Judges 18

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	EL LIBRO DEL PUEBLO DE DIOS
1 In 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.	1 En aquel tiempo no había rey en Israel. Y por aquel entonces, la tribu de Dan buscaba un territorio donde establecerse, porque hasta ese momento no le había tocado ninguna herencia entre las tribus de Israel.
2 Therefore, 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.	2 Por eso los danitas enviaron a cinco hombres de sus clanes, hombres valientes de Sorá y Estaol, para recorrer y explorar el país. «Vayan a explorar el país», les dijeron. Los hombres llegaron a la montaña de Efraím, hasta la casa de Micá, y se quedaron allí a pasar la noche.
3 And 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?”	3 Como estaban cerca de la casa de Micá, reconocieron la voz del joven levita. Entonces se le acercaron y le dijeron: «¿Quién te ha traído por aquí? ¿Qué haces en este lugar? ¿Qué es lo que tienes aquí?».
4 And he answered them, “Micah has offered me one thing and another, and he has paid me wages, so that I may be his priest.”	4 El les respondió: «Micá me ha tratado así y así; me ha tomado a sueldo y yo soy su sacerdote».
5 Then 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.	5 Ellos le dijeron: «Consulta entonces a Dios, para que sepamos si este viaje llegará a feliz término».
6 And he responded to them, “Go in peace. The Lord looks with favor on your path, and on the journey that you have undertaken.”	6 El sacerdote les respondió: «Vayan en paz, porque el viaje que han emprendido está bajo la mirada del Señor».
7 And 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.	7 Los cinco hombres partieron y llegaron a Lais. Allí vieron que la gente del lugar vivía segura, tranquila y confiada, a la manera de los sidonios; nadie infligía el menor agravio a la población, ejerciendo la autoridad despóticamente; además, estaban alejados de los sidonios y no dependían de nadie.
8 And they returned to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, who questioned them as to what they had done. And they responded:	8 Al regresar a Sorá y Estaol, donde estaban sus hermanos, estos les dijeron: «¿Qué noticias traen?».
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.	9 Subamos ahora mismo contra ellos, les respondieron, porque la región que acabamos de ver es excelente. ¿Por qué se quedan quietos? No duden ni un instante en ir a conquistar aquel país.
10 We 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.”	10 Apenas lleguen, encontrarán gente tranquila y un terreno espacioso. Sí, Dios les ha puesto en las manos un país donde no falta nada de lo que puede haber sobre la tierra».
11 And so, those of the kindred of Dan set out, that is, six hundred men from Zorah and Eshtaol, girded with the weapons of warfare.	11 Así partieron de Sorá y Estaol seiscientos hombres del clan de los danitas, cada uno equipado con armas de guerra.
12 And 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.	12 Ellos subieron a acampar cerca de Quiriat Iearím, en Judá, y por eso aquel lugar, que se encuentra al oeste de Quiriat Iearím, se llama hasta el día de hoy «Campamento de Dan».
13 From there, they crossed over to mount Ephraim. And when they had arrived at the house of Micah,	13 De allí pasaron a la montaña de Efraím y llegaron a la casa de Micá.
14 the 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.”	14 Entonces tomaron la palabra los cinco hombres que habían ido a explorar la región de Lais, y dijeron a sus hermanos: «¿Saben lo que hay en esas casas? Hay un efod, unos ídolos familiares y una estatua de metal fundido. Ahora vean lo que tienen que hacer».
15 And 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.	15 Ellos se acercaron hasta allí, entraron en la casa de Micá, donde estaba el joven levita, y lo saludaron.
16 Now the six hundred men, who were all armed, were standing before the door.	16 Y mientras los seiscientos hombres armados se quedaban de guardia ante la puerta de entrada,
17 But 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.	17 los cinco hombres que habían ido a explorar el país se introdujeron en la casa y tomaron la estatua de metal fundido, el efod y los ídolos familiares. Mientras tanto, el sacerdote permanecía de pie junto a la puerta de entrada, con los seiscientos hombres armados.
18 And 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?”	18 Al ver que habían entrado en la casa de Micá y habían tomado la estatua de metal fundido, el efod y los ídolos familiares, el sacerdote les dijo: «¿Qué están haciendo?».
19 And 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?”	19 Pero ellos replicaron: «¡Silencio! No digas una sola palabra y acompáñanos: tú serás para nosotros un padre y un sacerdote. ¿Qué vale más para ti, ser sacerdote de la casa de un solo hombre o serlo de una tribu y un clan en Israel?»
20 And 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.	20 El sacerdote se puso muy contento; tomó el efod, los ídolos familiares y la estatua, y se incorporó a la tropa.
21 And while traveling, they had also sent the children, and the cattle, and all that was valuable to go ahead of them.	21 Así reanudaron la marcha y se fueron, luego de poner al frente a las mujeres, los niños, los rebaños y el equipaje.
22 And when they were far from the house of Micah, the men who were living in the houses of Micah, crying out together, followed them.	22 Ya se habían alejado de la casa de Micá, cuando este y sus vecinos dieron la alarma y persiguieron de cerca a los danitas.
23 And 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?”	23 Como les iban gritando detrás, los danitas se dieron vuelta y preguntaron a Micá: «¿Qué te pasa para gritar de esa manera?».
24 And 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?’ ”	24 El replicó: «Me quitan a mi dios, el que yo me hice, y se llevan a mi sacerdote; se van sin dejarme nada, ¡y encima me preguntan qué me pasa!».
25 And 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.”	25 Pero los danitas respondieron: «¡No nos levantes la voz! De lo contrario, algunos hombres irascibles acometerán contra ustedes y entonces perderán la vida, tú y tu familia».
26 And so, they continued on the journey that they had begun. But Micah, seeing that they were stronger than he was, returned to his house.	26 Luego los danitas siguieron su camino, y Micá, viendo que eran más fuertes que él, dio la vuelta y se volvió a su casa.
27 Now 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.	27 Los danitas, por su parte, tomaron lo que había hecho Micá, junto con el sacerdote que él tenía a su servicio, y avanzaron contra Lais, contra una población tranquila y confiada. La pasaron al filo de la espada y prendieron fuego a la ciudad.
28 For 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,	28 No había nadie que pudiera librarla, porque estaba lejos de Sidón y no dependía de nadie. La ciudad se encontraba en el valle de Bet Rejob. Los danitas la reconstruyeron y se establecieron en ella.
29 calling 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.	29 Y le pusieron el nombre de Dan, que había nacido de Israel. Pero al principio la ciudad se llamaba Lais.
30 And 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.	30 Los danitas erigieron la estatua, y Jonatán, hijo de Gersón, hijo de Moisés, y sus hijos después de él, fueron los sacerdotes de la tribu de Dan, hasta el día en que fue deportada del país.
31 And 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.	31 Ellos instalaron la estatua que había hecho Micá, y allí permaneció todo el tiempo que la Casa de Dios estuvo en Silo.