And, when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, so he turned back and tarried the night there.

And, when he arose early on the morning of the fifth day, to go, the father of the damsel said - Come now, stay thy heart, and tarry ye until the decline of the day. And they did eat, both of them.

And, when the man rose up to go - he and his concubine and his young man, - his father-in-law, the father of the damsel, said to him, Come now, see! the day hath sunk down towards evening, come now! tarry the night; lo! the day goeth down, tarry the night here, and let thy heart be glad, so shall ye rise early to-morrow for your journey, and thou shalt go thy way to thine own home.

They being by Jebus, and, the day, having gone far down, the young man said unto his lord - Do come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and tarry the night therein.

And he said to his young man, Come and let us draw near unto one of the places, - and tarry the night in Gibeah, or in Ramah.

So they passed on, and went their way, - and the sun went in upon them beside Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.

Then turned they aside there, to go in and tarry the night in Gibeah, - so he went in and abode in the broadway of the city; and there was no one minded to take them into a house, to tarry the night.

And he said unto him - We, are passing along, from Bethlehem-judah, unto the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, whence I am, but I have been as far as Bethlehem-judah, and now, unto the house of Yahweh, am I going, and there is no one minded to take me into a house.

Nevertheless, straw and fodder too, is there for our asses, yea moreover, bread and wine, there are for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man that is with thy servants, - there is lack, of nothing.

So he brought him into his house, and gave provender to the asses, - and they bathed their feet, and did eat and drink.

And the man, the owner of the house, went forth unto them, and said unto them, Do not, my brethren, do not act vilely, I pray you, - after this man hath entered into my house, do not commit this impiety.

Lo, my virgin daughter, and his concubine, I must needs now bring, them, forth, and ye must humble, them, and do, unto them, what seemeth good in your own eyes, - but, unto this man, must ye not do this impious thing!

So then her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went forth, to go on his journey, - when lo! the woman, his concubine, fallen at the entrance of the house, with her hands upon the threshold.

And he said unto her - Up! and let us be going. But there was no answer. So he took her up on the ass, and the man rose up, and went his way to his own place.

And so it was, that every one who beheld said - There hath not happened, nor been seen the like of this, from the day when the sons of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt, until this day: Put it to yourselves contemning it, take counsel and speak!

Then went forth all the sons of Israel, and the assembly came together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba with the land of Gilead, - unto Yahweh at Mizpah.

And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. Then said the sons of Israel, Tell us , In what manner was brought to pass this vileness?

And the Levite, husband of the woman that was cut in pieces, responded and said, - Into Gibeah that pertaineth to Benjamin, I entered, I and my concubine, to tarry the night.

And the owners of Gibeah rose up against me, and beset the house, for my sake, by night, - me, they thought to slay, and, my concubine, they so humbled, that she died.

Then arose all the people, as one man, saying, - No man of us will go to his tent, and no man of us will turn aside to his house.

Now, therefore, this is the thing, that we will do to Gibeah, - Go against it by lot;

and we will take ten men of a hundred, of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch provisions for the people, - that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the impiety that it hath wrought in Israel.

And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout all the divisions of Benjamin, saying, - What is this vile thing that hath been brought to pass, among you?

Now, therefore, deliver up the men - the sons of the Abandoned One - who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and vileness be consumed out of Israel. But the sons of Benjamin would not hearken unto the voice of their brethren, the sons of Israel.

Then did the sons of Benjamin gather themselves together out of the cities, unto Gibeah, - to go forth to battle against the sons of Israel.

And the sons of Benjamin were numbered on that day, out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men, that drew the sword, - besides, of the inhabitants of Gibeah, were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

Out of all this people, were seven hundred chosen men, left-handed, - any one of whom could sling with a stone to a hair's-breadth, and not miss.

And they arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, and the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first, to fight against the sons of Benjamin? And Yahweh said - Judah, first.

And the men of Israel went forth, to fight against Benjamin, - so the men of Israel set themselves in array against them, to fight against Gibeah.

Then came forth the sons of Benjamin out of Gibeah, - and laid low of Israel, on that day, twenty-two thousand men, to the ground.

And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, - and again set themselves in array for battle in the place where they had set themselves in array on the first day.

Now the sons of Israel had gone up, and wept before Yahweh, until the evening, and asked of Yahweh, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the sons of Benjamin, my brother? And Yahweh said, Go up against him.

So the sons of Israel came near against the sons of Benjamin, on the second day.

And Benjamin came forth to meet them out of Gibeah, on the second day, and laid low, of the sons of Israel, yet eighteen thousand men, to the ground, - all these, drew the sword.

Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening, - and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh.

and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing before it in those days, saying: Shall I yet again go forth to battle, against the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I forbear? And Yahweh said - Go up, for, to-morrow, will I deliver him into thy hand.

So the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin, on the third day, - and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as time after time.

And the sons of Benjamin came forth against the people, they were drawn away from the city, - and began to smite of the people, slaying as time after time, in the highways, whereof, one, goeth up to Bethel, and, the other, to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men in Israel.

And, all the men of Israel, rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array in Baal-tamar, - and, the liers in wait of Israel, began to break forth out of their place, out of the forest of Gibeah.

Thus Yahweh smote Benjamin before Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin, that day, twenty-five thousand and one hundred men, - all these, drew the sword.

So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were smitten, - and that the men of Israel had given place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the liers in wait, whom they had set near Gibeah.

Now, the appointed sign, between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, had been, - to cause a great cloud of smoke to ascend out of the city.

So, when the men of Israel turned in the battle, - and, the Benjamites, began to smite and slay of the sons of Israel, about thirty men, for they said, Yea! they are, smitten, before us, as in the first battle,

then, the cloud, began to ascend out of the city, a pillar of smoke, - and the Benjamites looked behind them, and lo! the whole city flamed up towards the heavens.

And, when they turned before the men of Israel unto the way of the desert, the battle, over took them, - while, as for them that came out of the cities, they began to destroy them in their midst: -

And, when they turned and fled towards the desert unto the cliff Rimmon, then gleaned they of them, in the highways, five thousand men, - and they followed hard after them as far as Gidom, and smote of them, two thousand men.

So then it came to pass that, all the fallen of Benjamin, were twenty-five thousand men, that drew the sword, on that day, - all these being men of valour.

Thus, the men of Israel, turned against the sons of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, beginning with the city, each and every one down to the beast, even to every one that was met with, - moreover, all the cities they came to, they set on fire.

Now, the men of Israel, had sworn in Mizpah, saying, - Not a man from among us, shall give his daughter unto Benjamin, to wife.

So then the people came to Bethel, and abode there, until the evening, before God, - and lifted up their voice, and wept bitterly,

and said, Wherefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, hath this come about in Israel, - that there should be lacking, to-day, out of Israel, one tribe?

And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there, an altar, - and offered ascending-sacrifices, and peace-offerings.

And the sons of Israel said, Who was there that came not up, in the convocation, out of all the tribes of Israel, unto Yahweh? For, the great oath, had been taken, as to any who came not up unto Yahweh at Mizpah, saying - He shall be, put to death.

And the sons of Israel grieved for Benjamin, their brother, - and they said, There is cut off, to-day, one tribe out of Israel.

What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, - seeing that, we ourselves, have sworn by Yahweh, not to give them of our daughters, for wives?

And, this, is the thing that ye shall do, - Every male, and every woman that hath cohabited with man, shall ye devote to destruction.

Then the whole assembly sent, and spake unto the sons of Benjamin, who were in the cliff Rimmon, - and proclaimed to them, peace.

So Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, - but they found not for them to suffice , even so.

So then, the elders of the assembly said, What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, - for womankind, hath been destroyed out of Benjamin?

Yet, we, may not give them wives, of our own daughters, For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed, be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

Then said they - Lo! the festival of Yahweh in Shiloh, from year to year, Which Shiloh is on the north of Bethel, towards sunrise, by the highway that goeth up from Bethel, towards Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

and look, and lo! if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then shall ye come forth out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife, of the daughters of Shiloh, - and go your way to the land of Benjamin.

And it shall be, when their fathers, or their brethren, come in to complain to us, that we will say unto them - As a favour to us, grant them, because we took not for each man his wife in the battle, - for, ye yourselves, gave them not unto them, so as, now, to be guilty.

And the sons of Benjamin did so, and carried off wives, according to their number, of them who were dancing, whom they seized, - and they went their way, and returned unto their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt therein.

And the sons of Israel at that time went their several ways from thence, every man to his own tribe, and to his own family, - yea they went forth from thence, every man to his own inheritance.

And it came to pass, in the days when the Judges administered justice, that there was a famine in the land, - and so a certain man went his way, out of Bethlehem-judah to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

And, the name of the man, was Elimelech, and, the name of his wife, Naomi, and, the name of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion - Ephrathites out of Bethlehem-judah, - so they came into the country of Moab, and remained there.

And Elimelech, husband of Naomi, died, - and she was left, she and her two sons.

And, they also, both, died, Mahlon and Chilion, - so the woman was bereft of her two sons, and of her husband.

So she went forth out of the dwelling-place where she had remained, and her two daughters-in-law with her, - and they went on the way, to return unto the land of Judah.

Then said Naomi to her two daughters-in- law: Go return, each one to the house of her mother, - Yahweh deal with you in lovingkindness, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

And they said to her, - With thee, will we return, unto thy people.

Go back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband, - If I should say, I have, hope, if I should, even to-night have a husband, and should, even bear sons,

And Ruth said - Do not urge me to leave thee, to go back from following thee, - for, whither thou goest, I will go, and, where thou lodgest, I will lodge, thy people, shall be my people, and, thy God, my God;

where thou diest, I will die, and, there, will I be buried: So, let Yahweh do to me, and, so, let him add, if, death itself, part me and thee.

And, when she saw that, bravely determined, was she to go with her, she ceased entreating her.

So, they two, went their way, until they entered Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they entered Bethlehem, that all the city was moved concerning them, and the women said - Is this Naomi?

And she said unto them, Do not call me Naomi, - call me Mara, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me:

And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi - Let me go, I pray thee, to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose eyes I may find favour. And she said to her - Go, my daughter.

So she went her way, and came, and gleaned in the field, after the reapers, - and it happened to her, to light upon the portion of field-land belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

And lo! Boaz coming from Bethlehem, and he said to the reapers, Yahweh, be with you! and they said to him, Yahweh bless thee!

Then said Boaz to his young man, that was set over the reapers, - Whose is this maiden?

And Boaz said unto Ruth - Hearest thou not, my daughter? Do not go to glean in any other field, neither indeed shalt thou pass on, from hence, - but, here, shalt thou keep fast by my maidens:

Then she fell upon her face, and bowed herself to the ground, - and said unto him - Wherefore have I found favour in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take notice of me, seeing that, I, am, a stranger?

And Boaz answered, and said to her, It hath been, told, me - all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law, since the death of thy husband, - and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and come unto a people whom thou knewest not, aforetime.

Yahweh recompense thy deed, - and let thy reward be full from Yahweh, the God of Israel, unto whom thou hast come to take refuge under his wings.

And Boaz said to her at mealtime - Draw nigh hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. So she sat beside the reapers, and there was reached to her parched corn, and she did eat and was satisfied, and left thereof remaining.

And, when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying - Even between the sheaves, let her glean, and reproach her not;

And her mother-in-law said to her - In what place hast thou gleaned, today? and where hast thou wrought? May he that took notice of thee, be blessed! So she told her mother-in-law, with whom she had wrought, and said - The name of the man with whom I wrought today, is Boaz.

Then said Naomi, to her daughter-in-law - Blessed, be he of Yahweh, who hath not left off his lovingkindness to the living, and to the dead. And Naomi said to her - Near to us, is the man, of our own kinsmen, is he!

So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean, until the end of the barley harvest, and the wheat harvest, - and dwelt with her mother-in-law.

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, - My daughter! shall I not seek for thee a place of rest, in which it may be well with thee?

Now, therefore, is not, Boaz, of our kindred, with whose maidens thou hast been? Lo! he is winnowing the barley threshing-floor, to-night!

Thou wilt, therefore, bathe thee, and anoint thee, and put thine apparel upon thee, and go down to the threshing-floor, - do not make thyself known to the man, until he have done eating and drinking.

And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he doth lie, and shalt go in and turn aside the covering of his feet, and lay thee down, - and, he, will tell thee what thou shalt do.

And she said unto her, - All that thou sayest, will I do.

So she went down to the threshing-floor, - and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.

And, when Boaz had eaten, and drunk, and his heart was glad, he went in to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then came she in softly, and turned aside the covering of his feet, and laid her down.

And it came to pass, in the middle of the night, that the man started up, and turned, - and lo! a woman, lying at his feet.

Now, therefore, my daughter, do not fear, whatsoever thou shalt say, I will do for thee, - for all the gate of my people doth know, that, a virtuous woman, thou art.