民长纪 18

1In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for unto that day they had not received their lot among the other tribes.

2So the children of Dan sent five most valiant men of their stock and family from Saraa and Esthaol, to spy out the land, and to view it diligently: and they said to them: Go, and view the land. They went on their way, and when they came to mount Ephraim, they went into the house of Michas, and rested there:

3And knowing the voice of the young man the Levite, and lodging with him, they said to him: Who brought thee hither? what dost thou here? why wouldst thou come hither?

4He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest.

5Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have effect.

6He answered them: Go in peace, the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.

7So the five men going on came to Lais: and they saw how the people dwelt therein without any fear, according to the custom of the Sidonians, secure and easy, having no man at all to oppose them, being very rich, and living separated, at a distance from Sidon and from all men.

8And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done? to whom they answered:

9Arise, and let us go up to them: for we have seen the land which is exceeding rich and fruitful: neglect not, lose no time: let us go and possess it, there will be no difficulty.

10We shall come to a people that is secure, into a spacious country, and the Lord will deliver the place to us, in which there is no want of any thing that groweth on the earth.

11There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war,

12And going up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim.

13From thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas,

14The five men, that before had been sent to view the land of Lais, said to the rest of their brethren: You know that in these houses there is an ephod, and theraphim, and a graven, and a molten god: see what you are pleased to do.

15And when they had turned a little aside, they went into the house of the young man the Levite, who was in the house of Michas: and they saluted him with words of peace.

16And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.

17But they that were gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting not far off.

18So they that were gone in took away the graven thing, the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god. And the priest said to them: What are you doing?

19And they said to him: Hold thy peace and put thy finger on thy mouth and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family in Israel?

20When he had heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.

21And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle and all that was valuable,

22And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them,

23And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?

24And he answered: You have taken away my gods which I have made me and the priest, and all that I have, and do you say: What aileth thee?

25And the children of Dan said to him: See thou say no more to us, lest men enraged come upon thee, and thou perish with all thy house.

26And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.

27And the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we spoke of before, and came to Lais to a people that was quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword: and the city was burnt with fire,

28There being no man at all who brought them any succour, because they dwelt far from Sidon, and had no society or business with any man. And the city was in the land of Rohob: and they rebuilt it and dwelt therein.

29Calling the name of the city Dan after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.

30And they set up to themselves the graven idol, and Jonathan the son of Gersam the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests in the tribe of Dan, until the day of their captivity.

31And the idol of Michas remained with them all the time that the house of God was in Silo. In those days there was no king in Israel.

1In diebus illis non erat rex in Israël, et tribus Dan quærebat possessionem sibi, ut habitaret in ea: usque ad illum enim diem inter ceteras tribus sortem non acceperat.

2Miserunt ergo filii Dan stirpis et familiæ suæ quinque viros fortissimos de Saraa et Esthaol, ut explorarent terram, et diligenter inspicerent: dixeruntque eis: Ite, et considerate terram. Qui cum pergentes venissent in montem Ephraim, et intrassent domum Michæ, requieverunt ibi:

3et agnoscentes vocem adolescentis Levitæ, utentesque illius diversorio, dixerunt ad eum: Quis te huc adducit? quid hic agis? quam ob causam huc venire voluisti?

4Qui respondit eis: Hæc et hæc præstitit mihi Michas, et me mercede conduxit, ut sim ei sacerdos.

5Rogaverunt autem eum ut consuleret Dominum ut scire possent an prospero itinere pergerent, et res haberet effectum.

6Qui respondit eis: Ite in pace: Dominus respicit viam vestram, et iter quo pergitis.

7Euntes igitur quinque viri venerunt Lais: videruntque populum habitantem in ea absque ullo timore, juxta consuetudinem Sidoniorum, securum et quietum, nullo ei penitus resistente, magnarumque opum, et procul a Sidone atque a cunctis hominibus separatum.

8Reversique ad fratres suos in Saraa et Esthaol, et quid egissent sciscitantibus responderunt:

9Surgite, ascendamus ad eos: vidimus enim terram valde opulentam et uberem. Nolite negligere, nolite cessare: eamus, et possideamus eam: nullus erit labor.

10Intrabimus ad securos, in regionem latissimam, tradetque nobis Dominus locum, in quo nullius rei est penuria eorum quæ gignuntur in terra.

11Profecti igitur sunt de cognatione Dan, id est, de Saraa et Esthaol, sexcenti viri accincti armis bellicis,

12ascendentesque manserunt in Cariathiarim Judæ: qui locus ex eo tempore Castrorum Dan nomen accepit, et est post tergum Cariathiarim.

13Inde transierunt in montem Ephraim. Cumque venissent ad domum Michæ,

14dixerunt quinque viri, qui prius missi fuerant ad considerandam terram Lais, ceteris fratribus suis: Nostis quod in domibus istis sit ephod, et theraphim, et sculptile, atque conflatile: videte quid vobis placeat.

15Et cum paululum declinassent, ingressi sunt domum adolescentis Levitæ, qui erat in domo Michæ: salutaveruntque eum verbis pacificis.

16Sexcenti autem viri ita ut erant armati, stabant ante ostium.

17At illi, qui ingressi fuerant domum juvenis, sculptile, et ephod, et theraphim, atque conflatile tollere nitebantur, et sacerdos stabat ante ostium, sexcentis viris fortissimis haud procul expectantibus.

18Tulerunt igitur qui intraverant sculptile, ephod, et idola, atque conflatile. Quibus dixit sacerdos: Quid facitis?

19Cui responderunt: Tace et pone digitum super os tuum: venique nobiscum, ut habeamus te patrem, ac sacerdotem. Quid tibi melius est, ut sis sacerdos in domo unius viri, an in una tribu et familia in Israël?

20Quod cum audisset, acquievit sermonibus eorum, et tulit ephod, et idola, ac sculptile, et profectus est cum eis.

21Qui cum pergerent, et ante se ire fecissent parvulos ac jumenta, et omne quod erat pretiosum,

22et jam a domo Michæ essent procul, viri qui habitabant in ædibus Michæ conclamantes secuti sunt,

23et post tergum clamare cœperunt. Qui cum respexissent, dixerunt ad Micham: Quid tibi vis? cur clamas?

24Qui respondit: Deos meos, quos mihi feci, tulistis, et sacerdotem, et omnia quæ habeo, et dicitis: Quid tibi est?

25Dixeruntque ei filii Dan: Cave ne ultra loquaris ad nos, et veniant ad te viri animo concitati, et ipse cum omni domo tua pereas.

26Et sic cœpto itinere perrexerunt. Videns autem Michas quod fortiores se essent, reversus est in domum suam.

27Sexcenti autem viri tulerunt sacerdotem, et quæ supra diximus: veneruntque in Lais ad populum quiescentem atque securum, et percusserunt eos in ore gladii: urbemque incendio tradiderunt,

28nullo penitus ferente præsidium, eo quod procul habitarent a Sidone, et cum nullo hominum haberent quidquam societatis ac negotii. Erat autem civitas sita in regione Rohob: quam rursum exstruentes habitaverunt in ea,

29vocato nomine civitatis Dan, juxta vocabulum patris sui, quem genuerat Israël, quæ prius Lais dicebatur.

30Posueruntque sibi sculptile, et Jonathan filium Gersam filii Moysi ac filios ejus sacerdotes in tribu Dan, usque ad diem captivitatis suæ.

31Mansitque apud eos idolum Michæ omni tempore quo fuit domus Dei in Silo. In diebus illis non erat rex in Israël.

1In those days, there was no king in Israel. And the tribe of Dan sought a possession for themselves, so that they might live in it. For even to that day, they had not received their lot among the other tribes.

2Therefore, the sons of Dan sent five very strong men, of their stock and family, from Zorah and Eshtaol, so that they might explore the land and diligently inspect it. And they said to them, “Go, and consider the land.” And after traveling, they arrived at mount Ephraim, and they entered into the house of Micah. There they rested.

3And they recognized the speech of the youth who was a Levite. And while making use of an inn with him, they said to him: “Who brought you here? What are you doing here? For what reason did you want to come here?”

4And he answered them, “Micah has offered me one thing and another, and he has paid me wages, so that I may be his priest.”

5Then they begged him to consult the Lord, so that they might be able to know whether the journey they undertook would be prosperous, and whether the matter would have success.

6And he responded to them, “Go in peace. The Lord looks with favor on your path, and on the journey that you have undertaken.”

7And so the five men, going on, arrived at Laish. And they saw the people, living in it without any fear, according to the custom of the Sidonians, secure and peaceful, having hardly anyone to oppose them, and with great wealth, and living separately, far from Sidon and from all men.

8And they returned to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, who questioned them as to what they had done. And they responded:

9“Rise up. Let us ascend to them. For we have seen that the land is very wealthy and fruitful. Do not delay; do not refrain. Let us go out and possess it. There will be no difficulty.

10We shall enter to those who dwell securely, in a very wide region, and the Lord will deliver the place to us, a place in which there is no lack of anything that grows upon the earth.”

11And so, those of the kindred of Dan set out, that is, six hundred men from Zorah and Eshtaol, girded with the weapons of warfare.

12And going up, they stayed at Kiriath-jearim of Judah. And so the place, from that time, received the name the Camp of Dan, and it is behind the back of Kiriath-jearim.

13From there, they crossed over to mount Ephraim. And when they had arrived at the house of Micah,

14the five men, who before had been sent to consider the land of Laish, said to the rest of their brothers: “You know that in these houses there is an ephod and theraphim, and a molten idol and a graven image. Consider what it may please you to do.”

15And when they had turned aside a little, they entered the house of the Levite youth, who was in the house of Micah. And they greeted him with peaceful words.

16Now the six hundred men, who were all armed, were standing before the door.

17But those who had entered the house of the youth strove to take away the graven image, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten idol. But the priest was standing in front of the door, with the six hundred very strong men waiting not far away.

18And so, those who had entered took away the graven image, the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten idol. And the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19And they responded to him: “Be silent and place your finger over your mouth. And come with us, so that we may have you as a father as well as a priest. For which is better for you: to be a priest in the house of one man, or in one tribe and family in Israel?”

20And when he had heard this, he agreed to their words. And he took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven image, and he set out with them.

21And while traveling, they had also sent the children, and the cattle, and all that was valuable to go ahead of them.

22And when they were far from the house of Micah, the men who were living in the houses of Micah, crying out together, followed them.

23And they began to shout behind their backs. And when they had looked back, they said to Micah: “What do you want? Why are you crying out?”

24And he responded: “You have taken away my gods, which I made for myself, and the priest, and all that I have. And do you say, ‘What is it that you want?’ ”

25And the sons of Dan said to him, “Take care that you no longer speak to us, otherwise men with a mind for violence may overwhelm you, and you yourself would perish with all your house.”

26And so, they continued on the journey that they had begun. But Micah, seeing that they were stronger than he was, returned to his house.

27Now the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we stated above, and they went to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and they struck them down with the edge of the sword. And they burned the city with fire.

28For no one at all sent reinforcements, because they lived far away from Sidon, and they had no association or business with any man. Now the city was situated in the region of Rehob. And building it up again, they lived in it,

29calling the name of the city Dan, according to the name of their father, who had been born of Israel, though before it was called Laish.

30And they established for themselves the graven image. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, with his sons, were priests in the tribe of Dan, even until the day of their captivity.

31And the idol of Micah remained with them during the entire time that the house of God was in Shiloh. In those days, there was no king in Israel.