Abahluleli 18
1 Ngalezonsuku u-Israyeli wayengelankosi. Njalo ngalezonsuku abosendo lukaDani babedinga indawo engeyabo, lapho ababengahlala khona, ngoba babengakabi sendaweni eyilifa labo phakathi kwezizwana zako-Israyeli.
In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for unto that day they had not received their lot among the other tribes.
2 Ngakho abakoDani bathuma amabutho amahlanu avela eZora lase-Eshithawoli ukuyahlola ilizwe lokulibona. Amadoda la ayemele zonke insendo zakibo. Zathi kubo, “Hambani liyehlola ilizwe.” Amadoda lawo angena elizweni lezintaba elako-Efrayimi ayafika endlini kaMikha, lapho alala khona.
So the children of Dan sent five most valiant men of their stock and family from Saraa and Esthaol, to spy out the land, and to view it diligently: and they said to them: Go, and view the land. They went on their way, and when they came to mount Ephraim, they went into the house of Michas, and rested there:
3 Kwathi eseseduze lendlu kaMikha alazi ilizwi lejaha elingumLevi; ngakho aphendukela khona alibuza athi, “Ngubani owakuletha lapha? Wenzani kule indawo? Ufunani lapha?”
And knowing the voice of the young man the Levite, and lodging with him, they said to him: Who brought thee hither? what dost thou here? why wouldst thou come hither?
4 Lawatshela elalikwenziwe nguMikha, laselisithi, “Ungiqatshile njalo ngingumphristi wakhe.”
He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest.
5 Asesithi kulo, “Ake usibuzele kuNkulunkulu ukuthi uhambo lwethu luzaphumelela na.”
Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have effect.
6 Umphristi wawaphendula wathi, “Hambani ngokuthula. Uhambo lwenu luvunyelwe nguThixo.”
He answered them: Go in peace, the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.
7 Ngakho amadoda amahlanu lawo asuka aya eLayishi, lapho abona ukuthi abantu bakhona babezihlalele bevikelekile njengamaSidoni, belokuthula njalo bevikelekile. Njalo babehlezi khatshana lamaSidoni njalo bengelabuhlobo lomunye umuntu.
So the five men going on came to Lais: and they saw how the people dwelt therein without any fear, according to the custom of the Sidonians, secure and easy, having no man at all to oppose them, being very rich, and living separated, at a distance from Sidon and from all men.
8 Esebuyele eZora lase-Eshithawoli, abafowabo bawabuza bathi, “Libone kunjani?”
And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done? to whom they answered:
9 Aphendula athi, “Phangisani, kasibahlaseleni! Sibonile ukuthi ilizwe lelo lihle kakhulu. Kaliyikwenza lutho na? Lingazilazili ukuya khonale lilithathe.
Arise, and let us go up to them: for we have seen the land which is exceeding rich and fruitful: neglect not, lose no time: let us go and possess it, there will be no difficulty.
10 Ekufikeni khonale lizathola abantu abanganqinekeli lutho lelizwe elibanzi uNkulunkulu aselifake ezandleni zenu, ilizwe elingasweli lutho.”
We shall come to a people that is secure, into a spacious country, and the Lord will deliver the place to us, in which there is no want of any thing that groweth on the earth.
11 Lapho-ke amadoda osendo lwakoDani angamakhulu ayisithupha ahlomela ukulwa, asesuka eZora kanye le-Eshithawoli.
There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war,
12 Ekuhambeni kwawo amisa izihonqo eduze leKhiriyathi-Jeyarimi koJuda. Yikho-nje indawo esentshonalanga kweKhiriyathi-Jeyarimi ithiwa yiMahane Dani kuze kube lamhla.
And going up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim.
13 Esuka lapho aya elizweni lezintaba elako-Efrayimi afika endlini kaMikha.
From thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas,
14 Amadoda amahlanu ayehambe ukuyahlola ilizwe leLayishi athi kubafowabo bakoDani, “Liyakwazi yini ukuthi enye yalezizindlu ilesembatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini, lesithombe esihuqwe ngesiliva? Khathesi selikwazi okumele likwenze.”
The five men, that before had been sent to view the land of Lais, said to the rest of their brethren: You know that in these houses there is an ephod, and theraphim, and a graven, and a molten god: see what you are pleased to do.
15 Ngakho-ke aphambukela khona aya endlini yejaha elingumLevi koMikha, alibingelela.
And when they had turned a little aside, they went into the house of the young man the Levite, who was in the house of Michas: and they saluted him with words of peace.
16 AbakoDani abangamakhulu ayisithupha, ababehlomele ukulwa, bema entubeni yesango.
And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.
17 Abahlanu ababeyehlola ilizwe bangena phakathi bathatha isithombe esibaziweyo, lesembatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini, umphristi lamadoda ahlomileyo angamakhulu ayisithupha bemi entubeni yesango.
But they that were gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting not far off.
18 Kwathi amadoda la esengene endlini kaMikha athatha isithombe esibaziweyo, lesembatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini kanye lesithombe esibunjiweyo, umphristi wathi kubo, “Lenzani na?”
So they that were gone in took away the graven thing, the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god. And the priest said to them: What are you doing?
19 Amphendula athi, “Thula! Ungatsho lutho. Woza uhambe lathi, ube ngubaba lomphristi wethu. Akungcono yini ukuthi usebenzele isizwana losendo lwako-Israyeli njengomphristi kulabendlu yomuntu oyedwa?”
And they said to him: Hold thy peace and put thy finger on thy mouth and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family in Israel?
20 Umphristi wathokoza. Wathatha isembatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini kanye lesithombe esibaziweyo wahamba labantu.
When he had heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.
21 Sebefake abantwababo abancane, lezifuyo zabo kanye lempahla zabo phambi kwabo, baphenduka bahamba.
And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle and all that was valuable,
22 Sebehambe isibanga esithize besuka endlini kaMikha, abantu ababehlala eduzane lendlu kaMikha babizelwa ndawonye baxhuma abakoDani.
And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them,
23 Kwathi bebamemeza, abakoDani baphendula bathi kuMikha, “Kungani ubize abantu bakho ukuba balwe?”
And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?
24 Yena waphendula wathi, “Lithethe onkulunkulu engabenzayo lomphristi wami, lahamba. Kuyini okunye engilakho? Lingangibuza kanjani lisithi, ‘Uhlutshwa yini na?’”
And he answered: You have taken away my gods which I have made me and the priest, and all that I have, and do you say: What aileth thee?
25 AbakoDani baphendula bathi, “Ungaphikisani lathi, hlezi abanye abantu abalolaka bakuhlasele, kuthi wena labendlu yakho lilahlekelwe yikuphila kwenu.”
And the children of Dan said to him: See thou say no more to us, lest men enraged come upon thee, and thou perish with all thy house.
26 Ngakho abakoDani bazihambela, kwathi uMikha ebona ukuthi babelamandla kakhulu kulaye, waphenduka wabuyela emzini wakhe.
And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.
27 Bathatha okwakwenziwe nguMikha, lomphristi wakhe, baya eLayishi, ebantwini ababelokuthula njalo bengethuki lutho. Babahlasela ngenkemba batshisa ledolobho labo.
And the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we spoke of before, and came to Lais to a people that was quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword: and the city was burnt with fire,
28 Kakho owayengabahlenga ngoba babehlezi khatshana kakhulu leSidoni bengelabuhlobo lamuntu. Idolobho lalisesigodini eduze leBhethi-Rehobhi. AbakoDani balakha kutsha idolobho lelo bahlala kulo.
There being no man at all who brought them any succour, because they dwelt far from Sidon, and had no society or business with any man. And the city was in the land of Rohob: and they rebuilt it and dwelt therein.
29 Balibiza ngokuthi yiDani ibizo likakhokho wabo uDani, owayezalwa ngu-Israyeli, lanxa idolobho lalikade lithiwa yiLayishi.
Calling the name of the city Dan after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.
30 AbakoDani bazimisela izithombe khona, njalo uJonathani indodana kaGeshomu, indodana kaMosi, lamadodana akhe babengabaphristi besizwana sikaDani kwaze kwaba yisikhathi sokuthunjwa kwelizwe.
And they set up to themselves the graven idol, and Jonathan the son of Gersam the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests in the tribe of Dan, until the day of their captivity.
31 Baqhubeka basebenzisa izithombe ezazenziwe nguMikha, ngasosonke isikhathi indlu kaNkulunkulu iseShilo.
And the idol of Michas remained with them all the time that the house of God was in Silo. In those days there was no king in Israel.
