, until afternoon, Heb. till the day declined, Merely that they might avoid the heat of the day, which would have been very inconvenient in travelling.

Reciprocal: Judges 19:22 - they were 2 Samuel 13:28 - heart is merry 2 Kings 6:3 - Be content

Cross-References

Judges 19:23
He went out and told them, "No, brothers! Don't be obscene—this man is my guest. Don't commit this outrage. Look, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. I'll bring them out for you. Abuse them if you must, but don't do anything so senselessly vile to this man."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they sat down,.... Not only sat down upon their seats again, the Levite having rose up in order to go away, but sat down at table:

and did eat and drink both of them together; both the Levite and his father-in-law; and it appears by this, and what follows, that the Levite did not take only a short repast, or breakfast with him, but stayed and dined with him, when they ate a plentiful meal, and drank freely after dinner:

for the damsel's father had said to the man, be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry; let us spend a pleasant evening together, in drinking freely, though not to excess, in cheerful conversation, and innocent mirth. This he proposed to him, and hoped he would agree to it.