Judges 18

1 In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of the Danites was looking for territory to occupy. For up to that time they had not come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

2 So the Danites sent out five men from their clans, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. “Go and explore the land,” they told them. The men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night.

3 And while they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”

4 “Micah has done this and that for me,” he replied, “and he has hired me to be his priest.”

5 Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to determine whether we will have a successful journey.”

6 And the priest told them, “Go in peace. The LORD is watching over your journey.”

7 So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone.

8 When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers asked them, “What did you find?”

9 They answered, “Come on, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and it is very good. Why would you fail to act? Do not hesitate to go there and take possession of the land!

10 When you enter, you will come to an unsuspecting people and a spacious land, for God has delivered it into your hand. It is a place where nothing on earth is lacking.”

11 So six hundred Danites departed from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war.

12 They went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. That is why the place west of Kiriath-jearim is called Mahaneh-dan to this day.

13 And from there they traveled to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah’s house.

14 Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do.”

15 So they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and greeted him.

16 The six hundred Danites stood at the entrance of the gate, armed with their weapons of war.

17 And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.

18 When they entered Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 “Be quiet,” they told him. “Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?”

20 So the priest was glad and took the ephod, the household idols, and the graven image, and went with the people.

21 Putting their small children, their livestock, and their possessions in front of them, they turned and departed.

22 After they were some distance from Micah’s house, the men in the houses near Micah’s house mobilized and overtook the Danites.

23 When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?”

24 He replied, “You took the gods I had made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’”

25 The Danites said to him, “Do not raise your voice against us, or angry men will attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.”

26 So the Danites went on their way, and Micah turned to go back home, because he saw that they were too strong for him.

27 After they had taken Micah’s idols and his priest, they went to Laish, to a quiet and unsuspecting people, and they struck them with their swords and burned down the city.

28 There was no one to deliver them, because the city was far from Sidon and had no alliance with anyone; it was in a valley near Beth-rehob. And the Danites rebuilt the city and lived there.

29 They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish.

30 The Danites set up idols for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

31 So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image, and it was there the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh.

1 ¶ In those days [there was] no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day [all their] inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

3 When they [were] by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this [place]? and what hast thou here?

4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.

5 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD [is] your way wherein ye go.

7 ¶ Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that [were] therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and [there was] no magistrate in the land, that might put [them] to shame in [any] thing; and they [were] far from the Zidonians, and had no business with [any] man.

8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What [say] ye?

9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it [is] very good: and [are] ye still? be not slothful to go, [and] to enter to possess the land.

10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where [there is] no want of any thing that [is] in the earth.

11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.

12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, [it is] behind Kirjathjearim.

13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

14 ¶ Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.

15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, [even] unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.

16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which [were] of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.

17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, [and] came in thither, [and] took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men [that were] appointed with weapons of war.

18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?

19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: [is it] better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?

20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.

21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.

22 [And] when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that [were] in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.

23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?

24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what [is] this [that] ye say unto me, What aileth thee?

25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.

26 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they [were] too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.

27 ¶ And they took [the things] which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people [that were] at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

28 And [there was] no deliverer, because it [was] far from Zidon, and they had no business with [any] man; and it was in the valley that [lieth] by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.

29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city [was] Laish at the first.

30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

31 And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

1 In those days there was no king in Israel. And the tribe of Dan sought him an inheritance, where they might dwell: for there was no inheritance fallen to them among the tribes of Israel until that day.

2 And the children of Dan sent out of their families from the ends thereof five valiant men of Czar and Esthaol, to search out the land, and to search it out, and said unto them: Go and explore the land. And they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there overnight.

3 And when they were with the servants of Micah, they knew the voice of the Levite the boy: and they departed thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? What doest thou there, and what hast thou here?

4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus did Micah unto me, and appointed me to be his priest.

5 And they said unto him, Ask of GOD, that we may know whether the way which we take be prosperous.

6 And the priest answered them: Go in peace: your way is right in the sight of the LORD, which ye go.

7 And the five men went and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein dwelling safely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quietly and securely; and there was none to hurt them in the land, or to lord it over them: and they were far from the Zidonians, and had nothing to do with men.

8 And they came to their brethren to Zareah and Esthaol: and their brethren said unto them: How is it with you?

9 And they said: Up, let us go up to them: for we have seen the land, which is almost good. Make haste therefore, and be not slothful to go, that ye may come and possess the land.

10 When ye come, ye shall come unto a sure people; and the land is far and wide, for God hath given it into your hands, such a place as nothing faileth, all that is in the earth.

11 And there went out from thence of the families of Dan, and of Zareah, and of Esthaol, six hundred men armed with their weapons to battle.

12 And they went up, and pitched in Kiriathjearim of Judah. Wherefore they called the place the camp of Dan unto this day, which is beyond Kiriathjearim.

13 And from thence they went up into mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

14 And the five men that went out to search the land of Laish answered and said unto their brethren: Know ye also that in these houses there is an ephod, and a sanctuary, and an image, and an idol? Now think ye what ye shall do.

15 And they entered in, and came to the house of the lad the Levite, which was in Micah's house, and greeted him kindly.

16 And the six hundred armed men with their armour, which were of the children of Dan, stood at the gate.

17 And the five men that went out to search the land went up, and came thither: and they took the image, and the ephod, and the sanctuary, and the idol. And the priest stood at the gate by the six hundred armed men with their armour.

18 And when they were come into the house of Micah, and had taken the image, and the ephod, and the sanctuary, and the idol, the priest said unto them: What do ye?

19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, and shut thy mouth, and shew thyself to us, that thou mayest be our father and priest. Is it better for thee to be a priest in the house of one man, or in all the tribe and family of Israel?

20 And it pleased the priest well, and he took both the ephod, and the sanctuary, and the image, and went with them among the people.

21 And when they turned and went, they sent before them the little children, and the cattle, and all that they had that was good.

22 And when they were come afar off from Micha's house, the men that were in the houses of Micha's house cried out, and followed after the children of Dan, and called unto the children of Dan.

23 And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What is the matter with thee, that thou hast made such a noise?

24 And he answered: Ye have taken my gods, which I made, and the priest, and are gone; and now what have I more? And ye ask yet what I lack?

25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry men fall upon thee, and thy soul, and the soul of thy house, be troubled.

26 So the children of Dan went their way. And Micah, when he saw that they were too strong for him, turned and came again to his house.

27 And they took that which Micah had made, and the nest that he had, and came unto Laish, unto a quiet, sure people, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

28 And there was none to deliver them, because they were far from Zidon, and had no business with the people: and they lay in the valley, which is by Beth-rehob. And they built the city, and dwelt therein;

29 And they called them Dan, after the name of Dan their father, which was born of Israel. And the name of the city in old time was Laish.

30 And the children of Dan set up for themselves the image. And Jonathan the son of Gershon the son of Manasseh, and his sons, were nesters among the tribe of Dan until the time that they were carried away captive out of the land.

31 And they set among them the image of Micah, which he had made, as long as the house of God was in Shiloh.