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Fuko la Dani Likhala ku Laisi

18 Masiku amenewo munalibe mfumu mu Israeli.

Ndipo anthu a fuko la Dani amafunafuna malo okhalamo ngati cholowa chawo, chifukwa kufikira nthawi imeneyo anali asanalandire cholowa chawo pakati pa mafuko a Israeli. Choncho fuko la Dani linatumiza kuchokera ku mabanja awo onse anthu olimba mtima asanu. Anthuwa anachokera ku Zora ndi ku Esitaoli ndipo anatumidwa kukazonda ndi kuliyendera dzikolo. Anthu amenewa ankayimira fuko lonse la Dani. Anthuwa anawawuza kuti, “Pitani mukazonde dzikolo.”

Anthuwa anafika ku dziko la mapiri la Efereimu ndi kupita ku nyumba ya Mika komwe anakagona. Ali ku nyumba ya Mika anazindikira mawu a mnyamata, Mlevi uja. Choncho anapita kwa iye namufunsa kuti, “Unabwera ndi ndani kuno? Nanga ukuchita chiyani ku malo ano? Komanso nʼchifukwa chiyani uli kuno?”

Iye anawawuza zimene Mika anamuchitira ndipo anati, “Iye anandilemba ntchito ndipo ndine wansembe wake.”

Kenaka iwo anati kwa iye, “Chonde tifunsire kwa Mulungu kuti tidziwe ngati ulendo wathuwu tiyende bwino.”

Wansembeyo anawayankha kuti, “Pitani mu mtendere, Yehova ali ndi inu pa ulendo wanuwu.”

Choncho anthu asanuwo ananyamuka ndipo anafika ku Laisi, kumene anaona kuti anthu ankakhala mwabata monga anthu a ku Sidoni. Anali anthu opanda chowavuta ndiponso aphee. Tsono popeza mʼdziko mwawo analibe chosowa, iwo anali a chuma. Anaonanso kuti anthuwo ankakhala kutali ndi Sidoni ndipo analibe ubale ndi wina aliyense.

Ozonda dziko aja atabwerera kwa abale awo ku Zora ndi Esitaoli, abale awowo anawafunsa kuti, “Mwaonako zotani?”

“Tiyeni tikamenyane nawo nkhondo popeza taliona dziko lawolo kuti ndi lachonde kwambiri. Kodi simuchitapo kanthu? Musachite mphwayi kupita mʼdzikomo ndi kukalilanda. 10 Mukalowa, mukapeza anthu amene ali osatekeseka ndi dziko lalikulu. Yehova wakupatsani dziko limeneli. Malowo ngosasowa kanthu kalikonse kopezeka pa dziko lapansi.”

11 Kenaka anthu 600 a fuko la Dani ananyamuka ku Zora ndi Esitaoli atanyamula zida za nkhondo. 12 Tsono anakamanga msasa ku Kiriati-Yearimu mʼdziko la Yuda. Malowa ali kumadzulo kwa Kiriati-Yearimu. Ichi ndi chifukwa chake malowo akutchedwa Mahane Dani mpaka lero. 13 Kuchokera kumeneko anapita ku dziko lamapiri la Efereimu ndipo anafika ku nyumba ya Mika.

14 Anthu asanu amene anakazonda dziko la Laisi anati kwa abale awo, “Kodi mukudziwa kuti imodzi mwa nyumba izi muli efodi, mafano a mʼnyumba otchedwa terafimu, fano losema ndiponso fano lokuta ndi siliva? Ndiye mudziwe chochita.” 15 Choncho anthuwa anapatuka napita ku nyumba ya Mika kumene mnyamata, Mlevi uja ankakhala ndipo anamufunsa za mmene zinthu zilili. 16 Nthawi imeneyi nʼkuti anthu 600 a fuko la Dani aja atayima pa chipata atanyamula zida za nkhondo. 17 Anthu asanu amene anakazonda dziko aja analowa ndi kukatenga fano losema, efodi, fano la mʼnyumba lotchedwa terafimu, ndi fano lokutidwa ndi siliva. Nthawiyi nʼkuti wansembe uja ndi anthu 600 okhala ndi zida za nkhondo aja ali chiyimire pa chipata.

18 Anthuwo atalowa mʼnyumba ya Mika ndi kutenga fano losema, efodi, fano la mʼnyumba, ndi fano lokutidwa ndi siliva, wansembeyo anawafunsa kuti, “Kodi mukuchita chiyani?”

19 Iwo anamuyankha kuti, “Khala chete usayankhule. Tsagana nafe ndipo udzakhala mlangizi wathu ndi wansembe wathu. Kodi si kwabwino kwa iwe kukhala wansembe wa fuko lonse la Israeli mʼmalo mokhala wansembe wa munthu mmodzi yekha?” 20 Wansembeyo anakondwera ndipo anatenga efodi, fano la mʼnyumba ndi fano losema natsagana nawo. 21 Choncho iwo anatembenuka nachoka, atatsogoza ana, zoweta ndi katundu wawo yense.

22 Atayenda mtunda pangʼono kuchokera pa nyumba ya Mika, anthu amene amakhala pafupi ndi nyumba ya Mika anasonkhana kulondola a fuko la Dani aja, ndipo anawapeza. 23 Atawafuwulira, a fuko la Dani aja anachewuka ndipo anafunsa Mika kuti, “Chavuta nʼchiyani kuti usonkhanitse anthu chotere?”

24 Iye anayankha kuti, “Inu mwanditengera milungu imene ndinapanga pamodzi ndi wansembe nʼkumapita. Tsono ine ndatsala ndi chiyani? Ndiye inu mungafunse kuti chavuta nʼchiyani?”

25 Anthu a fuko la Dani aja anayankha kuti, “Usayankhuleponso kanthu chifukwa anthu awa angapse mtima nakumenya ndipo iwe ndi banja lako lonse nʼkutayapo miyoyo yanu.” 26 Choncho anthu a fuko la Dani anapitiriza ulendo wawo. Mika ataona kuti anthuwo anali amphamvu kuposa iye, anangotembenuka kubwerera kwawo.

27 Anthu a fuko la Dani aja anatenga zinthu zimene Mika anapanga pamodzi ndi wansembe uja. Iwo anakafika ku Laisi kwa anthu a phee, osatekeseka aja ndipo anawathira nkhondo, nawapha ndi kutentha mzindawo ndi moto. 28 Panalibe wowapulumutsa chifukwa anali kutali ndi Sidoni ndiponso sanali pa ubale ndi wina aliyense. Mzindawo unali mʼchigwa cha Beti-Rehobu.

Anthu a fuko la Adaniwo anawumanganso mzindawo ndi kumakhalamo. 29 Iwo anawutcha mzindawo Dani, kutengera dzina la kholo lawo Dani, amene anali mwana wa Israeli, ngakhale kuti mzindawo poyamba unali Laisi. 30 Anthu a fuko la Dani anayimiritsa fano losema lija. Yonatani mwana wa Geresomu, mwana wa Mose pamodzi ndi ana ake onse anakhala ansembe a fuko la Dani mpaka pa tsiku la ukapolo wa dzikolo. 31 Choncho anthu a fuko la Dani ankapembedza fano limene Mika anapanga nthawi yonse pamene nyumba ya Mulungu inali ku Silo.

The Danites Settle in Laish

18 In those days Israel had no king.(A)

And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking a place of their own where they might settle, because they had not yet come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.(B) So the Danites(C) sent five of their leading men(D) from Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out(E) the land and explore it. These men represented all the Danites. They told them, “Go, explore the land.”(F)

So they entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah,(G) where they spent the night. When they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite;(H) so they turned in there and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”

He told them what Micah had done for him, and said, “He has hired me and I am his priest.(I)

Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God(J) to learn whether our journey will be successful.”

The priest answered them, “Go in peace(K). Your journey has the Lord’s approval.”

So the five men(L) left and came to Laish,(M) where they saw that the people were living in safety, like the Sidonians, at peace and secure.(N) And since their land lacked nothing, they were prosperous.[a] Also, they lived a long way from the Sidonians(O) and had no relationship with anyone else.[b]

When they returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their fellow Danites asked them, “How did you find things?”

They answered, “Come on, let’s attack them! We have seen the land, and it is very good. Aren’t you going to do something? Don’t hesitate to go there and take it over.(P) 10 When you get there, you will find an unsuspecting people and a spacious land that God has put into your hands, a land that lacks nothing(Q) whatever.(R)

11 Then six hundred men(S) of the Danites,(T) armed for battle, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol. 12 On their way they set up camp near Kiriath Jearim(U) in Judah. This is why the place west of Kiriath Jearim is called Mahaneh Dan[c](V) to this day. 13 From there they went on to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah’s house.(W)

14 Then the five men who had spied out the land of Laish(X) said to their fellow Danites, “Do you know that one of these houses has an ephod,(Y) some household gods and an image overlaid with silver?(Z) Now you know what to do.” 15 So they turned in there and went to the house of the young Levite at Micah’s place and greeted him. 16 The six hundred Danites,(AA) armed for battle, stood at the entrance of the gate. 17 The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods(AB) while the priest and the six hundred armed men(AC) stood at the entrance of the gate.

18 When the five men went into Micah’s house and took(AD) the idol, the ephod and the household gods,(AE) the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 They answered him, “Be quiet!(AF) Don’t say a word. Come with us, and be our father and priest.(AG) Isn’t it better that you serve a tribe and clan(AH) in Israel as priest rather than just one man’s household?” 20 The priest was very pleased. He took the ephod, the household gods and the idol and went along with the people. 21 Putting their little children, their livestock and their possessions in front of them, they turned away and left.

22 When they had gone some distance from Micah’s house, the men who lived near Micah were called together and overtook the Danites. 23 As they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you that you called out your men to fight?”

24 He replied, “You took(AI) the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, ‘What’s the matter with you?’”

25 The Danites answered, “Don’t argue with us, or some of the men may get angry and attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.” 26 So the Danites went their way, and Micah, seeing that they were too strong for him,(AJ) turned around and went back home.

27 Then they took what Micah had made, and his priest, and went on to Laish, against a people at peace and secure.(AK) They attacked them with the sword and burned(AL) down their city.(AM) 28 There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon(AN) and had no relationship with anyone else. The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob.(AO)

The Danites rebuilt the city and settled there. 29 They named it Dan(AP) after their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city used to be called Laish.(AQ) 30 There the Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom,(AR) the son of Moses,[d] and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land. 31 They continued to use the idol Micah had made,(AS) all the time the house of God(AT) was in Shiloh.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. Judges 18:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
  2. Judges 18:7 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts with the Arameans
  3. Judges 18:12 Mahaneh Dan means Dan’s camp.
  4. Judges 18:30 Many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; many other Hebrew manuscripts and some other Septuagint manuscripts Manasseh