A reading from the Book of Judges

In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote

parts of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem and

Judah, and his concubine was unfaithful to him, and she went away from him to her father's house

at Bethlehem and

Judah, and was there some four months. Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly

to her and bring her back. He had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys, and she brought him

into her father's house, and when the girl's father saw him, he came with joy to meet him,

and his father-in-law, the girl's father, made him stay, and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and spent the night there. And on the fourth day, they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to go, but the girl's father said to his son-in-law, Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go.

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.

And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, till he spent the night there again.

And on the fifth day, he arose

early in the morning to depart, and the girl's father said, strengthen your heart and wait until the day

declines. So they ate, both of them. And when the man and his concubine and his servant rose up to

depart, his father-in-law, the girl's father said to him, behold, now the day has waned toward evening. Please spend the night. Behold, the day draws to its

close. Lodge here and let your heart be merry, and tomorrow you shall arise early in the

morning for your journey, and go home. But the man would not spend the night. He rose up and

departed and arrived opposite Jeebus,

that is, Jerusalem. He had with him a couple of saddled donkeys, and his concubine was with him.

When they were near Jibis, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master,

Come now, let us turn aside to the city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.

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