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 tribe of the Danites was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in for there had not fallen to them, unto that day, in the midst of the tribes of Israel, enough for an inheritance.

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 then the sons of Dan sent, out of their family, five men out of their bounds—men who were sons of valour—out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol—to spy out the land, and to explore it, and they said unto them, Go! explore the land. And they came into the hill country of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, and lodged there.

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﹖」

They, being by the house of Micah, knew the voice of the young man, the Levite, —so they turned aside there, and said to him—Who brought thee in hither? and what art thou doing in this place, and what hast thou 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 unto them, Thus and so, hath Micah dealt with me, and hath hired me, and I am become 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﹖」

So they said unto him—Ask of God, we pray thee, —that we may know whether the journey on which we are going shall have good success.

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 unto them—Go! and prosper, —before Yahweh, is your journey on which ye go.

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。

So the five men went their way, and entered Laish, —and saw the people who were therein, dwelling securely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quietly and securely, and there was no one to reproach them with anything in the land, none to possess himself of dominion, they being, far away, from the Zidonians, and having no dealings with any one.

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 unto their brethren, in Zorah and Eshtaol, —and their brethren said unto them—Why are ye minded to do nothing?

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—Arise! and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and lo! it is very good, —are, ye, then, minded to do nothing? do not be too slothful to go, and enter, and take possession of the land.

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 ye do enter, ye will enter amongst a people secure, and, the land, is of ample bounds, —yea God hath delivered it into your hands, —a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.

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 there brake up from thence, out of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men, begirt with weapons 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 encamped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah, —wherefore they have called that place, Mahaneh-dan—unto this day, lo! it is behind 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

And they passed on from thence unto the hill country of Ephraim, —and came as far as 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 responded the five men who had been to spy out the land of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Know ye that there are in these houses, an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image, —now, therefore, know what ye will 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。

So they turned aside thither, and entered into the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, —and asked him of his welfare.

16 同時那六百丹人帶著兵器站在門口，

Now, the six hundred men, begirt with weapons of war, were standing at the entrance of the gate, —they being of the sons of Dan.

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 went up the five men who had been to spy out the land, they came in thither, they took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, —now, the priest, was standing at the entrance of the gate, with the six hundred men who were begirt with weapons of war.

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﹖」

But, when, these, had entered the house of Micah, and taken the graven image and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them, What are ye 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 unto him—Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and become to us a father and a priest, —is it better that thou be priest to the house of one man, or that thou be priest to a tribe and to 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 was the heart of the priest glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, —and came into the midst of 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 turned, and went their way, —and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the goods, before 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。

They, had gone a good way from the house of Micah, when, the men that were in the houses near to the house of Micah, were called out and overtook the sons 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﹖」

And they called unto the sons of Dan, who turned their faces, —and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou hast called out thy neighbours?

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—My gods which I had made, ye have taken away, and the priest, and have departed, and what have I more? How then is it that ye can say unto me, What aileth thee?

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 sons of Dan said unto him, Do not let thy voice be heard among us, —lest men embittered in soul fall upon you, and thou gather in thy life and the lives of thy household.

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

And the sons of Dan went on their journey, —and, when Micah saw that they were, too strong, for him, he turned and went back unto 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，

They, therefore, took what Micah had made, and the priest that he had, and came upon Laish, upon a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword, —the city also, burned they with fire.

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 there was no one to rescue, because it was, far, from Zidon, and they had no, dealings, with any one, it, being in the vale that pertaineth to Beth-rehob. Then built they the city, and dwelt therein,

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 called the name of the city, Dan, by the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel, —howbeit, Laish, was the name of the city, at the 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 sons of Dan set up for themselves the graven image, —and, Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of Moses, he and his sons, became priests to the tribe of the Danites, until the day of the captivity of the land.

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。

So they set up for themselves the graven image of Micah, which he had made, —[and let it remain] all the days that the house of God was in Shiloh.