< Judges 18 >

1 In those days there was no king in Israel; and in those days the tribe of the Danites were seeking for themselves an inheritance to dwell in; for there had not fallen to their share up to that day among the tribes of Israel a [sufficient] inheritance.
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֵין מֶלֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וּבַיָּמִים הָהֵם שֵׁבֶט הַדָּנִי מְבַקֶּשׁ־לוֹ נַֽחֲלָה לָשֶׁבֶת כִּי לֹא־נָפְלָה לּוֹ עַד־הַיּוֹם הַהוּא בְּתוֹךְ־שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנַחֲלָֽה׃
2 And the children of Dan sent from their family five men from among themselves, men of valor, from Zor'ah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land. And they came to the mountain of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, and lodged there.
וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ בְנֵי־דָן ׀ מִֽמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּם חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים מִקְצוֹתָם אֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי־חַיִל מִצׇּרְעָה וּמֵאֶשְׁתָּאֹל לְרַגֵּל אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וּלְחׇקְרָהּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם לְכוּ חִקְרוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וַיָּבֹאוּ הַר־אֶפְרַיִם עַד־בֵּית מִיכָה וַיָּלִינוּ שָֽׁם׃
3 They were just by the house of Micah, when they recognized the voice of the young man the Levite; and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what doest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?
הֵמָּה עִם־בֵּית מִיכָה וְהֵמָּה הִכִּירוּ אֶת־קוֹל הַנַּעַר הַלֵּוִי וַיָּסוּרוּ שָׁם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ מִֽי־הֱבִיאֲךָ הֲלֹם וּמָה־אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה בָּזֶה וּמַה־לְּךָ פֹֽה׃
4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus hath Micah done unto me; and he hired me, and I became his priest.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם כָּזֹה וְכָזֶה עָשָׂה לִי מִיכָה וַיִּשְׂכְּרֵנִי וָאֱהִי־לוֹ לְכֹהֵֽן׃
5 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way on which we are going shall be prosperous.
וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ שְׁאַל־נָא בֵאלֹהִים וְנֵדְעָה הֲתַצְלִחַ דַּרְכֵּנוּ אֲשֶׁר אֲנַחְנוּ הֹלְכִים עָלֶֽיהָ׃
6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the Lord is your way on which ye will go.
וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הַכֹּהֵן לְכוּ לְשָׁלוֹם נֹכַח יְהֹוָה דַּרְכְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכוּ־בָֽהּ׃
7 And the five men departed, and came to Layish, and saw the people that were therein, dwelling in security, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and no one inflicted any wrong in the land, as hereditary ruler; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no concern with any man.
וַיֵּֽלְכוּ חֲמֵשֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁים וַיָּבֹאוּ לָיְשָׁה וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־בְּקִרְבָּהּ יוֹשֶֽׁבֶת־לָבֶטַח כְּמִשְׁפַּט צִדֹנִים שֹׁקֵט ׀ וּבֹטֵחַ וְאֵין־מַכְלִים דָּבָר בָּאָרֶץ יוֹרֵשׁ עֶצֶר וּרְחוֹקִים הֵמָּה מִצִּידֹנִים וְדָבָר אֵין־לָהֶם עִם־אָדָֽם׃
8 And they came unto their brethren to Zor'ah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What [news bring] ye?
וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־אֲחֵיהֶם צׇרְעָה וְאֶשְׁתָּאֹל וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהֶם אֲחֵיהֶם מָה אַתֶּֽם׃
9 And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and you keep still! be not slothful, to go, to enter to take possession of the land.
וַיֹּאמְרוּ קוּמָה וְנַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי רָאִינוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה טוֹבָה מְאֹד וְאַתֶּם מַחְשִׁים אַל־תֵּעָצְלוּ לָלֶכֶת לָבֹא לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
10 When ye enter, ye will come unto a secure people, and the land is roomy; for God hath given it into your hand; a place where there is no want of anything that is on the earth.
כְּבֹאֲכֶם תָּבֹאוּ ׀ אֶל־עַם בֹּטֵחַ וְהָאָרֶץ רַחֲבַת יָדַיִם כִּֽי־נְתָנָהּ אֱלֹהִים בְּיֶדְכֶם מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֵֽין־שָׁם מַחְסוֹר כׇּל־דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
11 And there went from there of the family of the Danites, out of Zor'ah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.
וַיִּסְעוּ מִשָּׁם מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת הַדָּנִי מִצׇּרְעָה וּמֵאֶשְׁתָּאֹל שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת אִישׁ חָגוּר כְּלֵי מִלְחָמָֽה׃
12 And they went up, and encamped in Kiryath-ye'arim, in Judah; wherefore they called that place Machaneh-dan until this day; behold, it is behind Kiryath-ye'arim.
וַֽיַּעֲלוּ וַֽיַּחֲנוּ בְּקִרְיַת יְעָרִים בִּֽיהוּדָה עַל־כֵּן קָרְאוּ לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מַחֲנֵה־דָן עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הִנֵּה אַחֲרֵי קִרְיַת יְעָרִֽים׃
13 And they passed thence unto the mountain of Ephraim, and came as far as the house of Micah.
וַיַּעַבְרוּ מִשָּׁם הַר־אֶפְרָיִם וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד־בֵּית מִיכָֽה׃
14 Then commenced the five men that had gone to spy out the country of Layish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there are in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven and molten image? and now consider what ye have to do.
וַֽיַּעֲנוּ חֲמֵשֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁים הַהֹלְכִים לְרַגֵּל אֶת־הָאָרֶץ לַיִשׁ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ אֶל־אֲחֵיהֶם הַיְדַעְתֶּם כִּי יֵשׁ בַּבָּתִּים הָאֵלֶּה אֵפוֹד וּתְרָפִים וּפֶסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה וְעַתָּה דְּעוּ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֽׂוּ׃
15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, unto the house of Micah, and asked him after his welfare.
וַיָּסוּרוּ שָׁמָּה וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־בֵּֽית־הַנַּעַר הַלֵּוִי בֵּית מִיכָה וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ־לוֹ לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃
16 And the six hundred men who were of the children of Dan, girded with their weapons of war, remained standing by the entrance of the gate.
וְשֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת אִישׁ חֲגוּרִים כְּלֵי מִלְחַמְתָּם נִצָּבִים פֶּתַח הַשָּׁעַר אֲשֶׁר מִבְּנֵי־דָֽן׃
17 And the five men that had gone to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood in the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men that were girded with the weapons of war.
וַֽיַּעֲלוּ חֲמֵשֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁים הַהֹלְכִים לְרַגֵּל אֶת־הָאָרֶץ בָּאוּ שָׁמָּה לָקְחוּ אֶת־הַפֶּסֶל וְאֶת־הָאֵפוֹד וְאֶת־הַתְּרָפִים וְאֶת־הַמַּסֵּכָה וְהַכֹּהֵן נִצָּב פֶּתַח הַשַּׁעַר וְשֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת הָאִישׁ הֶחָגוּר כְּלֵי הַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
18 And these went into Micah's house, and took the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest said unto them, What are ye doing?
וְאֵלֶּה בָּאוּ בֵּית מִיכָה וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־פֶּסֶל הָאֵפוֹד וְאֶת־הַתְּרָפִים וְאֶת־הַמַּסֵּכָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם הַכֹּהֵן מָה אַתֶּם עֹשִֽׂים׃
19 And they said unto him, Be still, 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 a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?
וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ הַחֲרֵשׁ שִֽׂים־יָדְךָ עַל־פִּיךָ וְלֵךְ עִמָּנוּ וֶהְיֵה־לָנוּ לְאָב וּלְכֹהֵן הֲטוֹב ׀ הֱיוֹתְךָ כֹהֵן לְבֵית אִישׁ אֶחָד אוֹ הֱיוֹתְךָ כֹהֵן לְשֵׁבֶט וּלְמִשְׁפָּחָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
20 And the priest's heart became glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and came into the midst of the people.
וַיִּיטַב לֵב הַכֹּהֵן וַיִּקַּח אֶת־הָאֵפוֹד וְאֶת־הַתְּרָפִים וְאֶת־הַפָּסֶל וַיָּבֹא בְּקֶרֶב הָעָֽם׃
21 And they turned and went away, and placed the little ones and the cattle and the heavy things before them.
וַיִּפְנוּ וַיֵּלֵכוּ וַיָּשִׂימוּ אֶת־הַטַּף וְאֶת־הַמִּקְנֶה וְאֶת־הַכְּבוּדָּה לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
22 When they were at a distance from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were called together, and they overtook the children of Dan.
הֵמָּה הִרְחִיקוּ מִבֵּית מִיכָה וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בַּבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר עִם־בֵּית מִיכָה נִֽזְעֲקוּ וַיַּדְבִּיקוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי־דָֽן׃
23 And they called unto the children of Dan, who turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou hast called out thy people?
וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ אֶל־בְּנֵי־דָן וַיַּסֵּבּוּ פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לְמִיכָה מַה־לְּךָ כִּי נִזְעָֽקְתָּ׃
24 And he said, My god which I made have ye taken away, and the priest, and are gone away; and what have I more? and what is this ye say unto me, What aileth thee?
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶת־אֱלֹהַי אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי לְקַחְתֶּם וְֽאֶת־הַכֹּהֵן וַתֵּלְכוּ וּמַה־לִּי עוֹד וּמַה־זֶּה תֹּאמְרוּ אֵלַי מַה־לָּֽךְ׃
25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Cause not thy voice to be heard among us, lest men of an embittered spirit assail thee, and thou lose thy life, with the life of thy household.
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו בְּנֵי־דָן אַל־תַּשְׁמַע קוֹלְךָ עִמָּנוּ פֶּֽן־יִפְגְּעוּ בָכֶם אֲנָשִׁים מָרֵי נֶפֶשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּה נַפְשְׁךָ וְנֶפֶשׁ בֵּיתֶֽךָ׃
26 And the children of Dan went on their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.
וַיֵּלְכוּ בְנֵי־דָן לְדַרְכָּם וַיַּרְא מִיכָה כִּֽי־חֲזָקִים הֵמָּה מִמֶּנּוּ וַיִּפֶן וַיָּשׇׁב אֶל־בֵּיתֽוֹ׃
27 And they took what Micah had made, and the priest whom he had had, and came over Layish, over a people that were quiet and secure; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and the city they burnt with fire.
וְהֵמָּה לָקְחוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה מִיכָה וְֽאֶת־הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר הָֽיָה־לוֹ וַיָּבֹאוּ עַל־לַיִשׁ עַל־עַם שֹׁקֵט וּבֹטֵחַ וַיַּכּוּ אוֹתָם לְפִי־חָרֶב וְאֶת־הָעִיר שָׂרְפוּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃
28 And there was no deliverer; because it was far from Zidon, and the people had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rechob. And they rebuilt the city, and dwelt therein.
וְאֵין מַצִּיל כִּי רְֽחוֹקָה־הִיא מִצִּידוֹן וְדָבָר אֵין־לָהֶם עִם־אָדָם וְהִיא בָּעֵמֶק אֲשֶׁר לְבֵית־רְחוֹב וַיִּבְנוּ אֶת־הָעִיר וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בָֽהּ׃
29 And they called the name of the city, Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: nevertheless, Layish was the name of the city at first.
וַיִּקְרְאוּ שֵׁם־הָעִיר דָּן בְּשֵׁם דָּן אֲבִיהֶם אֲשֶׁר יוּלַּד לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוּלָם לַיִשׁ שֵׁם־הָעִיר לָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃
30 And the children of Dan erected for themselves the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Menasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the exile of the land.
וַיָּקִימוּ לָהֶם בְּנֵי־דָן אֶת־הַפָּסֶל וִיהוֹנָתָן בֶּן־גֵּרְשֹׁם בֶּן־מְ נַ שֶּׁה הוּא וּבָנָיו הָיוּ כֹהֲנִים לְשֵׁבֶט הַדָּנִי עַד־יוֹם גְּלוֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
31 And they set up for themselves Micah's graven image, which he had made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
וַיָּשִׂימוּ לָהֶם אֶת־פֶּסֶל מִיכָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה כׇּל־יְמֵי הֱיוֹת בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִים בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃

< Judges 18 >