士師記 18

1 そのころイスラエルには王がなかった。そのころダンびとの部族はイスラエルの部族のうちにあって、その日までまだ嗣業の地を得なかったので自分たちの住むべき嗣業の地を求めていた。

In those days, there was no king in Israel. And the tribe of Dan sought a possession for themselves, so that they might live in it. For even to that day, they had not received their lot among the other tribes.

2 それでダンの人々は自分の部族の総勢のうちから、勇者五人をゾラとエシタオルからつかわして土地をうかがい探らせた。すなわち彼らに言った、「行って土地を探ってきなさい」。彼らはエフライムの山地に行き、ミカの家に着いて、そこに宿ろうとした。

Therefore, the sons of Dan sent five very strong men, of their stock and family, from Zorah and Eshtaol, so that they might explore the land and diligently inspect it. And they said to them, “Go, and consider the land.” And after traveling, they arrived at mount Ephraim, and they entered into the house of Micah. There they rested.

3 彼らがミカの家に近づいたとき、レビびとである若者の声を聞きわけたので、身をめぐらしてそこにはいって彼に言った、「だれがあなたをここに連れてきたのですか。あなたはここで何をしているのですか。ここになんの用があるのですか」。

And they recognized the speech of the youth who was a Levite. And while making use of an inn with him, they said to him: “Who brought you here? What are you doing here? For what reason did you want to come here?”

4 若者は彼らに言った、「ミカが、かようかようにしてわたしを雇ったので、わたしはその祭司となったのです」。

And he answered them, “Micah has offered me one thing and another, and he has paid me wages, so that I may be his priest.”

5 彼らは言った、「どうぞ、神に伺って、われわれが行く道にしあわせがあるかどうかを知らせてください」。

Then they begged him to consult the Lord, so that they might be able to know whether the journey they undertook would be prosperous, and whether the matter would have success.

6 その祭司は彼らに言った、「安心して行きなさい。あなたがたが行く道は主が見守っておられます」。

And he responded to them, “Go in peace. The Lord looks with favor on your path, and on the journey that you have undertaken.”

7 そこで五人の者は去ってライシに行き、そこにいる民を見ると、彼らは安らかに住まい、その穏やかで安らかなことシドンびとのようであって、この国には一つとして欠けたものがなく、富を持ち、またシドンびとと遠く離れており、ほかの民と交わることがなかった。

And so the five men, going on, arrived at Laish. And they saw the people, living in it without any fear, according to the custom of the Sidonians, secure and peaceful, having hardly anyone to oppose them, and with great wealth, and living separately, far from Sidon and from all men.

8 かくて彼らがゾラとエシタオルにおる兄弟たちのもとに帰ってくると、兄弟たちは彼らに言った、「いかがでしたか」。

And they returned to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, who questioned them as to what they had done. And they responded:

9 彼らは言った、「立って彼らのところに攻め上りましょう。われわれはかの地を見たが、非常に豊かです。あなたがたはなぜじっとしているのですか。ためらわずに進んで行って、かの地を取りなさい。

“Rise up. Let us ascend to them. For we have seen that the land is very wealthy and fruitful. Do not delay; do not refrain. Let us go out and possess it. There will be no difficulty.

10 あなたがたが行けば、安らかにおる民の所に行くでしょう。その地は広く、神はそれをあなたがたの手に賜わるのです。そこには地にあるもの一つとして欠けているものはありません」。

We shall enter to those who dwell securely, in a very wide region, and the Lord will deliver the place to us, a place in which there is no lack of anything that grows upon the earth.”

11 そこでダンの氏族のもの六百人が武器を帯びて、ゾラとエシタオルを出発し、

And so, those of the kindred of Dan set out, that is, six hundred men from Zorah and Eshtaol, girded with the weapons of warfare.

12 上って行ってユダのキリアテ・ヤリムに陣を張った。このゆえに、その所は今日までマハネダンと呼ばれる。それはキリアテ・ヤリムの西にある。

And going up, they stayed at Kiriath-jearim of Judah. And so the place, from that time, received the name the Camp of Dan, and it is behind the back of Kiriath-jearim.

13 彼らはそこからエフライムの山地に進み、ミカの家に着いた。

From there, they crossed over to mount Ephraim. And when they had arrived at the house of Micah,

14 かのライシの国をうかがいに行った五人の者はその兄弟たちに言った、「あなたがたはこれらの家にエポデとテラピムと刻んだ像と鋳た像のあるのを知っていますか。それであなたがたは今、なすべきことを決めなさい」。

the five men, who before had been sent to consider the land of Laish, said to the rest of their brothers: “You know that in these houses there is an ephod and theraphim, and a molten idol and a graven image. Consider what it may please you to do.”

15 そこで彼らはその方へ身をめぐらして、かのレビびとの若者の家すなわちミカの家に行って、彼に安否を問うた。

And when they had turned aside a little, they entered the house of the Levite youth, who was in the house of Micah. And they greeted him with peaceful words.

16 しかし武器を帯びた六百人のダンの人々は門の入口に立っていた。

Now the six hundred men, who were all armed, were standing before the door.

17 かの土地をうかがいに行った五人の者は上って行って、そこにはいり、刻んだ像とエポデとテラピムと鋳た像とを取ったが、祭司は武器を帯びた六百人の者と共に門の入口に立っていた。

But those who had entered the house of the youth strove to take away the graven image, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten idol. But the priest was standing in front of the door, with the six hundred very strong men waiting not far away.

18 彼らがミカの家にはいって刻んだ像とエポデとテラピムと鋳た像とを取った時、祭司は彼らに言った、「あなたがたは何をなさいますか」。

And so, those who had entered took away the graven image, the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten idol. And the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 彼らは言った、「黙りなさい。あなたの手を口にあてて、われわれと一緒にきて、われわれのために父とも祭司ともなりなさい。ひとりの家の祭司であるのと、イスラエルの一部族、一氏族の祭司であるのと、どちらがよいですか」。

And they responded to him: “Be silent and place your finger over your mouth. And come with us, so that we may have you as a father as well as a priest. For which is better for you: to be a priest in the house of one man, or in one tribe and family in Israel?”

20 祭司は喜んで、エポデとテラピムと刻んだ像とを取り、民のなかに加わった。

And when he had heard this, he agreed to their words. And he took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven image, and he set out with them.

21 かくて彼らは身をめぐらして去り、その子供たちと家畜と貨財をさきにたてて進んだが、

And while traveling, they had also sent the children, and the cattle, and all that was valuable to go ahead of them.

22 ミカの家をはるかに離れたとき、ミカは家に近い家の人々を集め、ダンの人々に追いつき、

And when they were far from the house of Micah, the men who were living in the houses of Micah, crying out together, followed them.

23 ダンの人々を呼んだので、彼らはふり向いてミカに言った、「あなたがそのように仲間を連れてきたのは、どうしたのですか」。

And they began to shout behind their backs. And when they had looked back, they said to Micah: “What do you want? Why are you crying out?”

24 彼は言った、「あなたがたが、わたしの造った神々および祭司を奪い去ったので、わたしに何が残っていますか。しかるにあなたがたがわたしに向かって『どうしたのですか』と言われるとは何事ですか」。

And he responded: “You have taken away my gods, which I made for myself, and the priest, and all that I have. And do you say, ‘What is it that you want?’”

25 ダンの人々は彼に言った、「あなたは大きな声を出さないがよい。気の荒い連中があなたに撃ちかかって、あなたは自分の命と家族の命を失うようになるでしょう」。

And the sons of Dan said to him, “Take care that you no longer speak to us, otherwise men with a mind for violence may overwhelm you, and you yourself would perish with all your house.”

26 こうしてダンの人々は去って行ったが、ミカは彼らの強いのを見て、くびすをかえして自分の家に帰った。

And so, they continued on the journey that they had begun. But Micah, seeing that they were stronger than he was, returned to his house.

27 さて彼らはミカが造った物と、ミカと共にいた祭司とを奪ってライシにおもむき、穏やかで、安らかな民のところへ行って、つるぎをもって彼らを撃ち、火をつけてその町を焼いたが、

Now the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we stated above, and they went to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and they struck them down with the edge of the sword. And they burned the city with fire.

28 シドンを遠く離れており、ほかの民との交わりがなかったので、それを救うものがなかった。その町はベテレホブに属する谷にあった。彼らは町を建てなおしてそこに住み、

For no one at all sent reinforcements, because they lived far away from Sidon, and they had no association or business with any man. Now the city was situated in the region of Rehob. And building it up again, they lived in it,

29 イスラエルに生れた先祖ダンの名にしたがって、その町の名をダンと名づけた。その町の名はもとはライシであった。

calling the name of the city Dan, according to the name of their father, who had been born of Israel, though before it was called Laish.

30 そしてダンの人々は刻んだ像を自分たちのために安置し、モーセの孫すなわちゲルショムの子ヨナタンとその子孫がダンびとの部族の祭司となって、国が捕囚となる日にまで及んだ。

And they established for themselves the graven image. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, with his sons, were priests in the tribe of Dan, even until the day of their captivity.

31 神の家がシロにあったあいだ、常に彼らはミカが造ったその刻んだ像を飾って置いた。

And the idol of Micah remained with them during the entire time that the house of God was in Shiloh. In those days, there was no king in Israel.