1. In those days when Israel didn’t have a king, there was a Levite who lived in a remote area in the mountains of Ephraim. He took a woman from Bethlehem in Judah to be his concubine.
2. But she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went to her father’s home, to Bethlehem in Judah. When she had been there four months,
3. her husband went to persuade her to come back home. He took along his servant and two donkeys.She took her husband into her father’s house. Her father was thrilled to see him.
4. He made the Levite stay there with him, celebrating for three days.
5. On the fourth day they got up early in the morning to leave, but the woman’s father told his son-in-law, “Eat something to keep up your strength and then you can go.”
6. So they both sat down and ate and drank together. The woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Why don’t you spend the night and enjoy yourself?”
7. When the Levite started to leave, his father-in-law urged him to stay another night, so he did.
8. On the morning of the fifth day, the Levite got up early to leave. The woman’s father said, “Eat something to keep up your strength!” So they spent the time eating until late afternoon.
9. The Levite started to leave with his concubine and his servant. But his father-in-law said to him, “It’s already evening. Please stay another night. It’s too late ⌊to leave⌋ now. Stay here, and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can start out early to go home.”