שֹׁפְטִים 18

1 בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבַיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם שֵׁ֣בֶט הַדָּנִ֞י מְבַקֶּשׁ־לֹ֤ו נַֽחֲלָה֙ לָשֶׁ֔בֶת כִּי֩ לֹֽא־נָ֨פְלָה לֹּ֜ו עַד־הַיֹּ֥ום הַה֛וּא בְּתֹוךְ־שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּנַחֲלָֽה׃ ס

In those days there was no king in Israel. In those days the tribe of the Danites sought an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day, their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.

2 וַיִּשְׁלְח֣וּ בְנֵי־דָ֣ן ׀ מִֽמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּ֡ם חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֣ים מִקְצֹותָם֩ אֲנָשִׁ֨ים בְּנֵי־חַ֜יִל מִצָּרְעָ֣ה וּמֵֽאֶשְׁתָּאֹ֗ל לְרַגֵּ֤ל אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וּלְחָקְרָ֔הּ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְכ֖וּ חִקְר֣וּ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ הַר־אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ עַד־בֵּ֣ית מִיכָ֔ה וַיָּלִ֖ינוּ שָֽׁם׃

The children of Dan sent five men of their family from their whole number, men of valor, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it. They said to them, “Go, explore the land!” They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

3 הֵ֚מָּה עִם־בֵּ֣ית מִיכָ֔ה וְהֵ֣מָּה הִכִּ֔ירוּ אֶת־קֹ֥ול הַנַּ֖עַר הַלֵּוִ֑י וַיָּס֣וּרוּ שָׁ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לֹו֙ מִֽי־הֱבִיאֲךָ֣ הֲלֹ֔ם וּמָֽה־אַתָּ֥ה עֹשֶׂ֛ה בָּזֶ֖ה וּמַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹֽה׃

When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; so they went over there and said to him, “Who brought you here? What do you do in this place? What do you have here?”

4 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כָּזֹ֣ה וְכָזֶ֔ה עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י מִיכָ֑ה וַיִּשְׂכְּרֵ֕נִי וָאֱהִי־לֹ֖ו לְכֹהֵֽן׃

He said to them, “Thus and thus has Micah dealt with me, and he has hired me, and I have become his priest.”

5 וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ לֹ֖ו שְׁאַל־נָ֣א בֵאלֹהִ֑ים וְנֵ֣דְעָ֔ה הֲתַצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכֵּ֔נוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנַ֖חְנוּ הֹלְכִ֥ים עָלֶֽיהָ׃

They said to him, “Please ask counsel of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.”

6 וַיֹּ֧אמֶר לָהֶ֛ם הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לְכ֣וּ לְשָׁלֹ֑ום נֹ֣כַח יְהוָ֔ה דַּרְכְּכֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־בָֽהּ׃ פ

The priest said to them, “Go in peace. Your way in which you go is before the LORD.”

7 וַיֵּלְכוּ֙ חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ לָ֑יְשָׁה וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ יֹושֶֽׁבֶת־לָ֠בֶטַח כְּמִשְׁפַּ֨ט צִדֹנִ֜ים שֹׁקֵ֣ט ׀ וּבֹטֵ֗חַ וְאֵין־מַכְלִ֨ים דָּבָ֤ר בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ יֹורֵ֣שׁ עֶ֔צֶר וּרְחֹקִ֥ים הֵ֙מָּה֙ מִצִּ֣דֹנִ֔ים וְדָבָ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם עִם־אָדָֽם׃

Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in safety, in the way of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no one in the land possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with anyone else.

8 וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־אֲחֵיהֶ֔ם צָרְעָ֖ה וְאֶשְׁתָּאֹ֑ל וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם מָ֥ה אַתֶּֽם׃

They came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brothers asked them, “What do you say?”

9 וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ ק֚וּמָה וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כִּ֤י רָאִ֙ינוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֥ה טֹובָ֖ה מְאֹ֑ד וְאַתֶּ֣ם מַחְשִׁ֔ים אַל־תֵּעָ֣צְל֔וּ לָלֶ֥כֶת לָבֹ֖א לָרֶ֥שֶׁת אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

They said, “Arise, and let’s go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. Do you stand still? Don’t be slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land.

10 כְּבֹאֲכֶ֞ם תָּבֹ֣אוּ ׀ אֶל־עַ֣ם בֹּטֵ֗חַ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ רַחֲבַ֣ת יָדַ֔יִם כִּֽי־נְתָנָ֥הּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם מָקֹום֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵֽין־שָׁ֣ם מַחְסֹ֔ור כָּל־דָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

When you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people, and the land is large; for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.”

11 וַיִּסְע֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ מִמִּשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַדָּנִ֔י מִצָּרְעָ֖ה וּמֵאֶשְׁתָּאֹ֑ל שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵאֹ֣ות אִ֔ישׁ חָג֖וּר כְּלֵ֥י מִלְחָמָֽה׃

The family of the Danites set out from Zorah and Eshtaol with six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

12 וַֽיַּעֲל֗וּ וַֽיַּחֲנ֛וּ בְּקִרְיַ֥ת יְעָרִ֖ים בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֡ן קָרְאוּ֩ לַמָּקֹ֨ום הַה֜וּא מַחֲנֵה־דָ֗ן עַ֚ד הַיֹּ֣ום הַזֶּ֔ה הִנֵּ֕ה אַחֲרֵ֖י קִרְיַ֥ת יְעָרִֽים׃

They went up and encamped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. Therefore they call that place Mahaneh Dan to this day. Behold, it is behind Kiriath Jearim.

13 וַיַּעַבְר֥וּ מִשָּׁ֖ם הַר־אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ עַד־בֵּ֥ית מִיכָֽה׃

They passed from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

14 וַֽיַּעֲנ֞וּ חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַהֹלְכִים֮ לְרַגֵּל֮ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ לַיִשׁ֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־אֲחֵיהֶ֔ם הַיְדַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֠י יֵ֣שׁ בַּבָּתִּ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ אֵפֹ֣וד וּתְרָפִ֔ים וּפֶ֖סֶל וּמַסֵּכָ֑ה וְעַתָּ֖ה דְּע֥וּ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֽׂוּ׃

Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brothers, “Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a carved image, and a molten image? Now therefore consider what you have to do.”

15 וַיָּס֣וּרוּ שָׁ֔מָּה וַיָּבֹ֛אוּ אֶל־בֵּֽית־הַנַּ֥עַר הַלֵּוִ֖י בֵּ֣ית מִיכָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ־לֹ֖ו לְשָׁלֹֽום׃

They went over there and came to the house of the young Levite man, even to the house of Micah, and asked him how he was doing.

16 וְשֵׁשׁ־מֵאֹ֣ות אִ֗ישׁ חֲגוּרִים֙ כְּלֵ֣י מִלְחַמְתָּ֔ם נִצָּבִ֖ים פֶּ֣תַח הַשָּׁ֑עַר אֲשֶׁ֖ר מִבְּנֵי־דָֽן׃

The six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

17 וֽ͏ַיַּעֲל֞וּ חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַהֹלְכִים֮ לְרַגֵּ֣ל אֶת־הָאָרֶץ֒ בָּ֣אוּ שָׁ֔מָּה לָקְח֗וּ אֶת־הַפֶּ֙סֶל֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣אֵפֹ֔וד וְאֶת־הַתְּרָפִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמַּסֵּכָ֑ה וְהַכֹּהֵ֗ן נִצָּב֙ פֶּ֣תַח הַשַּׁ֔עַר וְשֵׁשׁ־מֵאֹ֣ות הָאִ֔ישׁ הֶחָג֖וּר כְּלֵ֥י הַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

The five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the engraved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

18 וְאֵ֗לֶּה בָּ֚אוּ בֵּ֣ית מִיכָ֔ה וַיִּקְחוּ֙ אֶת־פֶּ֣סֶל הָאֵפֹ֔וד וְאֶת־הַתְּרָפִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמַּסֵּכָ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן מָ֥ה אַתֶּ֖ם עֹשִֽׂים׃

When these went into Micah’s house, and took the engraved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ לֹ֨ו הַחֲרֵ֜שׁ שִֽׂים־יָדְךָ֤ עַל־פִּ֙יךָ֙ וְלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֔נוּ וֶֽהְיֵה־לָ֖נוּ לְאָ֣ב וּלְכֹהֵ֑ן הֲטֹ֣וב ׀ הֱיֹותְךָ֣ כֹהֵ֗ן לְבֵית֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד אֹ֚ו הֱיֹותְךָ֣ כֹהֵ֔ן לְשֵׁ֥בֶט וּלְמִשְׁפָּחָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

They said to him, “Hold your peace, put your hand on your mouth, and go with us. Be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?”

20 וַיִּיטַב֙ לֵ֣ב הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵפֹ֔וד וְאֶת־הַתְּרָפִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַפָּ֑סֶל וַיָּבֹ֖א בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעָֽם׃

The priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, the teraphim, and the engraved image, and went with the people.

21 וַיִּפְנ֖וּ וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וַיָּשִׂ֨ימוּ אֶת־הַטַּ֧ף וְאֶת־הַמִּקְנֶ֛ה וְאֶת־הַכְּבוּדָּ֖ה לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃

So they turned and departed, and put the little ones, the livestock, and the goods before them.

22 הֵ֥מָּה הִרְחִ֖יקוּ מִבֵּ֣ית מִיכָ֑ה וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּבָּתִּים֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עִם־בֵּ֣ית מִיכָ֔ה נִֽזְעֲק֔וּ וַיַּדְבִּ֖יקוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי־דָֽן׃

When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan.

23 וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ אֶל־בְּנֵי־דָ֔ן וַיַּסֵּ֖בּוּ פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְמִיכָ֔ה מַה־לְּךָ֖ כִּ֥י נִזְעָֽקְתָּ׃

As they called to the children of Dan, they turned their faces, and said to Micah, “What ails you, that you come with such a company?”

24 וַיֹּ֡אמֶר אֶת־אֱלֹהַי֩ אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֨יתִי לְקַחְתֶּ֧ם וְֽאֶת־הַכֹּהֵ֛ן וַתֵּלְכ֖וּ וּמַה־לִּ֣י עֹ֑וד וּמַה־זֶּ֛ה תֹּאמְר֥וּ אֵלַ֖י מַה־לָּֽךְ׃

He said, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away! What more do I have? How can you ask me, ‘What ails you?’”

25 וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ בְּנֵי־דָ֔ן אַל־תַּשְׁמַ֥ע קֹולְךָ֖ עִמָּ֑נוּ פֶּֽן־יִפְגְּע֣וּ בָכֶ֗ם אֲנָשִׁים֙ מָ֣רֵי נֶ֔פֶשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ֥ה נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ בֵּיתֶֽךָ׃

The children of Dan said to him, “Don’t let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall on you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household.”

26 וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ בְנֵי־דָ֖ן לְדַרְכָּ֑ם וַיַּ֣רְא מִיכָ֗ה כִּי־חֲזָקִ֥ים הֵ֙מָּה֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וַיִּ֖פֶן וַיָּ֥שָׁב אֶל־בֵּיתֹֽו׃

The children of Dan went their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

27 וְהֵ֨מָּה לָקְח֜וּ אֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה מִיכָ֗ה וְֽאֶת־הַכֹּהֵן֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָה־לֹו֒ וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ עַל־לַ֗יִשׁ עַל־עַם֙ שֹׁקֵ֣ט וּבֹטֵ֔חַ וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֹותָ֖ם לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וְאֶת־הָעִ֖יר שָׂרְפ֥וּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃

They took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, and struck them with the edge of the sword; then they burned the city with fire.

28 וְאֵ֨ין מַצִּ֜יל כִּ֧י רְֽחֹוקָה־הִ֣יא מִצִּידֹ֗ון וְדָבָ֤ר אֵין־לָהֶם֙ עִם־אָדָ֔ם וְהִ֕יא בָּעֵ֖מֶק אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְבֵית־רְחֹ֑וב וַיִּבְנ֥וּ אֶת־הָעִ֖יר וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ בָֽהּ׃

There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone else; and it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. They built the city and lived in it.

29 וַיִּקְרְא֤וּ שֵׁם־הָעִיר֙ דָּ֔ן בְּשֵׁם֙ דָּ֣ן אֲבִיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוּלַּ֖ד לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאוּלָ֛ם לַ֥יִשׁ שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃

They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; however the name of the city used to be Laish.

30 וַיָּקִ֧ימוּ לָהֶ֛ם בְּנֵי־דָ֖ן אֶת־הַפָּ֑סֶל וִ֠יהֹונָתָן בֶּן־גֵּרְשֹׁ֨ם בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֜ה ה֣וּא וּבָנָ֗יו הָי֤וּ כֹהֲנִים֙ לְשֵׁ֣בֶט הַדָּנִ֔י עַד־יֹ֖ום גְּלֹ֥ות הָאָֽרֶץ׃

The children of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.

31 וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּ לָהֶ֔ם אֶת־פֶּ֥סֶל מִיכָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה כָּל־יְמֵ֛י הֱיֹ֥ות בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃ פ

So they set up for themselves Micah’s engraved image which he made, and it remained all the time that God’s house was in Shiloh.