Atiirĩrĩri 18
1 Na rĩrĩ, matukũ-inĩ macio Isiraeli gũtiarĩ na mũthamaki. Na matukũ-inĩ macio mũhĩrĩga wa Dani nĩwacaragia kũndũ kwao gwa gũtũũra, tondũ matiegwatĩire igai rĩao gatagatĩ-inĩ ka mĩhĩrĩga ya Isiraeli.
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.
2 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ a Dani magĩthuura njamba cia ita ithano kuuma Zora na Eshitaoli ithiĩ igathigaane bũrũri ũcio na ituĩrie ũhoro. Andũ a mũhĩrĩga wa Dani makĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Thiĩi, mũgatuĩrie ũhoro wa bũrũri ũcio.” Andũ acio magĩtoonya bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ irĩma wa Efiraimu na magĩkinya mũciĩ wa Mika kũrĩa maararĩrĩire ũtukũ ũcio.
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.
3 Na rĩrĩa maakuhĩrĩirie nyũmba ya Mika, magĩkũũrana mũgambo wa mwanake ũcio Mũlawii; nĩ ũndũ ũcio magĩtoonya kuo makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nũũ wakũrehire gũkũ? Nĩ kĩĩ ũreka kũndũ gũkũ? Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte ũkorwo ũrĩ gũkũ?”
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?”
4 Nake akĩmeera ũrĩa Mika aamwĩkĩire, akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “We nĩanyandĩkĩte na niĩ ndĩ mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai wake.”
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.”
5 Nao magĩcooka makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Twagũthaitha ũtũtuĩrĩrie ũhoro kũrĩ Ngai tũmenye kana rũgendo rwitũ nĩrũkũgaacĩra.”
So they said to him, “Please ask God if we will succeed [in what we are trying to do] on this journey.”
6 Nake mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai ũcio akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Thiĩi na thayũ. Rũgendo rwanyu nĩ rwĩtĩkĩrĩku nĩ Jehova.”
The young man replied, “Things will go well for you. Yahweh will go with you on this journey.”
7 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ acio atano makiuma kuo na magĩkinya Laishi, kũrĩa maakorire atĩ andũ maatũũraga na thayũ matarĩ na ũgwati, o ta andũ a Sidoni, mategwĩkũũa na mategwĩtigĩra. Na tondũ bũrũri wao ndwarĩ kĩndũ waagaga, maarĩ atongu. Ningĩ maatũũraga kũraya na andũ a Sidoni, na matiatarainie na mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ.
[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).
8 Na rĩrĩa maacookire Zora na Eshitaoli, ariũ a ithe makĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Mũronire atĩa?”
When those five men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them “What did you find out?”
9 Magĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ũkĩrai tũthiĩ tũkamatharĩkĩre! Nĩtuonete atĩ bũrũri ũcio nĩ mwega mũno. Anga gũtirĩ ũndũ mũgwĩka? Mũtigatithie gũthiĩ mũkaũtunyane.
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!
10 Mwakinya kuo, nĩmũgũkorerera andũ mategwĩkũũa ũgwati o na ũrĩkũ. Bũrũri ũcio nĩ mũnene ũrĩa Ngai aneanĩte moko-inĩ manyu, bũrũri ũtagaga kĩndũ o na kĩrĩkũ.”
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.”
11 Hĩndĩ ĩyo andũ magana matandatũ a kuuma mũhĩrĩga wa Dani, meeohete indo cia mbaara, makiumagara kuuma Zora na Eshitaoli.
So 600 men from the tribe of Dan left Zorah and Eshtaol, carrying their weapons.
12 Marĩ njĩra-inĩ, makĩamba hema ciao gũkuhĩ na Kiriathu-Jearimu kũu Juda. Nĩkĩo gĩtũmaga handũ hau he mwena wa ithũĩro rĩa Kiriathu-Jearimu heetwo Mahane-Dani nginya ũmũthĩ.
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.
13 Kuuma kũu magĩthiĩ na mbere nginya bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ irĩma wa Efiraimu na magĩkinya mũciĩ wa Mika.
From there, they went to the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim lives. And they arrived at Micah’s house.
14 Ningĩ andũ acio atano arĩa maathigaanĩte bũrũri ũcio wa Laishi makĩĩra ariũ a ithe atĩrĩ, “Inyuĩ nĩmũũĩ atĩ nyũmba ĩmwe ya ici ĩrĩ na ebodi, na ngai ingĩ cia nyũmba, na mũhianano mũicũhie, na mũhianano wa gũtwekio? Rĩu nĩmwamenya ũrĩa mũgwĩka.”
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]
15 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio magĩtoonya nyũmba ya mwanake ũcio Mũlawii o kũu mũciĩ kwa Mika na makĩmũgeithia.
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].
16 Nao andũ acio a Dani magana matandatũ meeohete indo cia mbaara makĩrũgama hau kĩhingo-inĩ.
The 600 men of the tribe of Dan stood outside the gate of the house, carrying their weapons.
17 Andũ acio atano arĩa maathigaanĩte bũrũri ũcio magĩtoonya thĩinĩ, makĩoya mũhianano ũrĩa mũicũhie, na ebodi, na ngai icio ingĩ cia nyũmba na mũhianano wa gũtwekio, nake mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai o na andũ acio magana matandatũ meeohete indo cia mbaara maarũgamĩte hau kĩhingo-inĩ.
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.
18 Rĩrĩa andũ acio maatoonyire nyũmba ya Mika na makĩoya mũhianano wa gwacũhio, na ebodi, na ngai icio ingĩ cia nyũmba, na mũhianano wa gũtwekio-rĩ, mũthĩnjĩri-ngai ũcio akĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ atĩa mũreka?”
When the priest saw them bringing out the idols and the sacred vest and the statue, he said to them, “What are you doing?”
19 Nao makĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Kira ki! Ndũkoige ũndũ. Ũka ũtwarane na ithuĩ, ũtuĩke ithe witũ na mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai witũ. Githĩ ti wega ũgĩtungatĩra rũrĩrĩ na mũhĩrĩga thĩinĩ wa Isiraeli ũrĩ mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai, handũ ha gũtungatĩra nyũmba ya mũndũ ũmwe?”
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]
20 Nake mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai ũcio agĩkena. Akĩoya ebodi, na ngai iria ingĩ cia nyũmba, na mũhianano ũrĩa mũicũhie, nake agĩthiĩ na andũ acio.
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.
21 Nao makĩhũndũka magĩthiĩ matongoretio nĩ ciana ciao iria nini na mahiũ mao, na indo ciao.
They all put their little children and their animals and everything else that they owned in front of them.
22 Rĩrĩa maakorirwo mathiĩte handũ haraaya kuuma nyũmba ya Mika-rĩ, andũ arĩa maatũũraga hakuhĩ na Mika makĩũngana hamwe na magĩkinyĩra andũ acio a Dani.
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.
23 O andũ acio makĩmoigagĩrĩria-rĩ, andũ a Dani makĩĩhũgũra makĩũria Mika atĩrĩ, “Kaĩ wona atĩa tondũ weta andũ aku othe marũe?”
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]?”
24 Akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Muoire ngai iria ndethondekeire, o na mũthĩnjĩri-ngai wakwa, na mwathiĩ. Nĩ kĩĩ kĩngĩ ngĩrĩ nakĩo? Mwakĩhota atĩa kũũria atĩrĩ, ‘Kaĩ wona atĩa?’”
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?’”
25 Andũ acio a Dani magĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Tiga gũkararania na ithuĩ, kana ũtharĩkĩrwo nĩ andũ amwe arĩa me marakara, nawe hamwe na nyũmba yaku mũũrwo nĩ mĩoyo yanyu.”
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!”
26 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ acio a Dani magĩĩthiĩra, nake Mika, ona atĩ maarĩ na hinya mũnene mũno kũmũkĩra, akĩhũndũka agĩcooka mũciĩ.
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.
27 Ningĩ makĩoya kĩrĩa Mika aathondekete, na mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai wake, magĩthiĩ nginya Laishi, magĩũkĩrĩra andũ maarĩ na thayũ na matekũũaga ũndũ. Makĩmatharĩkĩra na rũhiũ rwa njora na magĩcina itũũra rĩao inene.
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.
28 Gũtiarĩ na mũndũ wa kũmahonokia tondũ maatũũraga kũraihu na Sidoni na matiatarainie na mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ. Itũũra rĩu inene rĩarĩ gĩtuamba-inĩ kĩrĩa kĩarĩ hakuhĩ na Bethi-Rehobu. Andũ acio a Dani magĩaka itũũra rĩu inene rĩngĩ na magĩthaamĩra kuo.
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.
29 Makĩrĩĩta Dani o ta ithe wao Dani ũrĩa waciarĩtwo nĩ Isiraeli o na gũtuĩka itũũra rĩu inene rĩetagwo Laishi mbere ĩyo.
They gave to the city a [new] name, Dan, in honor of their ancestor Dan, who was one of the sons of Jacob.
30 Andũ a Dani makĩĩhaandĩra mĩhianano kũu, nake Jonathani mũrũ wa Gerishomu, mũrũ wa Musa, na ariũ ake magĩtuĩka athĩnjĩri-Ngai mũhĩrĩga-inĩ wa Dani nginya hĩndĩ ĩrĩa andũ acio maatahirwo makĩrutwo bũrũri ũcio.
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].
31 Magĩthiĩ na mbere kũhũthĩra mĩhianano ĩrĩa Mika aathondekete, ihinda rĩrĩa rĩothe nyũmba ya Ngai yarĩ Shilo.
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.
