Judges 18
1 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.
那时，以色列中没有王。但支派的人仍是寻地居住；因为到那日子，他们还没有在以色列支派中得地为业。
2 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.
但人从琐拉和以实陶打发本族中的五个勇士，去仔细窥探那地，吩咐他们说：“你们去窥探那地。”他们来到以法莲山地，进了米迦的住宅，就在那里住宿。
3 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?”
他们临近米迦的住宅，听出那少年利未人的口音来，就进去问他说：“谁领你到这里来？你在这里做什么？你在这里得什么？”
4 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.”
他回答说：“米迦待我如此如此，请我作祭司。”
5 So they said to him, “Please ask God if we will succeed [in what we are trying to do] on this journey.”
他们对他说：“请你求问 神，使我们知道所行的道路通达不通达。”
6 The young man replied, “Things will go well for you. Yahweh will go with you on this journey.”
祭司对他们说：“你们可以平平安安地去，你们所行的道路是在耶和华面前的。”
7 [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).
五人就走了，来到拉亿，见那里的民安居无虑，如同西顿人安居一样。在那地没有人掌权扰乱他们；他们离西顿人也远，与别人没有来往。
8 When those five men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them “What did you find out?”
五人回到琐拉和以实陶，见他们的弟兄；弟兄问他们说：“你们有什么话？”
9 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!
他们回答说：“起来，我们上去攻击他们吧！我们已经窥探那地，见那地甚好。你们为何静坐不动呢？要急速前往得那地为业，不可迟延。
10 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.”
你们到了那里，必看见安居无虑的民，地也宽阔。 神已将那地交在你们手中；那地百物俱全，一无所缺。”
11 So 600 men from the tribe of Dan left Zorah and Eshtaol, carrying their weapons.
于是但族中的六百人，各带兵器，从琐拉和以实陶前往，
12 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.
上到犹大的基列·耶琳，在基列·耶琳后边安营。因此那地方名叫玛哈尼·但，直到今日。
13 From there, they went to the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim lives. And they arrived at Micah’s house.
他们从那里往以法莲山地去，来到米迦的住宅。
14 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]
从前窥探拉亿地的五个人对他们的弟兄说：“这宅子里有以弗得和家中的神像，并雕刻的像与铸成的像，你们知道吗？现在你们要想一想当怎样行。”
15 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].
五人就进入米迦的住宅，到了那少年利未人的房内问他好。
16 The 600 men of the tribe of Dan stood outside the gate of the house, carrying their weapons.
那六百但人各带兵器，站在门口。
17 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.
窥探地的五个人走进去，将雕刻的像、以弗得、家中的神像，并铸成的像，都拿了去。祭司和带兵器的六百人，一同站在门口。
18 When the priest saw them bringing out the idols and the sacred vest and the statue, he said to them, “What are you doing?”
那五个人进入米迦的住宅，拿出雕刻的像、以弗得、家中的神像，并铸成的像，祭司就问他们说：“你们做什么呢？”
19 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]
他们回答说：“不要作声，用手捂口，跟我们去吧！我们必以你为父、为祭司。你作一家的祭司好呢？还是作以色列一族一支派的祭司好呢？”
20 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.
祭司心里喜悦，便拿着以弗得和家中的神像，并雕刻的像，进入他们中间。
21 They all put their little children and their animals and everything else that they owned in front of them.
他们就转身离开那里，妻子、儿女、牲畜、财物都在前头。
22 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.
离米迦的住宅已远，米迦的近邻都聚集来，追赶但人，
23 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]?”
呼叫但人。但人回头问米迦说：“你聚集这许多人来做什么呢？”
24 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?’”
米迦说：“你们将我所做的神像和祭司都带了去，我还有所剩的吗？怎么还问我说‘做什么’呢？”
25 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!”
但人对米迦说：“你不要使我们听见你的声音，恐怕有性暴的人攻击你，以致你和你的全家尽都丧命。”
26 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.
但人还是走他们的路。米迦见他们的势力比自己强盛，就转身回家去了。
27 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.
但人将米迦所做的神像和他的祭司都带到拉亿，见安居无虑的民，就用刀杀了那民，又放火烧了那城，
28 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.
并无人搭救；因为离西顿远，他们又与别人没有来往。城在平原，那平原靠近伯·利合。但人又在那里修城居住，
29 They gave to the city a [new] name, Dan, in honor of their ancestor Dan, who was one of the sons of Jacob.
照着他们始祖以色列之子但的名字，给那城起名叫但；原先那城名叫拉亿。
30 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].
但人就为自己设立那雕刻的像。摩西的孙子、革舜的儿子约拿单，和他的子孙作但支派的祭司，直到那地遭掳掠的日子。
31 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.
神的殿在示罗多少日子，但人为自己设立米迦所雕刻的像也在但多少日子。
