Iudicum 18

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 In 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.	1 At that time there was no king in Israel. Moreover the tribe of Danites were in search of a district to dwell in, for up to that time they had received no heritage among the tribes of Israel.
2 Miserunt 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 :	2 So the Danites sent from their clan a detail of five valiant men of Zorah and Eshtaol, to reconnoiter the land and scout it. With their instructions to go and scout the land, they traveled as far as the house of Micah in the mountain region of Ephraim, where they passed the night.
3 et agnoscentes vocem adolescentis Levitæ, utentesque illius diversorio, dixerunt ad eum : Quis te huc adducit ? quid hic agis ? quam ob causam huc venire voluisti ?	3 Near the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite and turned in that direction. "Who brought you here and what are you doing here?" they asked him. "What is your interest here?"
4 Qui respondit eis : Hæc et hæc præstitit mihi Michas, et me mercede conduxit, ut sim ei sacerdos.	4 "This is how Micah treats me," he replied to them. "He pays me a salary and I am his priest."
5 Rogaverunt autem eum ut consuleret Dominum ut scire possent an prospero itinere pergerent, et res haberet effectum.	5 They said to him, "Consult God, that we may know whether the undertaking we are engaged in will succeed."
6 Qui respondit eis : Ite in pace : Dominus respicit viam vestram, et iter quo pergitis.	6 The priest said to them, "Go and prosper: the LORD is favorable to the undertaking you are engaged in."
7 Euntes 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.	7 So the five men went on and came to Laish. They saw that the people dwelling there lived securely after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and trusting, with no lack of any natural resources. They were distant from the Sidonians and had no contact with other people.
8 Reversique ad fratres suos in Saraa et Esthaol, et quid egissent sciscitantibus responderunt :	8 When the five returned to their kinsmen in Zorah and Eshtaol and were asked for a report,
9 Surgite, ascendamus ad eos : vidimus enim terram valde opulentam et uberem. Nolite negligere, nolite cessare : eamus, et possideamus eam : nullus erit labor.	9 they replied, "Come, let us attack them, for we have seen the land and it is very good. Are you going to hesitate? Do not be slothful about beginning your expedition to possess the land.
10 Intrabimus ad securos, in regionem latissimam, tradetque nobis Dominus locum, in quo nullius rei est penuria eorum quæ gignuntur in terra.	10 Those against whom you go are a trusting people, and the land is ample. God has indeed given it into your power: a place where no natural resource is lacking."
11 Profecti igitur sunt de cognatione Dan, id est, de Saraa et Esthaol, sexcenti viri accincti armis bellicis,	11 So six hundred men of the clan of the Danites, fully armed with weapons of war, set out from where they were in Zorah and Eshtaol,
12 ascendentesque manserunt in Cariathiarim Judæ : qui locus ex eo tempore Castrorum Dan nomen accepit, et est post tergum Cariathiarim.	12 and camped in Judah, up near Kiriath-jearim; hence to this day the place, which lies west of Kiriath-jearim, is called Mahaneh-dan.
13 Inde transierunt in montem Ephraim. Cumque venissent ad domum Michæ,	13 From there they went on to the mountain region of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.
14 dixerunt 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.	14 The five men who had gone to reconnoiter the land of Laish said to their kinsmen, "Do you know that in these houses there are an ephod, household idols, and a carved idol overlaid with silver? Now decide what you must do!"
15 Et cum paululum declinassent, ingressi sunt domum adolescentis Levitæ, qui erat in domo Michæ : salutaveruntque eum verbis pacificis.	15 So turning in that direction, they went to the house of the young Levite at the home of Micah and greeted him.
16 Sexcenti autem viri ita ut erant armati, stabant ante ostium.	16 The six hundred men girt with weapons of war, who were Danites, stood by the entrance of the gate, and the priest stood there also.
17 At 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.	17 Meanwhile the five men who had gone to reconnoiter the land went up and entered the house of Micah.
18 Tulerunt igitur qui intraverant sculptile, ephod, et idola, atque conflatile. Quibus dixit sacerdos : Quid facitis ?	18 When they had gone in and taken the ephod, the household idols, and the carved idol overlaid with silver, the priest said to them, "What are you doing?"
19 Cui 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 ?	19 They said to him, "Be still: put your hand over your mouth. Come with us and be our father and priest. Is it better for you to be priest for the family of one man or to be priest for a tribe and a clan in Israel?"
20 Quod cum audisset, acquievit sermonibus eorum, et tulit ephod, et idola, ac sculptile, et profectus est cum eis.	20 The priest, agreeing, took the ephod, household idols, and carved idol and went off in the midst of the band.
21 Qui cum pergerent, et ante se ire fecissent parvulos ac jumenta, et omne quod erat pretiosum,	21 As they turned to depart, they placed their little ones, their livestock, and their goods at the head of the column.
22 et jam a domo Michæ essent procul, viri qui habitabant in ædibus Michæ conclamantes secuti sunt,	22 The Danites had already gone some distance, when those in the houses near that of Micah took up arms and overtook them.
23 et post tergum clamare cœperunt. Qui cum respexissent, dixerunt ad Micham : Quid tibi vis ? cur clamas ?	23 They called to the Danites, who turned about and said to Micah, "What do you want, that you have taken up arms?"
24 Qui respondit : Deos meos, quos mihi feci, tulistis, et sacerdotem, et omnia quæ habeo, et dicitis : Quid tibi est ?	24 "You have taken my god, which I made, and have gone off with my priest as well," he answered. "What is left for me? How, then, can you ask me what I want?"
25 Dixeruntque ei filii Dan : Cave ne ultra loquaris ad nos, et veniant ad te viri animo concitati, et ipse cum omni domo tua pereas.	25 The Danites said to him, "Let us hear no further sound from you, lest fierce men fall upon you and you and your family lose your lives."
26 Et sic cœpto itinere perrexerunt. Videns autem Michas quod fortiores se essent, reversus est in domum suam.	26 The Danites then went on their way, and Micah, seeing that they were stronger than he, returned home.
27 Sexcenti 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,	27 Having taken what Micah had made, and the priest he had had, they attacked Laish, a quiet and trusting people; they put them to the sword and destroyed their city by fire.
28 nullo 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,	28 No one came to their aid, since the city was far from Sidon and they had no contact with other people. The Danites then rebuilt the city, which was in the valley that belongs to Beth-rehob, and lived there.
29 vocato nomine civitatis Dan, juxta vocabulum patris sui, quem genuerat Israël, quæ prius Lais dicebatur.	29 They named it Dan after their ancestor Dan, son of Israel. However, the name of the city was formerly Laish.
30 Posueruntque sibi sculptile, et Jonathan filium Gersam filii Moysi ac filios ejus sacerdotes in tribu Dan, usque ad diem captivitatis suæ.	30 The Danites set up the carved idol for themselves, and Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his descendants were priests for the tribe of the Danites until the time of the captivity of the land.
31 Mansitque apud eos idolum Michæ omni tempore quo fuit domus Dei in Silo. In diebus illis non erat rex in Israël.	31 They maintained the carved idol Micah had made as long as the house of God was in Shiloh.