Judges 18

1 In those days [there was] no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for themselves an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day [all their] inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.

١ وَفِي تِلْكَ ٱلْأَيَّامِ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَلِكٌ فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَفِي تِلْكَ ٱلْأَيَّامِ كَانَ سِبْطُ ٱلدَّانِيِّينَ يَطْلُبُ لَهُ مُلْكًا لِلسُّكْنَى لِأَنَّهُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ لَمْ يَقَعْ لَهُ نَصِيبٌ فِي وَسَطِ أَسْبَاطِ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their borders, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to explore the land, and to search it; and they said to them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

٢ فَأَرْسَلَ بَنُو دَانَ مِنْ عَشِيرَتِهِمْ خَمْسَةَ رِجَالٍ مِنْهُمْ، رِجَالًا بَنِي بَأْسٍ مِنْ صُرْعَةَ وَمِنْ أَشْتَأُولَ لِتَجَسُّسِ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَفَحْصِهَا. وَقَالُوا لَهُمُ: «ٱذْهَبُوا ٱفْحَصُوا ٱلْأَرْضَ». فَجَاءُوا إِلَى جَبَلِ أَفْرَايِمَ إِلَى بَيْتِ مِيخَا وَبَاتُوا هُنَاكَ.

3 When they [were] by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said to him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this [place]? and what hast thou here?

٣ وَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عِنْدَ بَيْتِ مِيخَا عَرَفُوا صَوْتَ ٱلْغُلَامِ ٱللَّاوِيِّ، فَمَالُوا إِلَى هُنَاكَ وَقَالُوا لَهُ: «مَنْ جَاءَ بِكَ إِلَى هُنَا؟ وَمَاذَا أَنْتَ عَامِلٌ فِي هَذَا ٱلْمَكَانِ؟ وَمَا لَكَ هُنَا؟»

4 And he said to them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.

٤ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «كَذَا وَكَذَا عَمِلَ لِي مِيخَا، وَقَدِ ٱسْتَأْجَرَنِي فَصِرْتُ لَهُ كَاهِنًا».

5 And they said to him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

٥ فَقَالُوا لَهُ: «ٱسْأَلْ إِذَنْ مِنَ ٱللهِ لِنَعْلَمَ: هَلْ يَنْجَحُ طَرِيقُنَا ٱلَّذِي نَحْنُ سَائِرُونَ فِيهِ؟»

6 And the priest said to them, Go in peace: before the LORD [is] your way in which ye go.

٦ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلْكَاهِنُ: «ٱذْهَبُوا بِسَلَامٍ. أَمَامَ ٱلرَّبِّ طَرِيقُكُمُ ٱلَّذِي تَسِيرُونَ فِيهِ».

7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that [were] in it, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and [there was] no magistrate in the land, that might put [them] to shame in [any] thing; and they [were] far from the Zidonians, and had no business with [any] man.

٧ فَذَهَبَ ٱلْخَمْسَةُ ٱلرِّجَالِ وَجَاءُوا إِلَى لَايِشَ. وَرَأَوْا ٱلشَّعْبَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِيهَا سَاكِنِينَ بِطَمَأَنِينَةٍ كَعَادَةِ ٱلصِّيْدُونِيِّينَ مُسْتَرِيحِينَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ، وَلَيْسَ فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ مُؤْذٍ بِأَمْرٍ وَارِثٌ رِيَاسَةً. وَهُمْ بَعِيدُونَ عَنِ ٱلصِّيْدُونِيِّينَ وَلَيْسَ لَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مَعَ إِنْسَانٍ.

8 And they came to their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said to them, What [say] ye?

٨ وَجَاءُوا إِلَى إِخْوَتِهِمْ إِلَى صُرْعَةَ وَأَشْتَأُولَ. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ إِخْوَتُهُمْ: «مَا أَنْتُمْ؟»

9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and behold, it [is] very good: and [are] ye still? be not slothful to go, [and] to enter to possess the land.

٩ فَقَالُوا: «قُومُوا نَصْعَدْ إِلَيْهِمْ، لِأَنَّنَا رَأَيْنَا ٱلْأَرْضَ وَهُوَذَا هِيَ جَيِّدَةٌ جِدًّا وَأَنْتُمْ سَاكِتُونَ. لَا تَتَكَاسَلُوا عَنِ ٱلذَّهَابِ لِتَدْخُلُوا وَتَمْلِكُوا ٱلْأَرْضَ.

10 When ye go, ye shall come to a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where [there] is no want of any thing that [is] on the earth.

١٠ عِنْدَ مَجِيئِكُمْ تَأْتُونَ إِلَى شَعْبٍ مُطْمَئِنٍّ، وَٱلْأَرْضُ وَاسِعَةُ ٱلطَّرَفَيْنِ. إِنَّ ٱللهَ قَدْ دَفَعَهَا لِيَدِكُمْ. مَكَانٌ لَيْسَ فِيهِ عَوَزٌ لِشَيْءٍ مِمَّا فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ».

11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.

١١ فَٱرْتَحَلَ مِنْ هُنَاكَ مِنْ عَشِيرَةِ ٱلدَّانِيِّينَ مِنْ صُرْعَةَ وَمِنْ أَشْتَأُولَ سِتُّ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ مُتَسَلِّحِينَ بِعُدَّةِ ٱلْحَرْبِ.

12 And they went up, and encamped in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan to this day: behold, [it is] behind Kirjath-jearim.

١٢ وَصَعِدُوا وَحَلُّوا فِي قَرْيَةِ يَعَارِيمَ فِي يَهُوذَا. لِذَلِكَ دَعَوْا ذَلِكَ ٱلْمَكَانَ «مَحَلَّةَ دَانٍ» إِلَى هَذَا ٱلْيَوْمِ. هُوَذَا هِيَ وَرَاءَ قَرْيَةِ يَعَارِيمَ.

13 And they passed thence to mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

١٣ وَعَبَرُوا مِنْ هُنَاكَ إِلَى جَبَلِ أَفْرَايِمَ وَجَاءُوا إِلَى بَيْتِ مِيخَا.

14 Then answered the five men that went to explore the country of Laish, and said to their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.

١٤ فَأَجَابَ ٱلْخَمْسَةُ ٱلرِّجَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ ذَهَبُوا لِتَجَسُّسِ أَرْضِ لَايِشَ وَقَالُوا لِإِخْوَتِهِمْ: «أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ فِي هَذِهِ ٱلْبُيُوتِ أَفُودًا وَتَرَافِيمَ وَتِمْثَالًا مَنْحُوتًا وَتِمْثَالًا مَسْبُوكًا. فَٱلْآنَ ٱعْلَمُوا مَا تَفْعَلُونَ».

15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, [even] to the house of Micah, and saluted him.

١٥ فَمَالُوا إِلَى هُنَاكَ وَجَاءُوا إِلَى بَيْتِ ٱلْغُلَامِ ٱللَّاوِيِّ، بَيْتِ مِيخَا، وَسَلَّمُوا عَلَيْهِ.

16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, who [were] of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

١٦ وَٱلسِّتُّ مِئَةِ ٱلرَّجُلِ ٱلْمُتَسَلِّحُونَ بِعُدَّتِهِمْ لِلْحَرْبِ وَاقِفُونَ عِنْدَ مَدْخَلِ ٱلْبَابِ، هَؤُلَاءِ مِنْ بَنِي دَانٍ.

17 And the five men that went to explore 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] appointed with weapons of war.

١٧ فَصَعِدَ ٱلْخَمْسَةُ ٱلرِّجَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ ذَهَبُوا لِتَجَسُّسِ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَدَخَلُوا إِلَى هُنَاكَ، وَأَخَذُوا ٱلتِّمْثَالَ ٱلْمَنْحُوتَ وَٱلْأَفُودَ وَٱلتَّرَافِيمَ وَٱلتِّمْثَالَ ٱلْمَسْبُوكَ، وَٱلْكَاهِنُ وَاقِفٌ عِنْدَ مَدْخَلِ ٱلْبَابِ مَعَ ٱلسِّتِّ مِئَةِ ٱلرَّجُلِ ٱلْمُتَسَلِّحِينَ بِعُدَّةِ ٱلْحَرْبِ.

18 And these went into Micah's house, and brought the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest to them, What do ye?

١٨ وَهَؤُلَاءِ دَخَلُوا بَيْتَ مِيخَا وَأَخَذُوا ٱلتِّمْثَالَ ٱلْمَنْحُوتَ وَٱلْأَفُودَ وَٱلتَّرَافِيمَ وَٱلتِّمْثَالَ ٱلْمَسْبُوكَ. فَقَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلْكَاهِنُ: «مَاذَا تَفْعَلُونَ؟»

19 And they said to him, Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: [Is it] better for thee to be a priest to the house of one man, or that thou shouldst be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?

١٩ فَقَالُوا لَهُ: «ٱخْرَسْ! ضَعْ يَدَكَ عَلَى فَمِكَ وَٱذْهَبْ مَعَنَا وَكُنْ لَنَا أَبًا وَكَاهِنًا. أَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ كَاهِنًا لِبَيْتِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، أَمْ أَنْ تَكُونَ كَاهِنًا لِسِبْطٍ وَلِعَشِيرَةٍ فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ؟»

20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.

٢٠ فَطَابَ قَلْبُ ٱلْكَاهِنِ، وَأَخَذَ ٱلْأَفُودَ وَٱلتَّرَافِيمَ وَٱلتِّمْثَالَ ٱلْمَنْحُوتَ وَدَخَلَ فِي وَسَطِ ٱلشَّعْبِ.

21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the furniture before them.

٢١ ثُمَّ ٱنْصَرَفُوا وَذَهَبُوا وَوَضَعُوا ٱلْأَطْفَالَ وَٱلْمَاشِيَةَ وَٱلثَّقَلَ قُدَّامَهُمْ.

22 [And] when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that [were] in the houses near to Micah's house were collected, and overtook the children of Dan.

٢٢ وَلَمَّا ٱبْتَعَدُوا عَنْ بَيْتِ مِيخَا ٱجْتَمَعَ ٱلرِّجَالُ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي ٱلْبُيُوتِ ٱلَّتِي عِنْدَ بَيْتِ مِيخَا وَأَدْرَكُوا بَنِي دَانٍ،

23 And they cried to the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said to Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?

٢٣ وَصَاحُوا إِلَى بَنِي دَانٍ فَٱلْتَفَتُوا، وَقَالُوا لِمِيخَا: «مَا لَكَ صَرَخْتَ؟»

24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye have gone away: and what have I more? and what [is] this [that] ye say to me, What aileth thee?

٢٤ فَقَالَ: «آلِهَتِي ٱلَّتِي عَمِلْتُ قَدْ أَخَذْتُمُوهَا مَعَ ٱلْكَاهِنِ وَذَهَبْتُمْ، فَمَاذَا لِي بَعْدُ؟ وَمَا هَذَا تَقُولُونَ لِي: مَالَكَ؟»

25 And the children of Dan said to him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows rush upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.

٢٥ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَنُو دَانٍ: «لَا تُسَمِّعْ صَوْتَكَ بَيْنَنَا لِئَلَّا يَقَعَ بِكُمْ رِجَالٌ أَنْفُسُهُمْ مُرَّةٌ، فَتَنْزِعَ نَفْسَكَ وَأَنْفُسَ بَيْتِكَ».

26 And the children of Dan departed: and when Micah saw that they [were] too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

٢٦ وَسَارَ بَنُو دَانٍ فِي طَرِيقِهِمْ. وَلَمَّا رَأَى مِيخَا أَنَّهُمْ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ ٱنْصَرَفَ وَرَجَعَ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ.

27 And they took [the things] which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came to Laish, to a people [that were] at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

٢٧ وَأَمَّا هُمْ فَأَخَذُوا مَا صَنَعَ مِيخَا، وَٱلْكَاهِنَ ٱلَّذِي كَانَ لَهُ، وَجَاءُوا إِلَى لَايِشَ إِلَى شَعْبٍ مُسْتَرِيحٍ مُطْمَئِنٍّ، وَضَرَبُوهُمْ بِحَدِّ ٱلسَّيْفِ وَأَحْرَقُوا ٱلْمَدِينَةَ بِٱلنَّارِ.

28 And [there was] no deliverer, because it [was] far from Zidon, and they had no business with [any] man; and it was in the valley that [lieth] by Beth-rehob. And they built a city and dwelt in it.

٢٨ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ مَنْ يُنْقِذُ لِأَنَّهَا بَعِيدَةٌ عَنْ صِيْدُونَ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مَعَ إِنْسَانٍ، وَهِيَ فِي ٱلْوَادِي ٱلَّذِي لِبَيْتِ رَحُوبَ. فَبَنَوْا ٱلْمَدِينَةَ وَسَكَنُوا بِهَا.

29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel: but the name of the city [was] Laish at the first.

٢٩ وَدَعَوْا ٱسْمَ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ «دَانَ» بِٱسْمِ دَانٍ أَبِيهِمِ ٱلَّذِي وُلِدَ لِإِسْرَائِيلَ. وَلَكِنَّ ٱسْمَ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ أَوَّلًا «لَايِشُ».

30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

٣٠ وَأَقَامَ بَنُو دَانٍ لِأَنْفُسِهِمِ ٱلتِّمْثَالَ ٱلْمَنْحُوتَ. وَكَانَ يَهُونَاثَانُ ٱبْنُ جَرْشُومَ بْنِ مَنَسَّى هُوَ وَبَنُوهُ كَهَنَةً لِسِبْطِ ٱلدَّانِيِّينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ سَبْيِ ٱلْأَرْضِ.

31 And they set up for themselves Micah's graven image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

٣١ وَوَضَعُوا لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ تِمْثَالَ مِيخَا ٱلْمَنْحُوتَ ٱلَّذِي عَمِلَهُ، كُلَّ ٱلْأَيَّامِ ٱلَّتِي كَانَ فِيهَا بَيْتُ ٱللهِ فِي شِيلُوهَ.