The People of Dan Make Their Homes in Laish
1In those days Israel didn’t have a king.
And in those days the tribe of Dan was looking for a place where they could make their homes. They hadn’t been able to take over their own share of land among the tribes of Israel. 2So the people of Dan sent out five of their leading men from Zorah and Eshtaol. They told the men to look over the land and check it out. Those men did it for all the people of Dan. Those people told the men, “Go. Check out the land.”
So they entered the hill country of Ephraim. They went to the house of Micah. That’s where they spent the night. 3When they came near Micah’s house, they recognized a voice. It was the voice of the young Levite. So they turned off the road and stopped there. They asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”
4The Levite told them what Micah had done for him. He said, “He has hired me. I’m his priest.”
5Then they said to him, “Please ask God for advice. Try to find out whether we’ll have success on our journey.”
6The priest answered them, “Go in peace. The Lord is pleased with your journey.”
7So the five men left. They came to Laish. There they saw that the people felt secure. They were living in safety. Like the people in Sidon, they were at peace. Their land had everything they needed. Things were going very well for them. They lived a long way from the people of Sidon. And they didn’t think they would ever need help from anyone else.
8The men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol. Their people asked them, “What did you find out?”
9They answered, “Come on! Let’s attack them! We’ve seen the land, and it is very good. Aren’t you going to do something? Don’t wait any longer. Go there and take it over. 10When you get there, you will find people who aren’t expecting anything bad to happen to them. Their land has plenty of room. God has handed it over to you. It’s a land that has everything you will ever need.”
11So 600 men from the tribe of Dan started out from Zorah and Eshtaol. They were prepared for battle. 12On their way they set up camp. Their camp was near Kiriath Jearim in Judah. That’s why the place is called Mahaneh Dan to this day. It’s west of Kiriath Jearim. 13From there they went to the hill country of Ephraim. They came to Micah’s house.
14Then the five men who had looked over the land of Laish spoke to the other members of their tribe. They said, “Don’t you know that one of these houses has a sacred linen apron in it? Some statues of family gods are there. That house also has another statue of a god covered with silver. Now you know what to do.” 15So they turned off the road and stopped there. They went to the house of the young Levite. He was at Micah’s place. They greeted the young man. 16The 600 men from Dan stood at the entrance of the gate. They were prepared for battle. 17The five men who had looked over the land went inside. They took the statue covered with silver. They also took the family gods and the linen apron. During that time, the priest stood at the entrance of the gate. The 600 men stood there with him. They were prepared for battle.
18When the five men went into Micah’s house and took all those things, the priest spoke to them. He asked, “What are you doing?”
19They answered him, “Be quiet! Don’t say a word. Come with us. Be our father and priest. You can serve a whole tribe and family group in Israel as our priest. Isn’t that better than serving just one man’s family?” 20The priest was very pleased. He took the linen apron and the family gods. He also took the statue of the god that was covered with silver. Then the priest left with the people. 21They put their little children and their livestock in front of them. They also put everything else they owned in front of them. And they turned and went on their way.
22The men who lived near Micah were called together. Then they left and caught up with the people of Dan. That’s because Dan’s people hadn’t gone very far from Micah’s house. 23Those who lived near Micah shouted at them. The people of Dan turned around and asked Micah, “What’s the matter with you? Why did you call out your men to fight against us?”
24He replied, “You took away the gods I made. And you took away my priest. What do I have left? So how can you ask, ‘What’s the matter with you?’ ”
25The people of Dan answered, “Don’t argue with us. Some of the men may get angry and attack you. Then you and your family will lose your lives.” 26So the people of Dan went on their way. Micah saw that they were too strong for him. So he turned around and went back home.
27The people of Dan took what Micah had made. They also took his priest. They continued on their way to Laish. They went there to fight against a people who were at peace and secure. The people of Dan struck them down with their swords. They burned down their city. 28No one could save those people and their city. They lived a long way from Sidon. And they didn’t think they would ever need help from anyone else. Their city was located in a valley near Beth Rehob.
The people of Dan rebuilt the city. Then they made their homes there. 29They named it Dan. That’s because they traced their family line back to Dan. He was a son of Israel. The city used to be called Laish. 30There the people of Dan set up for themselves the statue of the god that was covered with silver. Jonathan and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan. Jonathan was the son of Gershom, the son of Moses. Jonathan and his sons were priests until the time when the land was captured. 31The people of Dan continued to use the statue Micah had made. They used it during the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh.
Si Micas ug ang Tribo ni Dan
1Niadtong panahona walay hari ang Israel. Ug sa mao usab nga panahon, ang tribo ni Dan nangita ug dapit nga ilang kapuy-an ug maisip nga ila na gayod. Sa mga tribo sa Israel, ang tribo ni Dan ang wala pa makadawat sa ilang panulondon nga yuta hangtod niadtong panahona. 2Busa nagpili sila ug lima ka maisog nga mga lalaki sa ilang tribo nga maoy mangita ug dapit nga kapuy-an nilang tanan. Kining lima ka lalaki gikan sa mga lungsod sa Zora ug Eshtaol.
Sa ilang pagpanglakaw, nakaabot sila sa kabungtoran sa Efraim, ug nagpalabay sa kagabhion sa balay ni Micas. 3Samtang didto sila, namatikdan nila ang sinultihan sa batan-ong Levita. Busa gipangutana nila siya, “Nganong ania ka dinhi? Kinsa ang nagdala kanimo dinhi? Ug unsay gibuhat mo dinhi?”
4Gisulti sa Levita kanila ang gibuhat ni Micas alang kaniya, ug midugang sa pag-ingon, “Nagatrabaho ako dinhi ingon nga pari ni Micas ug ginasuweldohan niya ako.” 5Miingon sila kaniya, “Kon mao kana, pangutan-a kuno ang Dios kon magmalampuson ba kining among lakaw.” 6Mitubag ang pari, “Ayaw kamo kabalaka. Ubanan kamo sa Ginoo sa inyong lakaw.”
7Nagpadayon ang lima ka mga lalaki ug nakaabot sila sa Laish. Nakita nila nga hapsay ang kinabuhi sa mga tawo didto sama sa mga Sidonhon. Malinawon kini nga dapit. Ug maayo ang ilang kahimtang tungod kay walay nagsamok o misulay sa pagsakop kanila. Kining dapita layo sa mga Sidonhon ug ang mga tawo walay pagpakiglambigit sa taga-laing dapit. 8Sa dihang mibalik sila sa Zora ug Eshtaol, gipangutana sila sa ilang mga paryente kon unsa ang ilang nakita. 9Miingon sila, “Tana, sulongon na nato sila! Nakita namo nga maayo kaayo ang ilang dapit. Busa lihok na kamo, dili na kita maglangan. Sulongon na nato ug panag-iyahan ang maong yuta. 10Halapad kadto nga yuta ug abunda sa tanan natong gikinahanglan. Ug usa pa, wala sila maghunahuna nga may mosulong kanila. Gihatag na sa Dios kanato kadtong dapita.”
11Busa migikan sa Zora ug Eshtaol ang 600 ka mga armadong kalalakin-an sa tribo ni Dan. 12Mitungas sila ug nagkampo sa kasadpang bahin sa lungsod sa Kiriat Jearim sa Juda. (Busa hangtod karon, gitawag pa gihapon kadtong dapita nga Kampo ni Dan.) 13Gikan didto, mipadayon sila paglatas sa kabungtoran sa Efraim, hangtod nga nakaabot sila sa balay ni Micas.
14Unya, kadtong lima ka lalaki nga naniid sa Laish miingon sa ilang mga paryente, “Nasayod ba kamo nga sa usa niining mga balaya may sapot nga hinimo gikan sa bulawan, may rebulto nga kinulit, ug may rebulto nga metal,18:14 rebulto nga kinulit… rebulto nga metal: Tan-awa usab ang 17:3. gawas pa sa uban nga mga dios-dios? Hunahunaa ninyo kon unsay maayo natong buhaton.” 15Mihapit sila sa balay ni Micas ug nangumusta sa Levita nga nagapuyo didto. 16-17Samtang nagtindog sa may pultahan ang Levita uban sa 600 ka mga armadong kalalakin-an sa tribo ni Dan, misulod kadtong lima ka espiya sa balay ni Micas ug gipanguha ang rebulto nga kinulit, ang rebulto nga metal, ang sapot nga hinimo gikan sa bulawan, ug uban pang mga dios-dios.
18Sa dihang nakita sa pari nga gipanguha sa lima ka espiya kadtong mga butanga, nangutana siya, “Nganong gipanguha man ninyo kana?” 19Mitubag sila, “Hilom! Ayaw pagsaba. Uban hinuon kanamo kay himuon ka namong pari ug magtatambag. Dili ba mas maayo nga mahimong pari sa usa ka tribo sa Israel kaysa usa lang ka panimalay?” 20Miangay ang pari sa gitanyag kaniya, busa gikuha niya ang sapot nga hinimo gikan sa bulawan, ang rebulto nga kinulit, ug uban pa nga mga dios-dios, ug miuban kanila.
21Sa nagalakaw sila, nagauna kanila ang ilang mga kabataan, mga kahayopan, ug mga kagamitan. 22Layo-layo na sila sa balay ni Micas sa dihang nahibaloan ni Micas ang nahitabo. Busa gitigom niya ang iyang mga silingan ug gigukod ang mga kaliwat ni Dan. 23Naapsan nila kini ug gisinggitan. Milingi ang mga kaliwat ni Dan ug nangutana kang Micas, “Unsay nahitabo kanimo nga gigukod man ninyo kami?”
24Mitubag si Micas, “Gikuha ninyo ang hinimo ko nga mga dios ug ang akong pari, ug nanglakaw kamo. Wala nay nahibilin kanako. Unya mangutana kamog unsay nahitabo kanako?” 25Miingon sila, “Maayo pag mohilom ka na lang, kay basin ug masuko ang uban namong mga kauban ug patyon ka nila apil ang imong pamilya.” 26Ug nagpadayon sila sa ilang lakaw. Nakita ni Micas nga wala siyay dag-anan kanila, busa mipauli na lang siya.
27Miadto ang mga kaliwat ni Dan sa Laish dala ang mga rebulto ni Micas ug ang iyang pari. Malinawon nga dapit ang Laish ug wala maghunahuna ang mga lumulupyo niini nga may mosulong kanila. Gisulong ug gipamatay sa kaliwat ni Dan ang mga tawo sa Laish, ug gisunog ang tibuok lungsod. 28Walay nakatabang sa mga taga-Laish tungod kay layo sila sa Sidon ug wala usab sila makig-abin sa taga-laing dapit. Ang lungsod sa Laish nahimutang sa kapatagan sa Bet Rehob. Gipatukod kini pag-usab sa mga kaliwat ni Dan ug ilang gipuy-an. 29Giilisan nilag Dan ang ngalan niadtong dapita sunod sa ngalan sa ilang katigulangan nga si Dan nga usa sa mga anak ni Jacob.18:29 Jacob: sa Hebreo, Israel. 30Gipahimutang nila ang rebulto nga kinulit ni Micas ug ilang gisimba. Si Jonatan nga anak ni Gershom ug apo ni Moises ang gihimo nilang pari. Sukad niadto, ang kaliwat na ni Jonatan ang nagaalagad ingon nga ilang mga pari hangtod sa panahon nga gibihag ang Israel. 31Sa tibuok panahon nga didto sa Shilo ang tolda sa Dios, ang dios-dios usab ni Micas mao ang gisimba didto sa Dan.
