The expedition of the men of Dan against Lais: in their way they rob Michas of his priest and his gods.

 1 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.
In diebus illis non erat rex in Israel, et tribus Dan quaerebat possessionem sibi, ut habitaret in ea : usque ad illum enim diem inter ceteras tribus sortem non acceperat.

 2 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:
Miserunt ergo filii Dan stirpis et familiae suae quinque viros fortissimos de Saraa et Esthaol, ut explorarent terram, et diligenter inspicerent : dixeruntque eis : Ite, et considerate terram. Qui cum pergentes venissent in montem Ephraim, et intrassent domum Michae, requieverunt ibi :

 3 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?
et agnoscentes vocem adolescentis Levitae, utentesque illius diversorio, dixerunt ad eum : Quis te huc adducit? quid hic agis? quam ob causam huc venire voluisti?

 4 He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest.
Qui respondit eis : Haec et haec praestitit mihi Michas, et me mercede conduxit, ut sim ei sacerdos.

 5 Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have effect.
Rogaverunt autem eum ut consuleret Dominum ut scire possent an prospero itinere pergerent, et res haberet effectum.

 6 He answered them: Go in peace, the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.
Qui respondit eis : Ite in pace : Dominus respicit viam vestram, et iter quo pergitis.

 7 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.
Euntes igitur quinque viri venerunt Lais : videruntque populum habitantem in ea absque ullo timore, juxta consuetudinem Sidoniorum, securum et quietum, nullo ei penitus resistente, magnarumque opum, et procul a Sidone atque a cunctis hominibus separatum.

 8 And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done? to whom they answered:
Reversique ad fratres suos in Saraa et Esthaol, et quid egissent sciscitantibus responderunt :

 9 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.
Surgite, ascendamus ad eos : vidimus enim terram valde opulentam et uberem : nolite negligere, nolite cessare : eamus, et possideamus eam : nullus erit labor.

 10 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.
Intrabimus ad securos, in regionem latissimam, tradetque nobis Dominus locum, in quo nullius rei penuria, eorum quae gignuntur in terra.

 11 There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war,
Profecti igitur sunt de cognatione Dan, id est, de Saraa et Esthaol, sexcenti viri accincti armis bellicis,

 12 And going up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim.
ascendentesque manserunt in Cariathiarim Judae : qui locus ex eo tempore Castrorum Dan nomen accepit, et est post tergum Cariathiarim.

 13 From thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas,
Inde transierunt in montem Ephraim. Cumque venissent ad domum Michae,

 14 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.
dixerunt quinque viri, qui prius missi fuerant ad considerandam terram Lais, ceteris fratribus suis : Nostis quod in domibus istis sit ephod, et theraphim, et sculptile, atque conflatile : videte quid vobis placeat.

 15 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.
Et cum paululum declinassent, ingressi sunt domum adolescentis Levitae, qui erat in domo Michae : salutaveruntque eum verbis pacificis.

 16 And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.
Sexcenti autem viri ita ut erant armati, stabant ante ostium.

 17 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.
At illi, qui ingressi fuerant domum juvenis, sculptile, et ephod, et theraphim, atque conflatile tollere nitebantur, et sacerdos stabat ante ostium, sexcentis viris fortissimis haud procul expectantibus.

 18 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?
Tulerunt igitur qui intraverant sculptile, ephod, et idola, atque conflatile. Quibus dixit sacerdos : Quid facitis?

 19 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?
Cui responderunt : Tace et pone digitum super os tuum : venique nobiscum, ut habeamus te patrem, ac sacerdotem. Quid tibi melius est, ut sis sacerdos in domo unius viri, an in una tribu et familia in Israel?

 20 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.
Quod cum audisset, acquievit sermonibus eorum, et tulit ephod, et idola, ac sculptile, et profectus est cum eis.

 21 And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle and all that was valuable,
Qui cum pergerent, et ante se ire fecissent parvulos ac jumenta, et omne quod erat pretiosum,

 22 And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them,
et jam a domo Michae essent procul, viri qui habitabant in aedibus Michae conclamantes secuti sunt,

 23 And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?
et post tergum clamare coeperunt. Qui cum respexissent, dixerunt ad Micham : Quid tibi vis? cur clamas?

 24 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?
Qui respondit : Deos meos, quos mihi feci, tulistis, et sacerdotem, et omnia quae habeo, et dicitis : Quid tibi est?

 25 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.
Dixeruntque ei filii Dan : Cave ne ultra loquaris ad nos, et veniant ad te viri animo concitati, et ipse cum omni domo tua pereas.

 26 And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.
Et sic coepto itinere perrexerunt. Videns autem Michas quod fortiores se essent, reversus est in domum suam.

 27 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,
Sexcenti autem viri tulerunt sacerdotem, et quae supra diximus : veneruntque in Lais ad populum quiescentem atque securum, et percusserunt eos in ore gladii : urbemque incendio tradiderunt,

 28 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.
nullo penitus ferente praesidium, eo quod procul habitarent a Sidone, et cum nullo hominum haberent quidquam societatis ac negotii. Erat autem civitas sita in regione Rohob : quam rursum exstruentes habitaverunt in ea,

 29 Calling the name of the city Dan after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.
vocato nomine civitatis Dan, juxta vocabulum patris sui, quem genuerat Israel, quae prius Lais dicebatur.

 30 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.
Posueruntque sibi sculptile, et Jonathan filium Gersam filii Moysi, ac filios ejus sacerdotes in tribu Dan, usque ad diem captivitatis suae.

 31 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.
Mansitque apud eos idolum Michae omni tempore, quo fuit domus Dei in Silo. In diebus illis non erat rex in Israel.