Iudicum 18

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
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 In those days there was no king in Israel. Now in those days the tribe of Dan was in search of aterritory to live in, for until then no territory had fallen to them 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 From their clan the Danites sent five brave men from Zorah and Eshtaol to reconnoitre the country andexplore it. They said to them, 'Go and explore the country.' The five men came to the highlands of Ephraim, asfar as Micah's house, and spent the night there.
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 When they were near Micah's house, they recognised the voice of the young Levite and, going nearer,said to him, 'Who brought you here? What are you doing here? What is keeping you here?'
4 Qui respondit eis : Hæc et hæc præstitit mihi Michas, et me mercede conduxit, ut sim ei sacerdos.	4 He replied, 'Micah has made certain arrangements with me. He pays me a wage and I act as hispriest.'
5 Rogaverunt autem eum ut consuleret Dominum ut scire possent an prospero itinere pergerent, et res haberet effectum.	5 They replied, 'Then consult God, so that we may know whether the journey we are on wil lead tosuccess.'
6 Qui respondit eis : Ite in pace : Dominus respicit viam vestram, et iter quo pergitis.	6 The priest replied, 'Go in peace; Yahweh is watching over your journey.'
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 The five men then left and, arriving at Laish, saw that the people living there had an untroubledexistence, according to the customs of the Sidonians, peaceful and trusting, that there was no lack or shortageof any sort in the territory, that they were a long way away from the Sidonians and that they had no contact withthe Aramaeans.
8 Reversique ad fratres suos in Saraa et Esthaol, et quid egissent sciscitantibus responderunt :	8 They then went back to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol and, when the latter asked them, 'Whathave you to 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 said, 'Up! we must go against them, since we have looked at the country and it is excellent,though you take no action! Waste no time in setting out and taking possession of the country.
10 Intrabimus ad securos, in regionem latissimam, tradetque nobis Dominus locum, in quo nullius rei est penuria eorum quæ gignuntur in terra.	10 When you get there, you wil find a trusting people. The country is wide, and God has put it at yourmercy. It is a place where there is no lack of anything on earth.'
11 Profecti igitur sunt de cognatione Dan, id est, de Saraa et Esthaol, sexcenti viri accincti armis bellicis,	11 From these places, consequently, from the clan of Danites at Zorah and Eshtaol, six hundred men setout equipped for war.
12 ascendentesque manserunt in Cariathiarim Judæ : qui locus ex eo tempore Castrorum Dan nomen accepit, et est post tergum Cariathiarim.	12 They went up and camped at Kiriath-Jearim in Judah; and for this reason the place is stil cal ed theCamp of Dan today. It lies to the west of Kiriath-Jearim.
13 Inde transierunt in montem Ephraim. Cumque venissent ad domum Michæ,	13 From there they entered the highlands of Ephraim and came to Micah's house.
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 been to reconnoitre the country then spoke to their brothers. 'Do you know',they said, 'that in these houses there is an ephod, some domestic images, a carved statue and an idol cast inmetal? So now work out what you have got to do!'
15 Et cum paululum declinassent, ingressi sunt domum adolescentis Levitæ, qui erat in domo Michæ : salutaveruntque eum verbis pacificis.	15 So, turning off the road, they went to the young Levite's dwelling, to Micah's house, and greeted himpeaceful y.
16 Sexcenti autem viri ita ut erant armati, stabant ante ostium.	16 While the six hundred men of the Danites, equipped for war, stood at the threshold of the gate,
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 the five who had been to reconnoitre the country went on into the house and took the carved statue,the ephod, the domestic images and the idol cast in metal; meanwhile the priest remained at the threshold of thegate with the six hundred men equipped for war.
18 Tulerunt igitur qui intraverant sculptile, ephod, et idola, atque conflatile. Quibus dixit sacerdos : Quid facitis ?	18 These men, having entered Micah's house, took the carved statue, the ephod, the domestic imagesand the idol cast in metal. The priest, however, said, '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 'Be quiet,' they replied. 'Put your hand over your mouth and come with us, and become our father andpriest. Are you better off as domestic priest to one man, or as priest to a tribe and 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 was delighted; he took the ephod, the domestic images and the carved statue, and wentoff among the people.
21 Qui cum pergerent, et ante se ire fecissent parvulos ac jumenta, et omne quod erat pretiosum,	21 Resuming their original line of march, they set off, having put the women, children, livestock andbaggage out in front.
22 et jam a domo Michæ essent procul, viri qui habitabant in ædibus Michæ conclamantes secuti sunt,	22 They had gone some distance from Micah's house, when the people living in the houses near Micah'shouse raised the alarm and set off in pursuit of the Danites.
23 et post tergum clamare cœperunt. Qui cum respexissent, dixerunt ad Micham : Quid tibi vis ? cur clamas ?	23 As they shouted after the Danites, the latter, turning about, said to Micah, 'What is the matter withyou, that you are shouting like this?'
24 Qui respondit : Deos meos, quos mihi feci, tulistis, et sacerdotem, et omnia quæ habeo, et dicitis : Quid tibi est ?	24 He replied, 'You have taken away my god, which I have had made, and the priest as wel . You aregoing away, and what have I got left? And now you ask me, "What is the matter?" '
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, 'Let us hear no more from you, or quick-tempered men may set about you, and thismight cost you your life and the lives of your family!'
26 Et sic cœpto itinere perrexerunt. Videns autem Michas quod fortiores se essent, reversus est in domum suam.	26 So the Danites went on their way; and Micah, seeing that they were the stronger, turned and wenthome.
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 So, having taken the god made by Micah, and the priest who had been his, the Danites marched onLaish, on a peaceful and trusting people. They put it to the sword and they burned down the town.
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 There was no one to come to the rescue, since it was a long way from Sidon and had no contact withthe Aramaeans. It lay in the valley running towards Beth-Rehob. They rebuilt the town and settled in it
29 vocato nomine civitatis Dan, juxta vocabulum patris sui, quem genuerat Israël, quæ prius Lais dicebatur.	29 and cal ed it Dan, from the name of Dan their ancestor who had been born to Israel; original y,however, the town had been called 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 erected the carved statue for themselves. Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses, andhis sons after him were priests for the tribe of Dan til the day when the inhabitants of the country were carriedaway into exile.
31 Mansitque apud eos idolum Michæ omni tempore quo fuit domus Dei in Silo. In diebus illis non erat rex in Israël.	31 The carved statue made by Micah they instal ed for their own use, and there it stayed as long as thehouse of God remained at Shiloh.