Lokcaekkung 18
1 To nathuem ah Israel siangpahrang om ai vop; to nathuem ah Dan acaeng loe qawk ah toep hanah a ohhaih ahmuen to pakrong o; to nathuem ah nihcae loe Israel acaengnawk thung hoiah qawktoep han ih tawn o ai vop.
At that time the Israelis had no king. Also at that time, the tribe of Dan was still searching for some land where they could live. The other Israeli tribes had [been able to] ([capture/take possession of]) [the] land that had been allotted to them, but the tribe of Dan had not been able to do that.
2 To pongah Dan kaminawk loe prae pakrong hanah, Zorah hoi Estaol vangpui hoiah misa kahoih moe, tha kacak angmacae ih kami pangato patoeh o; nihcae loe caeh oh moe, Ephraim mae nui ah kaom Mikah im ah akun o; to ah qumto a iih o.
So they chose five soldiers from their clans, men who lived in Zorah and Eshtaol [cities], to go through the land and explore it [and try to find some land where their tribe could live]. They came to Micah’s house in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim lived, and they stayed there that night.
3 Nihcae Mikah im ah phak o naah, thendoeng Levi ih lok to maat o pongah, to ah akun o moe, anih khaeah, Mi mah maw hae ah ang caeh haih? Tipongah hae ah na oh loe? tiah a naa o.
While they were in his house and they heard the young man who had become Micah’s priest talking, they recognized from (his accent/the way that he talked) [that he was from the southern part of Israel]. So they went to him and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing here? Why did you come here?”
4 To naah Levi mah nihcae khaeah, Mikah mah sak ih hmuen to a thuih pae; hae kami mah kai ang tlai pongah, anih ih qaima ah ka oh, tiah a naa.
He told them the things that Micah had done for him. And he said, “Micah (has hired me/is paying me to work for him), and I have become his priest.”
5 To naah nihcae mah Levi khaeah, Kholong ka caeh o haih hae amkah tih maw? Sithaw khaeah na dueng paeh, tiah a naa o.
So they said to him, “Please ask God if we will succeed [in what we are trying to do] on this journey.”
6 Qaima mah nihcae khaeah, Lunghoihta hoiah caeh oh, Angraeng mah na caehhaih loklam patuek boeh, tiah a naa.
The young man replied, “Things will go well for you. Yahweh will go with you on this journey.”
7 To pongah to kami pangatonawk loe to ahmuen hoiah angthawk o moe, Laish vangpui ah caeh o; to ah kaom kaminawk loe Sidon kaminawk baktiah misa zithaih tawn o ai, kamong ah khosak o; nihcae azatpaw hanah prae thungah zaehoikung tawn o ai, nihcae loe Sidon kaminawk hoiah angthla o parai, mi hoiah doeh angbethaih tawn o ai, tiah a hnuk o.
[The next day] the five men left. When they came to Laish [city], they saw that the people there lived safely, like the people in Sidon [city] did. The people there thought that they were safe/protected [from any enemies], and they had plenty of [good fertile] land. They lived very far from the people of Sidon, [so the people of Sidon would not be able to help defend/protect them]. They had no other (allies/groups nearby that would help them in battles).
8 To pacoengah Zorah hoi Estaol vangpui ah amlaem o let; to naah angmah ih nawkamyanawk mah, Khoqam hnukhaih dan kawbangmaw oh? tiah a dueng o.
When those five men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them “What did you find out?”
9 Nihcae mah, Angthawk oh; nihcae to tuh si! Khenah, kahoih parai prae to ka hnuk o boeh; nang hngai o duem han maw? Prae thungah akun moe, qawktoep hanah mong o sut hmah.
They replied, “We have found some land, and it is very good. We should go and attack the people [who live there]. Why are you staying here and doing nothing [RHQ]? Do not wait any longer! We should go immediately and take possession of that land!
10 To ahmuen to na phak o naah, misa zithaih tawn ai ah khosah kaminawk hoi kalen parai prae to na hnu o tih; Sithaw mah to prae to nangcae ban ah paek tih; to ahmuen ah loe long nuiah kaom hmuennawk to akoep boih boeh, tiah a naa o.
When you go there, you will see that there is plenty of land, and it has everything [that we will need]. The people there are not expecting anyone to attack them. Surely God is giving that land to us.”
11 To pongah Dan acaeng kami cumvai taruktonawk loe, Zorah hoi Eshtaol hoiah misatukhaih maiphaw maica to sinh o moe, a caeh o.
So 600 men from the tribe of Dan left Zorah and Eshtaol, carrying their weapons.
12 Nihcae loe caeh o moe, Judah prae Kirith-Jearim vangpui ah atai o; to pongah Kirith-Jearim vangpui niduem bangah kaom, to ahmuen to Mahaneh-Dan, tiah vaihni ni khoek to kawk o.
On their way they set up their tents near Kiriath-Jearim [city] in [the area where the tribe of] Judah [lives]. That is why the area west of Kiriath-Jearim was named ‘Camp of Dan’, and that is still its name.
13 Nihcae loe Ephraim mae nuiah caeh o moe, Mikah ih im to phak o.
From there, they went to the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim lives. And they arrived at Micah’s house.
14 To naah Laish vangpui pakrong han caeh kami pangatonawk mah, angmacae nawkamya khaeah, Hae ih im thungah kahni maeto, teraphim ih krang, phoisa hoiah daengh ih krang, phoisa atui pakaw moe, sak ih krangnawk oh, tiah na panoek o maw? To vaihi timaw na sak o han, tiah poek oh, tiah a naa.
The five men who had explored the land near Laish said to their fellow Israelis, “Do you know that in one of these houses there is a sacred vest, several idols, and a statue? [We think that] you know what you should do.” [RHQ]
15 Nihcae loe angqoi o moe, Mikah ih im ah kaom, thendoeng Levi khaeah caeh o pacoengah, anih to lok tapring o.
So they went to the house where the man from the tribe of Levi lived, which was the house where Micah lived, and they greeted the young man from the tribe of Levi [who had become Micah’s priest].
16 Misatuk hanah amsak Dan kami cumvai taruktonawk loe, khongkha taengah angdoet o.
The 600 men of the tribe of Dan stood outside the gate of the house, carrying their weapons.
17 Laish prae khet hanah caeh kami pangatonawk loe, Mikah imthung ah akun o moe, phoisa hoiah daengh sak ih krang, kahni, teraphim krang hoi phoisa atui pakaw moe, sak ih krangnawk to a lak o; qaima loe misatuk hanah amsak kami cumvai taruktonawk hoi nawnto khongkha taengah angdoet.
The five men who had explored the land went into Micah’s house, and took all the idols, the sacred vest, and the statue. While they did that, the 600 men stood outside the gate, [talking] with the priest.
18 To kaminawk loe Mikah ih imthung ah akun o moe, daengh ih krang, kahni, teraphim krang hoi atui pakaw moe, sak ih krangnawk to lak o. To pacoengah qaima mah nihcae khaeah, Timaw na sak o loe? tiah a naa.
When the priest saw them bringing out the idols and the sacred vest and the statue, he said to them, “What are you doing?”
19 Nihcae mah qaima khaeah, Om duem ah, na pakha to ban hoi tamuep loe, kaicae hoi nawnto angzo ah; kaicae khae angzoh loe, kaicae ih ampa hoi qaima ah om ah; imthung takoh maeto ih qaima ah oh pongah loe, Israel acaeng hoi imthung takoh ih qaima ah oh to hoih kue ai maw? tiah a naa o.
They replied, “Be quiet! Do not say anything! You come with us and be [like] a father to us and a priest for us. Is it better for you to [stay here and] be a priest for the people in the house of one man, or to be a priest for a clan, and a priest for a whole tribe of Israelis?” [RHQ]
20 To naah qaima loe anghoe moe, kahni, teraphim krang hoi daeng ih krang to lak moe, to kaminawk khaeah a caeh.
The priest liked what they were suggesting. So he took the sacred vest and the idols, and he [prepared to] go with the men from the tribe of Dan.
21 To kaminawk mah nawktanawk, im ah pacah ih moinawk hoi a tawnh o ih hmuenmaenawk to hmabang ah caeh o sak, angmacae to loe hnukah caeh o.
They all put their little children and their animals and everything else that they owned in front of them.
22 Mikah im hoiah tacawt o pacoengah, Mikah im taengah kaom kaminawk loe nawnto amkhueng o moe, Dan kaminawk to patom o.
After they had gone a little distance from Micah’s house, Micah [saw what was happening. He] quickly summoned the men who lived near him, and they ran and caught up with the men from the tribe of Dan.
23 Nihcae mah hnukbang hoiah hangh o thuih naah, Dan kaminawk loe hnukbang ah angqoi o moe, Mikah khaeah, Tih raihaih maw na tawnh moe, kaminawk hoi nawnto kaicae nang patom? tiah a naa o.
They shouted at them. The men of the tribe of Dan turned around and said to Micah, “What is the problem? Why have you gathered these men [to pursue us]?”
24 Anih mah, Ka sak ih sithawnawk hoi kai ih qaima to na lak o moe, na caeh o haih ving pongah ni; to hmuenawk ai ah loe tih kalah hmuen maw ka tawnh vop? Nangcae mah tih raihaih maw na tawnh? tiah lok nang dueng o lat loe, tiah a naa.
Micah shouted, “You took the silver idols that were made for me! You also took my priest! I do not have anything left [RHQ]! So why do you ask me, ‘What is the problem?’”
25 Dan kaminawk mah anih khaeah, Na lok thaih han ka koeh o ai; to tih ai nahaeloe palungphui kaminawk mah na hmang o ueloe, nangmah hoi na imthung takoh kaminawk ih hinghaih to amro moeng tih, tiah a naa o.
The men from the tribe of Dan replied, “You should not shout loudly like that! One of our angry men might attack you and kill you and your family!”
26 Dan kaminawk mah anih to caeh o taak poe; Mikah mah nihcae to ka pazawk thai mak ai, tiah panoek naah, angmah im ah amlaem taak.
Then the men from the tribe of Dan continued walking. Micah realized that there was a very large group of them, [so that it would be useless for him to try to fight them]. So he turned around and went home.
27 Mikah mah sak ih hmuennawk to nihcae mah lak o moe, anih ih qaima to hoih pae o ving pacoengah, mawnhaih om ai ah khosah kaminawk ohhaih Laish vangpui ah a caeh o; nihcae to sumsen hoiah tuk o moe, vangpui to hmai hoiah thlaek pae o.
The men of the tribe of Dan were carrying the things that had been made for Micah, and they also took his priest, and they continued traveling to Laish. They attacked the people who were peacefully living there, and killed them with their swords, and then they burned everything in the city.
28 Sidon hoi angthla parai ahmuen ah oh o moe, mi hoiah doeh angpehhaih tawn o ai pongah, nihcae pahlongkung mi doeh om ai; vangpui loe Beth-Rehob taeng ih azawn ah oh. Dan kaminawk mah vangpui to sak o moe, to ahmuen ah oh o.
Laish was far from [the city of] Sidon, [so the people of Sidon could not rescue the people of Laish]. And the people of Laish had no other allies. Laish was in a valley near Beth-Rehob [town]. The people of the tribe of Dan rebuilt the city and started to live there.
29 To vangpui kangquem ahmin loe Laish, tiah kawk o; toe amsae Israel mah sak ih a capa, Dan ih ahmin to lak o moe, vangpui to Dan, tiah a sak o.
They gave to the city a [new] name, Dan, in honor of their ancestor Dan, who was one of the sons of Jacob.
30 Dan kaminawk loe Mikah mah sak ih krang to suek o moe, Manasseh capa Gershom, Gershom capa Jonathan hoi anih ih caanawk loe, misong ah laem o ai karoek to, Dan acaengnawk ih qaima ah oh o.
The people of the tribe of Dan set up [in the city] the idols [that had been made for Micah]. Jonathan, who was the son of Gershom and the grandson of Moses, was appointed to be their priest. His descendants continued to be priests until the Israelis were captured and taken [to Assyria].
31 Sithaw ih im Shiloh ah oh nathung, Mikah mah sak ih krang ni nihcae mah patoh o poe.
After the people of the tribe of Dan set up the idols that had been made for Micah, [they worshiped those idols, even though] the Sacred Tent [where they had been commanded to worship] God, was at Shiloh.
