1Izrael byl tenkrát bez krále. Danův kmen si hledal území, na němž by se usídlil, protože mu do té doby mezi izraelskými kmeny nepřipadl žádný dědičný podíl.[1]2Synové Danovi proto ze svého rodu vyslali pět udatných mužů z Coreje a Eštaolu, aby prozkoumali a obhlédli zem. Řekli jim: „Jděte obhlédnout zem.“ Dorazili až do Efraimských hor, k Míkovu domu, a tak tam přenocovali.3Když k tomu domu přišli blíž, poznali po hlase toho levitského mladíka. Zašli tedy dovnitř a ptali se ho: „Jak ses sem dostal? Co tu děláš? Proč tu jsi?“4Vyprávěl jim tedy, jak se s ním Míka dohodl: „Najal mě, a tak mu dělám kněze.“5Požádali ho tedy: „Chtěli bychom něco vědět. Zeptej se, prosím, Boha, zda bude naše cesta úspěšná.“6„Jděte v pokoji,“ řekl jim ten kněz. „Nad vaší cestou bdí Hospodin.“7A tak těch pět mužů šlo dál, až přišli do Laiše. Viděli, že tamní lid žije v bezpečí jako Sidonci, v klidu a bezstarostně, a že je nikdo v celém okolí nenapadá a neutiskuje. Od Sidonu byli daleko a s nikým neměli dohodu.8Potom se ti muži vrátili do Coreje a Eštaolu. „Tak co?“ ptali se jich bratři.9„Zvedejte se, pojďme na ně!“ odpověděli. „Viděli jsme tu zem – je výborná! To tu chcete jen tak sedět? Nezdržujte se a pojďte, půjdeme tu zem obsadit!10Bůh vám ji dává do rukou! Až tam přijdete, najdete bezstarostný lid a doširoka otevřenou zem. Tomu místu neschází vůbec nic, co má země mít.“11A tak z Coreje a Eštaolu vyrazilo šest set mužů z Danova rodu v plné zbroji.12Táhli vzhůru a utábořili se v Kiriat-jearimu v Judsku. (Proto se tomu místu západně od Kiriat-jearimu dodnes říká Machane-dan, Danův tábor.)13Odtamtud pak šli do Efraimských hor a dorazili až k Míkovu domu.14Vtom se ozvalo těch pět mužů, kteří propátrali kraj Laiš. „Víte, co je tamhle v těch domech?“ řekli svým bratrům. „Efod, bůžkové a odlitá modla! Víte, co teď máte dělat.“15Odbočili tam a vešli do domu toho levitského mladíka (totiž do Míkova domu). Poptali se ho, jak se daří.16Šest set ozbrojenců z Danova kmene zůstalo stát u brány17a těch pět, kteří propátrali zem, vešlo dovnitř. Vzali tu modlu, efod i bůžky. Kněz zatím stál u brány s šesti sty muži v plné zbroji.18Těch pět vešlo do Míkova domu a vzali modlu, efod, bůžky i ten odlitek. „Co to děláte?“ ptal se jich kněz.19„Mlč!“ řekli mu. „Zavři pusu a pojď s námi. Budeš dělat otce a kněze nám. Je lepší dělat domácího kněze pro jednoho muže, nebo kmenového kněze pro izraelský rod?“20Kněze to upřímně potěšilo. Vzal efod, bůžky i tu modlu a připojil se k nim.21Vydali se tedy na další pochod. Děti a dobytek s majetkem nechali jít v čele.22Když už byli od Míkova domu dost daleko, seběhli se Míkovi sousedé a Danovce dostihli.23Volali za nimi, až se k nim Danovi synové otočili a řekli Míkovi: „Co ti je? Proč jste se tak sběhli?“24Ten odpověděl: „Vzali jste mi kněze i bohy, které jsem si udělal, a šli jste pryč. Co mi zbude? Jak se mě můžete ptát: Co ti je?“25Danovci mu ale řekli: „Radši už na nás nekřič. Prudší povahy by se na vás mohly vrhnout, a přijdeš o život i se svou rodinou!“26Danovi synové pak pokračovali svou cestou. Míka viděl, že jsou silnější než on, a tak se otočil a vrátil se domů.27Tak vzali ten Míkův výtvor i jeho kněze a přitáhli na Laiš, na ten klidný a bezstarostný lid. Pobili je ostřím meče a město vypálili.28Nikdo je nezachránil; město bylo od Sidonu daleko a s nikým neměli dohodu. Leželo v údolí u Bet-rechobu. Danovi synové pak to město znovu vystavěli a usídlili se v něm.29Pojmenovali to město Dan po svém praotci Danovi, který byl Izraelův syn. Předtím se ale to město jmenovalo Laiš.30Danovci tam vztyčili tu modlu a Jonatan, syn Geršoma, syna Mojžíšova,[2] jim se svými syny dělal kmenové kněží až do dne, kdy byli ze země vyhnáni.31Tu modlu, kterou si Míka nechal udělat, tam udržovali celou dobu, kdy stál Boží dům v Šílu.
1In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the people of Dan was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in, for until then no inheritance among the tribes of Israel had fallen to them. (Jz 19,47; Sd 1,34; Sd 17,6; Sd 21,25)2So the people of Dan sent five able men from the whole number of their tribe, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to explore it. And they said to them, “Go and explore the land.” And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. (Nu 13,17; Jz 2,1; Jz 24,33; Sd 13,25; Sd 17,1; Sd 17,8; Sd 18,8; Sd 18,11)3When they were by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. And they turned aside and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?”4And he said to them, “This is how Micah dealt with me: he has hired me, and I have become his priest.” (Sd 17,10)5And they said to him, “Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether the journey on which we are setting out will succeed.” (Nu 27,21)6And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord.” (1S 1,17; 1Kr 22,6)7Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting, lacking[1] nothing that is in the earth and possessing wealth, and how they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone. (Jz 19,47; Sd 18,10; Sd 18,27; Sd 18,28)8And when they came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers said to them, “What do you report?” (Sd 18,2; Sd 18,11)9They said, “Arise, and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And will you do nothing? Do not be slow to go, to enter in and possess the land. (Nu 13,20; Jz 2,23; Jz 18,3; 1Kr 22,3)10As soon as you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people. The land is spacious, for God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.” (Dt 8,9; Sd 18,7; Sd 18,27; Sd 19,19)11So 600 men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol, (Sd 18,16)12and went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. On this account that place is called Mahaneh-dan[2] to this day; behold, it is west of Kiriath-jearim. (Jz 15,60; Sd 13,25)13And they passed on from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah. (Sd 18,2)14Then the five men who had gone to scout out the country of Laish said to their brothers, “Do you know that in these houses there are an ephod, household gods, a carved image, and a metal image? Now therefore consider what you will do.” (Sd 17,4)15And they turned aside there and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and asked him about his welfare. (Gn 43,27)16Now the 600 men of the Danites, armed with their weapons of war, stood by the entrance of the gate. (Sd 18,11)17And the five men who had gone to scout out the land went up and entered and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war. (Sd 17,4; Sd 18,2; Sd 18,14)18And when these went into Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” (Sd 18,17)19And they said to him, “Keep quiet; put your hand on your mouth and come with us and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?” (Sd 17,10; Jb 21,5; Jb 29,9; Jb 40,4; Př 30,32; Mi 7,16)20And the priest’s heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.21So they turned and departed, putting the little ones and the livestock and the goods in front of them. (1S 17,22; Iz 10,28)22When they had gone a distance from the home of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house were called out, and they overtook the people of Dan.23And they shouted to the people of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you come with such a company?”24And he said, “You take my gods that I made and the priest, and go away, and what have I left? How then do you ask me, ‘What is the matter with you?’” (Gn 31,30)25And the people of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and you lose your life with the lives of your household.”26Then the people of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home.27But the people of Dan took what Micah had made, and the priest who belonged to him, and they came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, and struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire. (Jz 19,47; Sd 18,7; Sd 18,10)28And there was no deliverer because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs to Beth-rehob. Then they rebuilt the city and lived in it. (Nu 13,21; Jz 19,28; Sd 18,7; 2S 10,6)29And they named the city Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor, who was born to Israel; but the name of the city was Laish at the first. (Gn 14,14; Sd 18,7; Sd 20,1; 1Kr 12,29; 1Kr 15,20)30And the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses,[3] and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land. (Ex 2,22; Ex 18,3; Sd 13,1; Sd 17,12; 1S 4,2; 1S 4,10; Ž 78,60)31So they set up Micah’s carved image that he made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh. (Jz 18,1; 1S 1,3)