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 Israël, et tribus Dan quærebat possessionem sibi, ut habitaret in ea: usque ad illum enim diem inter ceteras tribus sortem non acceperat.

These were days when no king yet ruled in Israel. And the men of Dan were still trying to find a home to live in; the portion allotted to them among the other tribes had not yet fallen into their hands.

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 familiæ suæ 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 Michæ, requieverunt ibi:

So, from their quarters at Saraa and Esthaol, they sent out five champions of theirs to make a careful survey of the land. Setting out with these orders, they reached the hill-country of Ephraim, and there found a lodging at Michas’ house.

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 Levitæ, utentesque illius diversorio, dixerunt ad eum: Quis te huc adducit? quid hic agis? quam ob causam huc venire voluisti?

Here, among strangers, they recognized the tones of the young Levite’s voice; Why, they said, who persuaded thee to come into these parts? What errand brought thee here?

He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest.

Qui respondit eis: Hæc et hæc præstitit mihi Michas, et me mercede conduxit, ut sim ei sacerdos.

So he told them what Michas had promised to do for him, and what payment was made him for living there as priest of the shrine.

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.

They asked him, too, to consult the Lord, and tell them whether their journey should prosper, and its end be achieved;

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.

Go on undismayed, said he, the Lord looks favourably on your journey, and its errand.

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.

So these men went on their way, and when they reached Lais, they found a city where men dwelt free from all alarms. This was the way of the Sidonian folk, to live tranquilly and at ease; no civil power restrained them, and they had great wealth. Lais, too, was at a distance from Sidon, and remote from all the world.

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:

So, when they came home, and their fellow-tribesmen at Saraa and Esthaol asked them how they had sped, they answered,

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.

Up, friends, to the attack! We have found lands both rich and fertile; we must not miss our opportunity by dallying here. March in and take possession; the task is light.

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 est penuria eorum quæ gignuntur in terra.

We can fall on them unawares, and the Lord will make us masters of their territory, broad lands, with no lack of anything earth yields.

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,

So six hundred men of Dan, from Saraa and Esthaol, marched out fully armed,

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 Judæ: qui locus ex eo tempore Castrorum Dan nomen accepit, et est post tergum Cariathiarim.

and made their first halt at Cariathiarim, in Juda, on the spot which has been called the Camp of Dan ever since, just west of Cariathiarim.

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 Michæ,

Thence they made their way into the hill-country of Ephraim; and when they reached the house of Michas,

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.

the five men who had been sent on the mission to Lais said to their fellow-tribesmen, Do you know what we found in that house? A sacred mantle, and household deities, and a carved image with a sheath of metal. Look well to it what course you will take.

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 Levitæ, qui erat in domo Michæ: salutaveruntque eum verbis pacificis.

So they turned aside a little to visit the lodging of the young Levite that was priest in Michas’ household, and gave him friendly greeting.

And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.

Sexcenti autem viri ita ut erant armati, stabant ante ostium.

Six hundred armed men stood at the door,

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.

while those who had made their way into the young man’s lodging set about carrying off carved image, and mantle, and household deities, and metal sheath all together; and all the while the priest was in the doorway, with six hundred fighting men close by.

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?

As they brought out these treasures one after another, the priest asked them what they would be at,

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 Israël?

but they bade him keep his lips tight shut, and come with them. We will honour thee, they said, as father and priest. Wouldst thou rather be priest to one man’s household than to a whole tribe, a whole clan of Israel?

When he 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.

For the Levite, it was pleasant hearing enough; he took up mantle and household deities and image, and went off in their company.

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,

So on they went, with children and pack animals and stores travelling in front,

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 Michæ essent procul, viri qui habitabant in ædibus Michæ conclamantes secuti sunt,

and were a long way from Michas’ house when they heard his men coming up behind them with a great hue and cry,

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 cœperunt. Qui cum respexissent, dixerunt ad Micham: Quid tibi vis? cur clamas?

calling on them to halt. At that, they looked round and asked Michas what ailed him, what all the shouting meant.

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 quæ habeo, et dicitis: Quid tibi est?

You have robbed me, he answered, robbed me of the gods I made for myself, of my own priest, of all that I had, and you ask what ails me!

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.

It were well, the children of Dan said, that we should hear no more of thy complaints. There might be some hot-heads among us would turn back to meet thee, and thou and thine would rue it!

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 cœpto itinere perrexerunt. Videns autem Michas quod fortiores se essent, reversus est in domum suam.

With that, they went on their way, and Michas, who saw they were too strong for him, must betake himself home.

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 they burnt with fire,

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

Taking the priest, then, with them, and the rest of their plunder aforesaid, the six hundred men reached Lais. There they found all the citizens living at ease, free from alarms, and they put them to the sword, burning down their city.

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 præsidium, 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,

There was none to bring aid; they were far from Sidon, and with all the rest of the world fellowship and commerce they had none. It was in Rohob their city lay, and the men of Dan rebuilt it to make their home in it,

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 Israël, quæ prius Lais dicebatur.

calling it Dan, after their ancestor that was Israel’s son, and Lais no longer.

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 suæ.

And there they set up the image; the tribe of Dan had its own priests down to the day when it went into exile, descended from Moses’ son Gersam, and his son Jonathan.

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 Michæ omni tempore quo fuit domus Dei in Silo. In diebus illis non erat rex in Israël.

All the time God’s house was at Silo, there in Dan stood Michas’ image. So it was in the old days, before a king ruled in Israel.