Abbootii Murtii 18
1 Yeroo sanatti Israaʼel keessa mootiin hin jiru ture. Sababii hamma yeroo sanaatti gosoota Israaʼel gidduutti dhaalli isaaniif hin kennaminiif gosti Daan iddoo qubatan barbaaddachaa turan.
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 Kanaafuu warri Daan akka isaan biyya sana basaasanii fi magaalaa Zoraatii fi Eshitaaʼol keessaa namoota jajjaboo shan ergan. Namoonni kunneenis gosoota isaanii hunda iddoo buʼan. Warra erganiinis, “Dhaqaatii biyyattii sakattaʼaa” jedhan. Ergamoonni sunis biyya gaaraa Efreemiitti ol baʼanii mana Miikaa dhufan; halkan sanas achi bulan.
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 Isaanis yommuu mana Miikaa bira gaʼanitti sagalee dargaggeessa Lewwicha sanaa hubatan; kanaafuu itti goranii, “Eenyutu as si fide? Ati maal asii goota? Maaliifis as dhufte?” jedhanii isa gaafatan.
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 Innis, “Miikaatu na qaxarate; anis luba isaa ti” jedhee waan inni isaaf godhe isaanitti hime.
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 Isaanis, “Maaloo mee akka karaan keenya milkaaʼuu fi akka hin milkoofne Waaqa nuu gaafadhu” jedhaniin.
So they said to him, “Please ask God if we will succeed [in what we are trying to do] on this journey.”
6 Lubichis, “Nagaan deemaa; Waaqayyo karaa keessan isinii mijeesseera” isaaniin jedhe.
The young man replied, “Things will go well for you. Yahweh will go with you on this journey.”
7 Kanaafuu namoonni shanan sun kaʼanii Laayish dhaqan; akka namoonni achi jiraatan, akkuma warra Siidoonaa sodaa tokko malee nagaadhaan jiraatanis argan. Isaanis sababii lafti isaanii waan hunda qabduuf jireenya badhaadhaa jiraatan. Akkasumas sababii warra Siidoonaa irraa fagaatanii jiraachaa turaniif isaan eenyuma wajjinuu walitti dhufeenya tokko illee hin qaban ture.
[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 Yommuu isaan Zoraa fi Eshitaaʼolitti deebiʼanitti obboloonni isaanii, “Oduu maalii qabattanii deebitan?” jedhanii isaan gaafatan.
When those five men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them “What did you find out?”
9 Isaanis deebisanii akkana jedhaniin; “Kaʼaa dhaqnee isaan lollaa! Nu akka biyyattiin gabbattuu taate argineerra. Isin waan kana ittuma dhiiftuu? Dhaqxanii qabachuu hin maminaa.
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 Isinis yommuu achi geessanitti saba yaaddoo tokko malee jiraatuu fi biyya balʼaa Waaqni dabarsee harka keessanitti isinii kennu kan wanni tokko iyyuu itti hin hirʼatin argattu.”
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 Kana irratti gosa Daan keessaa namoonni dhibba jaʼa miʼa lolaa hidhatanii Zoraa fi Eshitaaʼolii kaʼan.
So 600 men from the tribe of Dan left Zorah and Eshtaol, carrying their weapons.
12 Ol baʼaniis Yihuudaa keessa iddoo Kiriyaati Yeʼaariim jedhamu bira qubatan. Sababii kanaaf iddoon sun hamma harʼaatti qubata Daan jedhamee waamama; qubanni sunis gama lixa Kiriyaati Yeʼaariimitti argama.
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 Isaanis achii itti fufanii gara biyya gaaraa Efreemitti ol baʼanii mana Miikaa dhufan.
From there, they went to the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim lives. And they arrived at Micah’s house.
14 Namoonni Shanan biyya Laayish basaasanii turan sunis, obboloota isaaniitiin, “Isin akka manneen kana keessaa tokko dirata, fakkii waaqota tolfamoo mana keessaa, fakkii soofamee fi fakkii meetiin itti uffifame qabu beektuu? Amma waan gochuu qabdan beekaa” jedhan.
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 Kanaafuu isaan achi goranii mana Miikaa iddoo Lewwichi dargaggeessi sun jiraatu dhufanii nagaa isa gaafatan.
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 Namoonni Daan warri miʼa lolaa hidhatan dhibbi jaʼaan balbala ittiin karra seenan irra dhaabatanii turan.
The 600 men of the tribe of Dan stood outside the gate of the house, carrying their weapons.
17 Namoonni biyyattii basaasan shanan ol galanii fakkii soofame, dirata, waaqota tolfamoo mana keessaatii fi Waaqa tolfamaa baqfamee hojjetame fudhatan. Yeroo kanatti lubni sunii fi namoonni miʼa lolaa hidhatan dhibbi jaʼaan balbala ittiin karra seenan irra dhaabachaa turan.
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 Yommuu namoonni kunneen mana Miikaa seenanii fakkii soofame, dirata, waaqota tolfamoo mana keessaa biraatii fi Waaqa baqfamee hojjetame fudhatanitti lubichi, “Isin maal hojjechaa jirtu?” Isaaniin jedhe.
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 Isaanis, “Calʼisi! Afaan kee qabadhu; nu faana kottuutii abbaa fi luba nuu taʼi. Mana nama tokkoo keessa tajaajiluu irra sanyii fi gosa Israaʼeliif luba taatee tajaajiluu siif hin wayyuu?” jedhaniin.
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 Lubni sun ni gammade. Innis dirata, waaqota tolfamoo mana keessaa biraatii fi fakkii soofame sana fudhatee isaan wajjin deeme.
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 Isaanis, ijoollee isaanii xixinnoo, horii isaaniitii fi qabeenya isaanii of dura buusanii of irra garagalanii qajeelan.
They all put their little children and their animals and everything else that they owned in front of them.
22 Yeroo isaan mana Miikaa irraa xinnoo fagaatanii deemanittis, namoonni ollaa mana Miikaa wal waamanii namoota Daan duukaa buʼanii qaqqaban.
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 Isaan itti iyyinaan warri Daan of irra garagalanii Miikaadhaan, “Ati maal barbaaddee namoota kee waammattee nu loluuf dhufte?” jedhan.
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 Innis deebisee, “Isin waaqota ani tolfadhee fi luba koo fudhattaniirtu. Wanni naa hafe maaltu jira? Yoos isin akkamitti, ‘Maali taate?’ naan jettu ree?”
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 Namoonni Daanis, “Afaan kee nutti hin banin; yoo kanaa achii namoonni obsa hin qabne tokko tokko si dhaʼu; atii fi maatiin kees lubbuu keessan dhabdu” jedhaniin.
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 Ergasii namoonni Daan karaa isaanii itti fufan; Miikaan akka isaan humna isaatii ol taʼan hubatee of irra garagalee gara mana ofii isaatti qajeele.
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 Isaan waan Miikaan tolfatee fi luba isaa fudhatanii Laayishitti qajeelanii saba yaaddoo tokko malee nagaan jiraatutti duulan. Goraadeedhaan isaan fixanii magaalaa isaaniis guban.
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 Sababii isaan Siidoon irraa fagaatanii jiraatanii fi eenyuma wajjin walitti dhufeenya hin qabneef kan isaan baraaru tokko iyyuu hin jiru ture. Magaalaan sun sulula keessa Beet Rehooboot biratti argamti turte. Namoonni Daan magaalaa sana deebisanii ijaaruudhaan achi jiraatan.
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 Magaalaan sun duraan Laayish jedhamti turte; isaan garuu Daan jedhanii maqaa abbaa isaanii Daan namicha Israaʼeliif dhalate sanaatiin moggaasan.
They gave to the city a [new] name, Dan, in honor of their ancestor Dan, who was one of the sons of Jacob.
30 Achittis namoonni Daan ofii isaaniitiif waaqota tolfamoo dhaabbatan; Yoonaataan ilmi Geershoom, ilmi Musee sunii fi ilmaan isaa hamma biyyattiin boojiʼamtetti luboota gosa Daan turan.
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 Kanaafuu isaan ittuma fufanii bara manni Waaqaa Shiiloo ture guutuu waaqota Miikaan tolfatetti fayyadamaa turan.
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.
