Atemmufoɔ 18

1 Saa ɛberɛ no mu na Israel nni ɔhene. Na Dan abusuakuo rehwehwɛ baabi atena, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔntumi mpamoo nnipa a wɔte asase a wɔde maa wɔn no so.

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

2 Enti, mmarima a wɔfiri Dan abusuakuo yii akofoɔ enum a na wɔte Sora ne Estaol sɛ wɔnkɔpɛ asase a wɔbɛtumi atena so. Ɛberɛ a saa akofoɔ yi duruu Efraim bepɔ asase so no, wɔkɔɔ Mika fie kɔdaa hɔ anadwo no.

And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their whole number, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: and they came to the hill country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, and lodged there.

3 Wɔtiee Lewini aberanteɛ no sɛdeɛ ɔkasa no, wɔde no kɔɔ nkyɛn bisaa no sɛ, “Hwan na ɔde wo baa ha na ɛdeɛn na woreyɛ? Na adɛn enti na wowɔ ha?”

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

4 Ɔkaa nhyehyɛeɛ a ɔne Mika ayɛ kyerɛɛ wɔn na ɔkyerɛɛ mu sɛ, ɔyɛ ɔsɔfoɔ ma Mika.

And he said unto them, Thus and thus hath Micah dealt with me, and he hath hired me, and I am become his priest.

5 Na wɔkaa sɛ, “Bisa Awurade ma yɛn sɛ yɛn akwantuo yi bɛsi yie anaasɛ ɛrensi yie.”

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

6 Ɔsɔfoɔ no kaa sɛ, “Monkɔ no asomdwoeɛ mu, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛdi mo anim wɔ mo akwantuo no mu.”

And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.

7 Na mmarima baanum no kɔɔ kuro bi a wɔfrɛ no Lais mu. Wɔhunuu sɛ nnipa a hwee mfa wɔn ho te sɛ Sidonfoɔ na ɛte hɔ. Na wɔwɔ asomdwoeɛ ne banbɔ. Na nnipa no wɔ sika, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔn asase no yɛ asase bereɛ. Na wɔne Sidon ntam twe yie, na wɔnni adɔmfoɔ a wɔbɛn.

Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt in security, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; for there was none in the land, possessing authority, that might put [them] to shame in any thing, and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no dealings with any man.

8 Ɛberɛ a wɔsane kɔɔ Sora ne Estaol no, wɔn nuanom bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na mohunuiɛ?”

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

9 Na wɔbuaa sɛ, “Momma yɛnkɔto nhyɛ wɔn so! Yɛahunu asase no na ɛyɛ pa ara. Monntwentwɛn mo nan ase koraa, monkɔfa asase no.

And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slofthful to go and to enter in to possess the land.

10 Sɛ moduru hɔ a, mobɛhunu nnipa a hwee mfa wɔn ho wɔ hɔ. Onyankopɔn ama yɛn asase bereɛ yantamm a biribiara wɔ so.”

When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and the land is large: for God hath given it into your hand; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.

11 Enti, akofoɔ ahansia a wɔfiri Dan abusuakuo mu sii mu firii Sora ne Estaol.

And there set forth from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girt with weapons of war.

12 Wɔkyeree nsraban wɔ beaeɛ bi a ɛwɔ Kiriat-Yearim atɔeɛ fam wɔ Yuda asase so. Wɔfrɛ hɔ Mahane Dan bɛsi ɛnnɛ.

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

13 Wɔfiri hɔ no, wɔkɔɔ Efraim bepɔ asase no so, baa Mika fie.

And they passed thence unto the hill country of Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

14 Enti, mmarima baanum a wɔkɔsraa Lais asase no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn a aka no sɛ, “Asɔreeɛ bi wɔ ha a asɔfotadeɛ kronkron, abusua ahoni, nsɛsodeɛ a wɔasene ne ohoni a wɔagu ho wɔ hɔ. Monim deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ yɛyɛ.”

Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto 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.

15 Enti, mmarima baanum no kɔɔ Mika fie, baabi a Lewini aberanteɛ no teɛ na wɔkyeaa no fɛ so.

And they turned aside thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare.

16 Saa ɛberɛ no na akofoɔ ahansia a wɔfiri Dan abusuakuo mu no gyinagyina abɔntenpono no ano pɛɛ,

And the six hundred men girt with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.

17 na akwansrafoɔ baanum no kɔɔ asɔreeɛ hɔ, kɔfaa nsɛsodeɛ a wɔasene, asɔfotadeɛ kronkron, abusua ahoni ne ohoni a wɔagu no.

And the five men that went to spy out 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 by the entering of the gate with the six hundred men girt with weapons of war.

18 Ɛberɛ a ɔsɔfoɔ no hunuu sɛ mmarima no retwe akronkronneɛ no afiri Mika asɔreeɛ hɔ no, ɔbisaa wɔn sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na moreyɛ yi?”

And when these went into Micah’s house and fetched the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them, What do ye?

19 Wɔbuaa no sɛ, “Mua wʼano! Di yɛn akyi na bɛyɛ yɛn nyinaa agya ne yɛn ɔsɔfoɔ. Wonnye nni sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛyɛ Israel abusuakuo bi ɔsɔfoɔ sene sɛ wobɛyɛ onipa baako fidua mu ɔsɔfoɔ?”

And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be priest unto the house of one man, or to be priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?

20 Ɔsɔfoɔ aberanteɛ no ani gyeeɛ sɛ ɔne wɔn bɛkɔ. Enti ɔfaa asɔfotadeɛ kronkron no, abusua ahoni ne nsɛsodeɛ a wɔasene no.

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.

21 Wɔsiim bio de wɔn mma, nyɛmmoa ne wɔn agyapadeɛ, dii wɔn anim.

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

22 Ɛberɛ a Dan abusuakuo mu nnipa no afiri Mika fie kɔ akyirikyiri no, Mika ne nʼafipamfoɔ mu bi tii wɔn.

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

23 Wɔbɛn wɔn no wɔteateaam. Na Dan mmarima no danee wɔn ani kaa sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na morehwehwɛ? Adɛn enti na woafrɛ nnipa yi aboa ano na moretaa yɛn sei?”

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

24 Mika buaa sɛ, “Wobisa sɛ ɛdeɛn na worehwehwɛ a na wokyerɛ sɛn? Moafa mʼanyame nyinaa ne me ɔsɔfoɔ, na menni hwee bio!”

And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and are gone away, and what have I more? and how then say ye unto me, What aileth thee?

25 Dan mmarima no buaa sɛ, “Hwɛ deɛ woka no yie! Yɛn mu bi bo nkyɛre fu, anhwɛ a wɔn bo bɛfu na wɔakum wo ne wʼabusuafoɔ.”

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

26 Enti, Dan mmarima no toaa so kɔɔ wɔn kwan. Mika hunuu sɛ nnipa no dɔɔso a enti ɔntumi nto nhyɛ wɔn so no, ɔdanee ne ho kɔɔ efie.

And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.

27 Dan mmarima faa Mika ahoni ne ne ɔsɔfoɔ no de wɔn baa kuro Lais a emu nnipa wɔ asomdwoeɛ ne banbɔ no mu. Wɔto hyɛɛ emu nnipa no so, kunkumm wɔn nyinaa, hyee kuro no dworobɛɛ.

And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword; and they burnt the city with fire.

28 Na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛgye kuro no mufoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, na deɛ wɔte no ne Sidon mu twe na wɔnni adɔmfoɔ a wɔbɛn nso. Saa asɛm yi sii bɔnhwa a ɛbɛn Bet-Rehob no mu. Afei, Dan abusuakuo no mma sane kyekyeree kuro no, na wɔtenaa hɔ.

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

29 Wɔde kuro no too Dan a ɔyɛ wɔn tete agya Israel no ba, na kane no wɔfrɛ hɔ Lais.

And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.

30 Afei, wɔgyinaa nsɛsodeɛ a wɔasene no na wɔfaa Gersom babarima Yonatan a ɔyɛ Manase aseni sɛ wɔn ɔsɔfoɔ. Saa fie yi mu nnipa kɔɔ so yɛɛ asɔfoɔ maa Dan abusuakuo kɔsii Otukorɔ berɛ.

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

31 Enti Dan abusuakuo no toaa so somm nsɛsodeɛ a ɛyɛ Mika dea no wɔ ɛberɛ tenten a na Onyankopɔn Ahyiaeɛ Ntomadan no wɔ Silo.

So they set them up Micah’s graven image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.