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Jueces 18
Dios Habla Hoy
Jueces 18
Dios Habla Hoy
Micaías y los de la tribu de Dan
18 En aquella época aún no había rey en Israel. La tribu de Dan tampoco tenía un territorio propio todavía, así que andaba buscando dónde establecerse. 2 Por eso los de Dan mandaron desde Sorá y Estaol a cinco de sus hombres más valientes, para que sirvieran de espías y exploraran la región. Estos cinco espías fueron a los montes de Efraín, y llegaron a casa de Micaías, donde se quedaron a pasar la noche. 3 Ya cerca de la casa de Micaías, reconocieron el modo de hablar del joven levita, y fueron a preguntarle:
—¿Quién te trajo por acá? ¿Por qué estás en este lugar? ¿Qué buscas aquí?
4 El levita les contó el trato que Micaías había hecho con él, y cómo lo había contratado para que fuera su sacerdote. 5 Entonces ellos le dijeron:
—Consulta a Dios para saber si nos va a ir bien en este viaje.
6 Y el sacerdote levita les contestó:
—Vayan tranquilos, que el Señor los protegerá por dondequiera que vayan.
7 De allí, los cinco espías se fueron a Lais. La gente de esta ciudad vivía confiada, como acostumbraban los sidonios; vivían tranquilos y en paz, sin que nadie los molestara para nada y sin que nada les faltara. Estaban lejos de los sidonios, y no tenían relaciones con nadie. 8 Entonces los cinco espías volvieron a Sorá y Estaol, donde estaban sus compañeros, que les preguntaron:
—¿Cómo les fue?
Y ellos respondieron:
9 —Hemos recorrido esa región y encontramos que la tierra es magnífica. ¡En marcha! ¡Vamos a atacarlos! ¡No se queden ahí sentados, sin hacer nada! ¡Hay que ir a conquistar esa tierra! 10 Al llegar allá, se van a encontrar con gente confiada y que tiene mucha tierra, a la que no le falta nada. Dios les dará posesión de ella.
11 Seiscientos hombres de la tribu de Dan salieron de Sorá y de Estaol bien armados, 12 y llegaron a Judá y acamparon allí, al oeste de Quiriat-jearim, en el lugar que ahora se llama Campamento de Dan. 13 De allí se fueron a los montes de Efraín, y llegaron a la casa de Micaías. 14 Entonces los cinco espías que habían explorado la región de Lais les dijeron a sus compañeros:
—¿Saben una cosa? En esta casa hay un efod y dioses familiares, y un ídolo tallado y recubierto de plata. ¿Qué piensan hacer?
15 Entonces los espías se apartaron de los demás y fueron a casa del joven levita, es decir, a la casa de Micaías, y lo saludaron. 16 Mientras tanto, los seiscientos soldados danitas bien armados esperaban a la puerta. 17 Los cinco espías entraron antes en la casa y tomaron el ídolo tallado y recubierto de plata, y el efod y los dioses familiares, mientras el sacerdote se quedaba a la puerta con los seiscientos soldados.
18 Al ver el sacerdote que los cinco entraban en casa de Micaías y tomaban el ídolo, el efod y los dioses familiares, les dijo:
—¿Qué están haciendo?
19 Y ellos le contestaron:
—¡Cállate, y ven con nosotros! ¡Queremos que nos sirvas como sacerdote y que seas como un padre para nosotros! ¿No te parece que es mejor ser sacerdote de toda una tribu de Israel, que de la familia de un solo hombre?
20 Esto le gustó al sacerdote, y tomando el ídolo, el efod y los dioses familiares, se fue con los danitas, 21 los cuales se pusieron nuevamente en marcha con los niños, el ganado y sus posesiones al frente. 22 Ya habían caminado bastante cuando Micaías y sus vecinos se juntaron y salieron a perseguirlos. 23 Al oír los gritos de los que los perseguían, los danitas se volvieron y le preguntaron a Micaías:
—¿Qué te pasa? ¿Por qué nos gritas tanto?
24 Y Micaías les respondió:
—Ustedes se llevan mis dioses, que yo había hecho, y se llevan también a mi sacerdote, y me dejan sin nada, ¿y todavía se atreven a preguntarme qué me pasa?
25 Pero los danitas le contestaron:
—No nos alces la voz, no sea que algunos de los nuestros pierdan la paciencia y te ataquen, y acaben perdiendo la vida tanto tú como tus familiares.
26 Al ver Micaías que ellos eran muchos, regresó a su casa; pero los danitas siguieron su camino 27 con las cosas que Micaías había hecho, y con su sacerdote, y llegaron hasta Lais. Allí la gente estaba tranquila y confiada, de modo que los danitas mataron a todos a filo de espada y quemaron la ciudad. 28 Como la ciudad estaba lejos de Sidón, y no tenía relaciones con nadie, no hubo quien la defendiera. Estaba en el valle que pertenece a Bet-rehob. Después los danitas reconstruyeron la ciudad y se quedaron a vivir en ella. 29 Aunque antes se llamaba Lais, ellos la llamaron Dan, en honor de su antepasado del mismo nombre, que era hijo de Israel. 30 Allí los danitas colocaron el ídolo tallado, para adorarlo, y su sacerdote fue Jonatán, hijo de Guersón y nieto de Moisés. Después los descendientes de Jonatán fueron sacerdotes de los danitas, hasta el exilio. 31 Allí estuvo entre ellos el ídolo que Micaías había hecho, todo el tiempo que el santuario del Señor estuvo en Siló.
Judges 18
EasyEnglish Bible
Judges 18
EasyEnglish Bible
Dan's tribe worship idols
18 At that time, Israel had no king to rule over them. The people of Dan's tribe were looking for some land where they could live. They had not yet taken the land that would be their home among Israel's tribes.[a] 2 So the men of Dan sent five soldiers from the clans of their tribe to explore the land. The leaders sent them out from Zorah and Eshtaol. They told them, ‘Go and find some land for us.’
The five men went into the hill country of Ephraim. They came to Micah's house and they stayed there for a night. 3 While they were at Micah's house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. So they went in and they asked him, ‘Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?’
4 He told them what Micah had done for him. He said, ‘He pays me to work for him as his priest.’ 5 So they said to him, ‘Please ask God if our journey will have a good result.’ 6 Micah's priest answered, ‘Yes, do not worry. The Lord will be with you on your journey.’
7 So the five men continued on their journey. They arrived at Laish. They saw that it was a safe place to live. The people of Laish were not afraid of any trouble. They lived in peace, like the Sidonians do. Their land gave them everything that they needed, so they were rich. They lived a long way from the Sidonians, and there were no other people who would help them.
8 The five men of Dan's tribe returned to Zorah and Eshtaol. Their relatives asked them, ‘What did you find?’ 9 They answered, ‘We should go now and attack them! We saw their land, and it is very good. Do not sit there and wait! Go quickly and take the land for yourselves. 10 When you attack, you will see that the people there think that they are safe. Their land is very big and it has everything that we need. God will surely give it to you.’
11 So 600 men of Dan's tribe prepared for the fight. They marched out from Zorah and Eshtaol with their weapons. 12 On their way, they made their camp at Kiriath-Jearim in Judah. That place on the west side of Kiriath-Jearim is still called Mahaneh Dan.[b] 13 From there they travelled through the hill country of Ephraim. They arrived at Micah's house.
14 The five men who had explored the land of Laish said to their relatives, ‘Do you know that in one of these houses there is an ephod, some small idols, an image and a metal idol. Think carefully and decide what to do.’ 15 So they went into Micah's house, where the young Levite was living. They said ‘hello’ to him. 16 The 600 men of Dan stood at the gate with their weapons. 17 The five men who had explored the land went inside. They took all the idols, the image and the priest's ephod. While they did that, the Levite priest was standing at the gate with the 600 soldiers.
18 When the priest saw that the five men were taking the things from the house, he asked them, ‘What are you doing?’ 19 They said to him, ‘Be quiet! Do not say a word. Come with us. You will be our advisor and our priest. That will be much better for you. You will serve a whole Israelite tribe, instead of only one man's family.’ 20 So the priest was happy. He joined the group of men from Dan's tribe. He took the ephod, the idols and the image with him.
21 They left Micah's house to continue their journey. They followed after their children, their animals and all their other things. 22 After they had travelled some way, Micah realized what had happened. He brought together his neighbours and they chased after the men of Dan. When they reached them, 23 they shouted to them. The men of Dan turned around and they said to Micah, ‘What is the problem? Why have you brought all these men?’
24 Micah replied, ‘You have taken away the gods that I made. You have also taken my priest. Now I have nothing left. You should not ask me, “What is the problem?” ’ 25 The men of Dan said to Micah, ‘Do not argue with us! If you say any more, some of our men may become very angry. They might attack you. You and your family might all die!’
26 Then the men of Dan continued on their journey. Micah realized that they were too strong for him. So he turned around and he went home.
27 The men of Dan took the idols that Micah had made, as well as his priest. Then they arrived at Laish. The people who lived there were not expecting any trouble. The soldiers of Dan attacked the people with their weapons and they killed them. They destroyed the city with fire. 28 No one came to rescue the people of Laish. The city was a long way from Sidon. They had no other friends to help them.
Laish was in a valley near Beth Rehob. The Danites built the city again and they lived there. 29 They called the city Dan, because that was the name of their ancestor. He had been one of Israel's 12 sons. Before that, the city's name was Laish.
30 The people of Dan worshipped Micah's idol. Jonathan served as priest for the tribe of Dan. He was a descendant of Moses' son, Gershom. He and his descendants served there as priests until Israel's enemies took them away into exile. 31 They continued to worship Micah's idol in Dan all the time that God's special tent was in Shiloh.[c]
Footnotes
- 18:1 See Joshua 19:40-48
- 18:12 ‘Mahaneh Dan’ means ‘Dan's camp’.
- 18:31 Shiloh was the place where people should go to worship God. The people of Dan's tribe decided to have their own place to worship their idol.
Judges 18
New International Version
Judges 18
New International Version
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) 2 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. 3 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?”
4 He told them what Micah had done for him, and said, “He has hired me and I am his priest.(I)”
5 Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God(J) to learn whether our journey will be successful.”
6 The priest answered them, “Go in peace(K). Your journey has the Lord’s approval.”
7 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]
8 When they returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their fellow Danites asked them, “How did you find things?”
9 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
- Judges 18:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
- Judges 18:7 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts with the Arameans
- Judges 18:12 Mahaneh Dan means Dan’s camp.
- Judges 18:30 Many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; many other Hebrew manuscripts and some other Septuagint manuscripts Manasseh
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