1 I n those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for itself an inheritance to dwell in, for until then no inheritance had been acquired by them among the tribes of Israel.

In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for itself to dwell in; for until that day their inheritance among the tribes of Israel had not fallen to them.

2 S o the Danites sent from the whole number of their tribe five brave men from Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out the land and to explore it, and they said to them, Go, explore the land. They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

So the children of Dan sent five men of their family from their territory, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it. They said to them, “Go, search the land.” So they went to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

3 W hen they went by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite, and they turned aside there and said to him, Who brought you here? And what do you do in this place? And what have you here?

While they were at the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They turned aside and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What do you have here?”

4 A nd he said to them, Thus and thus Micah deals with me and has hired me, and I am his priest.

He said to them, “Thus and so Micah did for me. He has hired me, and I have become his priest.”

5 A nd they said to him, Ask counsel, we pray you, of God that we may know whether our journey will be successful.

So they said to him, “Please inquire of God, that we may know whether the journey on which we go will be prosperous.”

6 A nd the priest said to them, Go in peace. The way in which you go is before (under the eye of) the Lord.

And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The presence of the Lord be with you on your way.”

7 T hen the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they dwelt securely after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and feeling safe; and there was no magistrate in the land, who might put them to shame in anything or injure them; and they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.

So the five men departed and went to Laish. They saw the people who were there, how they dwelt safely, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. There were no rulers in the land who might put them to shame for anything. They were far from the Sidonians, and they had no ties with anyone.

8 T he five men came back to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, What do you say?

Then the spies came back to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, “What is your report? ”

9 T hey said, Arise, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very fertile. And will you do nothing? Do not be slow to go and enter in and possess the land.

So they said, “Arise, let us go up against them. For we have seen the land, and indeed it is very good. Would you do nothing? Do not hesitate to go, and enter to possess the land.

10 W hen you go, you will come to people safe and secure. The land is broad; and God has given it into your hands—a place where there is no want of anything that is in the earth.

When you go, you will come to a secure people and a large land. For God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no lack of anything that is on the earth.”

11 A nd there went from there of the tribe of the Danites, out of Zorah and Eshtaol, 600 men armed with weapons of war.

And six hundred men of the family of the Danites went from there, from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war.

12 A nd they went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan to this day; it is west of Kiriath-jearim.

Then they went up and encamped in Kirjath Jearim in Judah. (Therefore they call that place Mahaneh Dan to this day. There it is, west of Kirjath Jearim.)

13 A nd they passed from there to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah’s house.

And they passed from there to the mountains of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

14 T hen the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish said to their brethren, Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, teraphim, a graven image, and a molten image? Now therefore, consider what you have to do.

Then the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brethren, “Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, household idols, a carved image, and a molded image? Now therefore, consider what you should do.”

15 A nd they turned in that direction and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and saluted him.

So they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young Levite man—to the house of Micah—and greeted him.

16 N ow the 600 Danites with their weapons of war stood at Micah’s gate.

The six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

17 A nd the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up and entered the house and took the graven image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war.

Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up. Entering there, they took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image. The priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men who were armed with weapons of war.

18 A nd when these went into Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, What are you doing?

When these went into Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 A nd they said to him, Be still, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and family in Israel?

And they said to him, “Be quiet, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us; be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest to the household of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?”

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

So the priest’s heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people.

21 S o they turned and departed and put the little ones, the cattle, and the baggage in front of them.

Then they turned and departed, and put the little ones, the livestock, and the goods in front of them.

22 W hen they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were Micah’s near neighbors were called out and overtook the Danites.

When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan.

23 T hey shouted to the Danites, who turned and said to Micah, What ails you, that you come with such a company?

And they called out to the children of Dan. So they turned around and said to Micah, “What ails you, that you have gathered such a company?”

24 A nd he said, You take away my gods which I made and the priest, and go away; and what have I left? How can you say to me, What ails you?

So he said, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away. Now what more do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What ails you?’”

25 A nd the men of Dan said to him, Let not your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you and you lose your life with the lives of your household.

And the children of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry men fall upon you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household!”

26 A nd the Danites went their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

Then the children of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house. Danites Settle in Laish

27 A nd they took the things which Micah had made, and his priest, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and feeling secure, and they smote them with the sword and burned the city.

So they took the things Micah had made, and the priest who had belonged to him, and went to Laish, to a people quiet and secure; and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.

28 A nd there was no deliverer because it was far from Sidon, and they had no business with anyone. It was in the valley which belongs to Beth-rehob. And they rebuilt the city and dwelt in it.

There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no ties with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs to Beth Rehob. So they rebuilt the city and dwelt there.

29 T hey named the city Dan, after Dan their forefather who was born to Israel; however, the name of the city was Laish at first.

And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel. However, the name of the city formerly was Laish.

30 A nd the Danites set up the graven image for themselves; and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

Then the children of Dan set up for themselves the carved image; and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

31 S o they set them up Micah’s graven image which he made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.

So they set up for themselves Micah’s carved image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.