士師記 18
1 那時在以色列沒有君王，同時丹支派仍在尋找居住的基地，因為直到那一天在以色列支派中，丹支派尚未得到基地。
In those days there was no king in Israel, and in those days the Danites were looking for a heritage for themselves, to be their living-place; for up to that time no distribution of land had been made to them among the tribes of Israel.
2 於是丹子孫從祚辣和厄市陶耳，由全家族中，派了五個勇敢的人去窺探偵察那地方，對他們說：「你們去偵察那地方! 」他們到了厄弗辣因山地，來到米加的住宅，就在那裏過夜。
So the children of Dan sent five men from among their number, strong men, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to take a look at the land and make a search through it; and they said to them, Go and make a search through the land; and they came to the hill-country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, where they made a stop for the night.
3 他們在米加家附近，認出那少年肋末的聲音，就過去向他說：「誰領你來這裏﹖你在這裏作甚麼﹖你在這裏有甚麼職務﹖」
When they were near the house of Micah, hearing a voice which was not strange to them, that of the young Levite, they went out of their road to his place, and said to him, How did you come here? and what are you doing in this place? and why are you here?
4 他回答說：「米加待我如此如此! 他聘了我作他的司祭。」
And he said to them, This is what Micah did for me, and he gave me payment and I became his priest.
5 他們對他說：「你求問天主，使我們知道，我們將走的路順利嗎﹖」
Then they said, Do get directions from God for us, to see if the journey on which we are going will have a good outcome.
6 司祭回答他們說：「你們平安去罷! 上主必使你們所走的路順遂。」
And the priest said to them, Go in peace: your way is guided by the Lord.
7 於是那五個人就去了，來到拉依士，在那裏看見城中的人民安居樂業，一如漆冬人一樣，平安無慮，地產豐富，一無所缺；並且他們離漆冬又遠，與阿蘭也沒有往來。
Then the five men went on their way and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, living without thought of danger, like the Zidonians, quiet and safe; for they had everything on earth for their needs, and they were far from the Zidonians and had no business with Aram.
8 當他們回到祚辣和厄市陶耳自己弟兄那裏時，弟兄們問他們說：「你們帶來什麼消息﹖」
So they came back to their brothers in Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers said to them, What news have you?
9 他們回答說：「起來，讓我們上到拉依士去，因為我們已察看過，那地真肥美，你們還等什麼﹖不要再遲延，趕快去佔領!
And they said, Up! and let us go against Laish; for we have seen the land, and it is very good: why are you doing nothing? Do not be slow to go in and take the land for your heritage.
10 到那裏去，是到一個不設防的人民那裏去，地面寬廣遼闊；天主已把那地交在你們手中；那地方物產豐富，一無所缺。」
When you come there you will come to a people living without thought of danger; and the land is wide, and God has given it into your hands: a place where there is everything on earth for man's needs.
11 於是有六百丹支派的人，帶著武器，從酢辣和厄市陶耳出發，
So six hundred men of the Danites from Zorah and Eshtaol went out armed with instruments of war.
12 經過山路，在猶大克黎雅特耶阿陵安營；因此，那地方直到今日叫作「丹營；」這地是在克黎雅特耶阿陵西面。
And they went up and put up their tents in Kiriath-jearim in Judah: so that place is named Mahaneh-dan to this day. It is to the west of Kiriath-jearim.
13 他們又從那裏經過厄弗辣因山地，來到米加的住處。丹人搶去米加的神像
From there they went on to the hill-country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.
14 當時先去窺探那地的五個人，告訴弟兄們說：「你們知不知道，在此家內有「厄弗得、」「忒辣芬」和一尊神像﹖現在你們要決定當作什麼。」
Then the five men who had gone to make a search through the country of Laish, said to their brothers, Have you knowledge that in these houses there is an ephod and family gods and a pictured image and a metal image? So now you see what to do.
15 於是他們轉入米加的住宅，來到少年肋末人的屋裏，向他請安問好。
And turning from their road they came to the house of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and said to him, Is it well with you?
16 同時那六百丹人帶著兵器站在門口，
And the six hundred armed men of the Danites took their places by the doorway.
17 先去探地的那五個人就上去，進到裏面，要拿那尊神像並「厄弗得」和「忑辣芬，」此時司祭和那六百個帶武器的人站在門口。
Then the five men who had gone to make a search through the land, went in and took the pictured image and the ephod and the family gods and the metal image; and the priest was by the doorway with the six hundred armed men.
18 當那些人進入米加家裏，拿那尊神像、「厄弗得」和「忑辣芬」時，司祭問他們說：「你們做什麼﹖」
And when they went into Micah's house and took out the pictured image and the ephod and the family gods and the metal image, the priest said to them, What are you doing?
19 他們回答說：「不要作聲，用手掩住你的口，跟我們去，作我們的師傅和司祭；你作一個人家的司祭好呢﹖還是在以色列中間作一個支派，一個家族的司祭好呢﹖」
And they said to him, Be quiet; say nothing, and come with us and be our father and priest; is it better for you to be priest to one man's house or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?
20 司祭滿懷高興，遂帶了「厄弗得、」「忑辣芬」和神像，到了那些人中間。
Then the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod and the family gods and the pictured image and went with the people.
21 他們遂轉身回去，把婦孺、牲口以及輜重放在前方。
So they went on their way again, putting the little ones and the oxen and the goods in front of them.
22 當他們離開米加的住宅相當遠的時候，米加和米加家附近的人，都聚集起來，去追趕丹的子孫。
When they had gone some way from the house of Micah, the men from the houses near Micah's house came together and overtook the children of Dan,
23 他們向丹的子孫呼喊，丹的子孫回過臉來對米加說：「你叫喊什麼﹖」
Crying out to them. And the Danites, turning round, said to Micah, What is your trouble, that you have taken up arms?
24 米加回答說：「你們把我所製的神像和司祭都帶走，我還有什麼呢﹖」怎麼你們還向我說：你作什麼﹖」
And he said, You have taken my gods which I made, and my priest, and have gone away; what is there for me now? Why then do you say to me, What is your trouble?
25 丹的子孫對他說：「不要再讓我們聽見你的聲音，免得我們中間有暴燥的人打擊你們，使你和你全家都喪失性命! 」
And the children of Dan said to him, Say no more, or men of bitter spirit may make an attack on you, causing loss of your life and the lives of your people.
26 此後，丹的子孫繼續前行，米加見他們比自己強大，就轉身回了家。丹族佔據拉依士
Then the children of Dan went on their way; and when Micah saw that they were stronger than he, he went back to his house.
27 丹的子孫帶著米加所做的神像和他私有的司祭，來到拉依士，到了一個平安無慮的人民那裏，用刀劍殺戮了他們，放火燒了那城，
And they took that which Micah had made, and his priest, and came to Laish, to a people living quietly and without thought of danger, and they put them to the sword without mercy, burning down their town.
28 沒有人來援救，因為拉依士離漆冬很遠，與阿蘭又沒有往來。這城位於貝特勒曷布山谷中；丹的子孫重建這城，住在那裏，
And they had no saviour, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with Aram; and it was in the valley which is the property of Beth-rehob. And building up the town again they took it for their living-place.
29 按他們的祖宗，以色列所生的兒子丹的名字，給這城起名叫丹；其實這城原先名叫拉依士。
And they gave the town the name of Dan, after Dan their father, who was the son of Israel: though the town had been named Laish at first.
30 丹的子孫把那尊神像立起來，梅瑟的後裔，革爾雄的子孫約納堂和他的子孫作丹支派的司祭，直到該地被擄掠的時日。
(And the children of Dan put up the pictured image for themselves; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of the Danites till the day when the ark was taken prisoner.)
31 天主的殿在史羅多少時日，米加所作的神像在丹支派中也立了多少時日。
And they put up for themselves the image which Micah had made, and it was there all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
