Judges 18

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	DOUAI-RHEIMS
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 In 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.
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 So 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:
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 And 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?
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 He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest.
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 Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have effect.
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 He answered them: Go in peace, the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.
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 So 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.
8 And they returned to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, who questioned them as to what they had done. And they responded:	8 And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done? to whom they answered:
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 Arise, 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.
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 We 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.
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 There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war,
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 And going up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim.
13 From there, they crossed over to mount Ephraim. And when they had arrived at the house of Micah,	13 From thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas,
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 The 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.
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 And 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.
16 Now the six hundred men, who were all armed, were standing before the door.	16 And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.
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 But 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.
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 So 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?
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 And 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?
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 When he had heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.
21 And while traveling, they had also sent the children, and the cattle, and all that was valuable to go ahead of them.	21 And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle and all that was valuable,
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 And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them,
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 And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?
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 And 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?
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 And 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.
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 And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.
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 And 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,
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 There 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.
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 Calling the name of the city Dan after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called 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 And 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.
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 And 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.