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.

‌ʻI he ngaahi ʻaho ko ia naʻe ʻikai ha tuʻi ʻi ʻIsileli: pea ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ko ia naʻe kumi ʻe he faʻahinga ʻo Tani hanau tofiʻa kenau nofo ai; koeʻuhi naʻe teʻeki ai ke tō honau tofiʻa kiate kinautolu ʻi he ngaahi faʻahinga ʻo ʻIsileli, ʻo aʻu ki he kuonga ko ia.

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.

Pea naʻe fekau ʻe he fānau ʻa Tani ʻae kau tangata ʻe toko nima ʻi honau faʻahinga mei honau fonua, ʻae kau tangata toʻa, mei Sola pea mei Esitaoli, kenau vakai ʻae fonua, pea ke malakiʻi ia; pea naʻa nau pehē kiate kinautolu, ʻAlu, pea matakiʻi ʻae fonua: pea ʻi heʻenau hoko ki he moʻunga ʻo ʻIfalemi, ki he fale ʻo Maika, naʻa nau mohe ʻi ai.

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?”

Pea ʻi heʻenau ofi ki he fale ʻo Maika, naʻa nau ʻilo ʻae leʻo ʻoe tangata talavou ko e Livai: pea naʻa nau afe ki ai, ʻonau pehē kiate ia, “Ko hai naʻa ne ʻomi koe ki heni? Pea ko e hā ʻoku ke fai ʻi heni?”

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.”

Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia kiate kinautolu, “ʻOku pehē pē, mo pehē pe ʻe Maika kiate au, pea kuo ne nō au kiate ia ʻaki ʻae totongi, pea ko hono taulaʻeiki au.”

5 So they said to him, “Please ask God if we will succeed [in what we are trying to do] on this journey.”

Pea naʻa nau pehē kiate ia, “Ko eni ʻoku mau kole kiate koe, ke ke kole ki he ʻOtua ʻae poto, koeʻuhi ke mau ʻilo pē ʻe monūʻia homau hala ʻaia ʻoku mau ʻalu ai.”

6 The young man replied, “Things will go well for you. Yahweh will go with you on this journey.”

Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he taulaʻeiki, “Mou ʻalu fiemālie pē: ʻoku ʻafio ʻe Sihova ʻa homou hala ʻaia ʻoku mou ʻalu ai.”

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).

Pea naʻe toki ʻalu ai ʻae kau tangata ʻe toko nima ʻonau hoko ki Leisi, ʻo mamata ki he kakai naʻe ʻi ai, mo ʻenau nofo noa ai pe, ʻo hangē ko e kau Saitoni, ʻo fakafiemālie pe mo hamumunoa; pea naʻe ʻikai ha fakamaau ʻi he fonua ke fakamā ʻakinautolu ʻi ha meʻa ʻe taha; pea naʻa nau mamaʻo mei he kau Saitoni; pea naʻe ʻikai tenau feongoongoi mo ha kakai.

8 When those five men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them “What did you find out?”

Pea naʻa nau haʻu ki honau kāinga ki Sola mo Esitaoli: pea pehē ʻe honau kāinga kiate kinautolu, Ko e hā hoʻomou lea?

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!

Pea naʻa nau pehē, “Tuʻu hake koeʻuhi ke tau ʻalu hake kiate kinautolu: he kuo mau mamata ki he fonua, pea vakai, ʻoku lelei ʻaupito ia: pea ʻoku mou taʻengāue? ʻOua naʻa mou fakapikopiko ke ʻalu, pea ke hoko atu pea maʻu ʻae fonua.

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.”

Ka mou ka ʻalu, te mou hoko ki he kakai ʻoku nofo noa pē, pea ki he fonua lahi: he kuo foaki ia ʻe he ʻOtua ki homou nima; ko e potu ʻoku ʻikai masiva ʻi ha meʻa ʻe taha ʻoku ʻi māmani.”

11 So 600 men from the tribe of Dan left Zorah and Eshtaol, carrying their weapons.

Pea naʻe ʻalu mei ai ʻi he fānau ʻoe faʻahinga ʻo Tani, mei Sola pea mei Esitaoli, ʻae kau tangata ʻe toko onongeau naʻe toʻo mahafutau.

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.

Pea naʻa nau ʻalu hake, ʻo ʻapitanga ʻi Keasa-Sialimi, ʻi Siuta: ko ia naʻa nau ui ai ʻae potu ko ia ko Mahaneani ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ni: vakai, ʻoku tuʻu ia ʻituʻa Keasa-Sialimi.

13 From there, they went to the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim lives. And they arrived at Micah’s house.

Pea naʻa nau ʻalu mei ai ki he moʻunga ko ʻIfalemi, ʻo hoko atu ki he fale ʻo Maika.

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]

Pea naʻe lea ʻae kau tangata ʻe toko nima naʻe ʻalu ke matakiʻi ʻae fonua ko Leisi, ʻonau pehē ki honau kāinga, “ʻOku mou ʻilo ʻoku ʻi he ngaahi fale ni ʻae ʻefoti, mo e tamapua, mo e meʻa fakatātā kuo tā mo e fakatātā kuo haka? Pea ko eni mou fakakaukau pe ko e hā te mou fai.”

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].

Pea naʻa nau afe ki ai, pea hoko ki fale ʻoe talavou ko e Livai, ʻio, ki he fale ʻo Maika ʻonau fetapa kiate ia.

16 The 600 men of the tribe of Dan stood outside the gate of the house, carrying their weapons.

Pea ko e kau tangata ʻe toko onongeau naʻe toʻo mahafutau ʻaia naʻe ʻi he fānau ʻa Tani, naʻa nau tuʻu ʻi he hūʻanga ʻoe matapā.

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.

Pea naʻe ʻalu hake ʻo hū ki ai, ʻae kau tangata ʻe toko nima, naʻe ʻalu ke matakiʻi ʻae fonua, ʻo [nau ]toʻo ʻae meʻa fakatātā kuo tā mo e ʻefoti, mo e tamapua, mo e fakatātā kuo haka; pea naʻe tuʻu ʻae taulaʻeiki ʻi he hūʻanga ʻoe matapā fakataha mo e kau tangata ʻe toko onongeau ʻaia naʻe toʻo mahafutau.

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?”

Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻakinautolu ki he fale ʻo Maika, pea ʻomi mei ai ʻae meʻa fakatātā kuo tā, mo e ʻefoti, mo e tamapua, mo e fakatātā kuo haka. Pea pehē ʻe he taulaʻeiki kiate kinautolu, “Ko e hā ʻoku mou fai?”

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]

Pea naʻa nau pehē kiate ia, “Ke ke longo pē koe; ʻai ho nima ki ho ngutu, pea ke haʻu ke tau ō, pea ke hoko kiate kimautolu ko e tamai mo e taulaʻeiki: he ʻoku lelei kiate koe ke nofo ko e taulaʻeiki ki he fale ʻoe tangata pē taha, pe ko hoʻo hoko ko e taulaʻeiki ki he faʻahinga mo e fale ʻo ʻIsileli?”

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.

Pea naʻe fiefia ʻae loto ʻoe taulaʻeiki, pea naʻe toʻo ʻe ia ʻae ʻefoti, mo e tamapua, mo e meʻa fakatātā kuo tā, pea ʻalu ia ʻi he lotolotonga ʻoe kakai.

21 They all put their little children and their animals and everything else that they owned in front of them.

Ko ia naʻa nau tafoki ʻo ʻalu ai, pea naʻe fakaheka ʻae fānau siʻi ki he ngaahi saliote mo e fanga manu ke muʻomuʻa ʻiate kinautolu.

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.

Pea ʻi heʻenau mamaʻo atu mei he fale ʻo Maika, naʻe kātoa ʻae kau tangata naʻe ʻi he ngaahi fale ofi ki he fale ʻo Maika, ʻonau tuli ʻo hoko atu ki he fānau ʻa Tani.

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]?”

Pea naʻa nau tangi ki he fānau ʻa Tani. Pea naʻa nau tangaki kimui, ʻo pehē kia Maika, “Ko e hā ʻaʻau, ʻoku ke haʻu ai mo e kakai pehē?”

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?’”

Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia, “Kuo mou toʻo ʻo ʻave hoku ngaahi ʻotua naʻaku ngaohi, pea mo e taulaʻeiki, pea kuo mou ʻalu: pea ko e hā ʻoku toe ʻiate au? Pea ko e hā ia ʻoku mou lea ai kiate au, ‘Ko e hā ʻa au?’”

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!”

Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he fānau ʻa Tani kiate ia, “ʻOua naʻa ongona ho leʻo ʻiate kimautolu telia naʻa ʻoho atu kiate koe ʻae kau siana loto ʻita, pea ʻe mole ʻiate koe hoʻo moʻui, fakataha mo e moʻui ʻa ho kau nofoʻanga.”

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.

Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻae fānau ʻa Tani ʻi honau hala: pea ʻi he mamata ʻa Maika ki heʻenau fai mālohi lahi kiate ia, naʻe tafoki ia ʻo ʻalu ki hono fale.

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.

Pea naʻa nau ʻave ʻae ngaahi meʻa naʻe ngaohi ʻe Maika, mo e taulaʻeiki naʻa ne maʻu, ʻonau hoko ki Leisi, ki he kakai naʻe nofo fiemālie pe mo hamumunoa: pea naʻa nau teʻia ʻakinautolu ʻaki ʻae mata ʻoe heletā, pea naʻe tutu ʻenau kolo ʻaki ʻae afi.

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.

Pea naʻe ʻikai ha fakamoʻui, he naʻe mamaʻo ia mei Saitoni, pea naʻe ʻikai tenau kau mo ha kakai; pea naʻe tuʻu ia ʻi he teleʻa ʻaia ʻoku ofi ki Pete-Lehopi. Pea naʻa nau langa ʻae kolo ʻo nofo ʻi ai.

29 They gave to the city a [new] name, Dan, in honor of their ancestor Dan, who was one of the sons of Jacob.

Pea naʻa nau ui ʻae hingoa ʻoe kolo ko Tani, ʻo hangē ko e hingoa ʻo Tani ko ʻenau tamai, ʻaia naʻe fānau kia ʻIsileli: ka ko e moʻoni naʻe fuofua ui ʻae kolo ko ia ko Leisi.

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].

Pea naʻe fokotuʻu hake ʻe he fānau ʻa Tani ʻae tamapua fakatātā: pea ko Sioatani, ko e foha ʻo Kesomi, ko e foha ʻo Manase, ko ia mo hono ngaahi foha naʻe hoko ko e kau taulaʻeiki ki he faʻahinga ʻo Tani ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ʻoe fakapōpulaʻi ʻae fonua.

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.

Pea naʻa nau fokotuʻu hake ʻae tamapua naʻe tā ʻe Maika, ʻaia naʻa ne ngaohi, ʻi he kuonga kotoa pē naʻe nofo ai ʻae fale ʻoe ʻOtua ʻi Sailo.