Dommer 18

1 I de Dage var der ingen Konge i Israel, og i de Dage var Daniternes Stamme i Færd med at søge sig en Arvelod, hvor de kunde bo, thi hidindtil var der ikke tilfaldet dem nogen Arvelod blandt Israels Stammer.

In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for unto that day they had not received their lot among the other tribes.

2 Daniterne udtog da af deres Slægt fem stærke Mænd fra Zor'a og Esjtaol og udsendte dem for at udspejde og undersøge Landet, og de sagde til dem: »Drag hen og undersøg Landet!« De kom da til Mikas Hus i Efraims Bjerge og overnattede der.

So the children of Dan sent five most valiant men of their stock and family from Saraa and Esthaol, to spy out the land, and to view it diligently: and they said to them: Go, and view the land. They went on their way, and when they came to mount Ephraim, they went into the house of Michas, and rested there:

3 Da de kom i Nærheden af Mikas Hus og kendte den unge Levits Stemme, tog de derind og spurgte ham: »Hvem har ført dig herhen, hvad tager du dig for paa dette Sted, og hvorfor er du her?«

And knowing the voice of the young man the Levite, and lodging with him, they said to him: Who brought thee hither? what dost thou here? why wouldst thou come hither?

4 Han svarede dem: »Det og det har Mika gjort for mig; han har lejet mig til Præst.«

He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest.

5 Da sagde de til ham: »Adspørg da Gud, at vi kan faa at vide, om vor Færd skal lykkes!«

Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have effect.

6 Præsten sagde da til dem: »Far med Fred, HERREN vaager over eders Færd!«

He answered them: Go in peace, the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.

7 Saa drog de fem Mænd videre og kom til Lajisj; og de saa, at Byen levede trygt paa Zidoniernes Vis, at Folket der levede sorgløst og trygt og ikke manglede nogen Verdens Ting, men var rigt, og at de boede langt fra Zidonierne og intet havde med Aramæerne at gøre.

So the five men going on came to Lais: and they saw how the people dwelt therein without any fear, according to the custom of the Sidonians, secure and easy, having no man at all to oppose them, being very rich, and living separated, at a distance from Sidon and from all men.

8 Da de kom tilbage til deres Brødre i Zor'a og Esjtaol, spurgte disse dem: »Hvad har I at melde?«

And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done? to whom they answered:

9 De svarede: »Kom, lad os drage op til Lajisj, thi vi har set Landet, og se, det er saare godt! Hvorfor holder I eder uvirksomme? Nøl ikke med at drage hen og underlægge eder Landet!

Arise, and let us go up to them: for we have seen the land which is exceeding rich and fruitful: neglect not, lose no time: let us go and possess it, there will be no difficulty.

10 Thi Gud har givet det i eders Haand — et Sted, hvor der ikke er Mangel paa nogen Verdens Ting! Naar I kommer derhen, kommer I til et Folk, der lever i Tryghed, og det er et vidtstrakt Land!«

We shall come to a people that is secure, into a spacious country, and the Lord will deliver the place to us, in which there is no want of any thing that groweth on the earth.

11 Saa brød 600 væbnede Mænd af Daniternes Slægt op fra Zor'a og Esjtaol,

There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war,

12 og de drog op og slog Lejr i Kirjat-Jearim i Juda; derfor kalder man endnu den Dag i Dag dette Sted hans Lejr; det ligger vesten for Kirjat-Jearim.

And going up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim.

13 Derfra drog de over til Efraims Bjerge; og da de kom til Mikas Hus,

From thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas,

14 tog de fem Mænd, der havde været henne at udspejde Landet, til Orde og sagde til deres Brødre: »Ved I, at der i Husene her findes en Efod, en Husgud og et udskaaret og støbt Billede? Saa indser I vel, hvad I har at gøre!«

The five men, that before had been sent to view the land of Lais, said to the rest of their brethren: You know that in these houses there is an ephod, and theraphim, and a graven, and a molten god: see what you are pleased to do.

15 De begav sig derhen og kom til den unge Levits Hus, Mikas Hus, og hilste paa ham,

And when they had turned a little aside, they went into the house of the young man the Levite, who was in the house of Michas: and they saluted him with words of peace.

16 medens de 600 væbnede danitiske Mænd stod ved Porten.

And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.

17 Og de fem Mænd, der havde været henne at udspejde Landet, gik op og tog det udskaarne og støbte Billede, Efoden og Husguden, medens Præsten og de 600 væbnede Mænd stod ved Porten.

But they that were gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting not far off.

18 Hine gik ind i Mikas Hus og tog det udskaarne og støbte Billede, Efoden og Husguden. Præsten sagde til dem: »Hvad er det, I gør?«

So they that were gone in took away the graven thing, the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god. And the priest said to them: What are you doing?

19 Og de svarede ham: »Stille, læg Fingeren paa Munden og følg med os og bliv vor Fader og Præst! Hvad baader dig vel bedst, at være Præst for een Mands Hus eller for en Stamme og Slægt i Israel?«

And they said to him: Hold thy peace and put thy finger on thy mouth and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family in Israel?

20 Da blev Præsten glad, tog Efoden, Husguden og Gudebilledet og sluttede sig til Krigsfolkene.

When he had heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.

21 Derpaa vendte de om og drog bort, idet de stillede Kvinderne og Børnene, Kvæget og Trosset forrest i Toget.

And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle and all that was valuable,

22 Da de var kommet et Stykke fra Mikas Hus, stævnedes Mændene i de Huse, der laa ved Mikas Hus, sammen, og de indhentede Daniterne.

And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them,

23 Da de raabte efter Daniterne, vendte disse sig om og sagde til Mika: »Hvad er der i Vejen, siden du har kaldt Folk til Hjælp?«

And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?

24 Han svarede: »I har taget min Gud, som jeg havde lavet mig, tillige med Præsten og er rejst eders Vej! Hvad har jeg nu tilbage? Hvor kan I spørge mig, hvad der er i Vejen?«

And he answered: You have taken away my gods which I have made me and the priest, and all that I have, and do you say: What aileth thee?

25 Men Daniterne svarede ham: »Lad os ikke høre et Ord mere fra dig, ellers kunde det hænde, at nogle Mænd, som er bitre i Hu, faldt over eder, og at du satte baade dit eget og dine Husfolks Liv paa Spil!«

And the children of Dan said to him: See thou say no more to us, lest men enraged come upon thee, and thou perish with all thy house.

26 Dermed drog Daniterne deres Vej, og da Mika saa, at de var ham for stærke, vendte han om og begav sig tilbage til sit Hus.

And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.

27 De tog saa Guden, som Mika havde lavet, tillige med hans Præst og drog mod Lajisj, mod et Folk, der levede sorgløst og trygt, huggede dem ned med Sværdet og stak Ild paa Byen,

And the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we spoke of before, and came to Lais to a people that was quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword: and the city was burnt with fire,

28 uden at nogen kunde komme den til Hjælp, thi den laa langt fra Zidon, og de havde intet med Aramæerne at gøre. Den ligger i Bet-Rehobs Dal. Saa byggede de Byen op igen og bosatte sig der;

There being no man at all who brought them any succour, because they dwelt far from Sidon, and had no society or business with any man. And the city was in the land of Rohob: and they rebuilt it and dwelt therein.

29 og de gav den Navnet Dan efter deres Stamfader Dan, Israels Søn; men før var Byens Navn Lajisj.

Calling the name of the city Dan after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.

30 Derpaa stillede Daniterne Gudebilledet op hos sig; og Jonatan, en Søn af Moses's Søn Gersom, og hans Efterkommere var Præster for Daniternes Stamme, indtil Landets Indbyggere førtes i Landflygtighed.

And they set up to themselves the graven idol, and Jonathan the son of Gersam the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests in the tribe of Dan, until the day of their captivity.

31 Og det Gudebillede, Mika havde lavet sig, stillede de op hos sig, og det stod der, al den Tid Guds Hus var i Silo.

And the idol of Michas remained with them all the time that the house of God was in Silo. In those days there was no king in Israel.