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 is no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danite is seeking for itself an inheritance to inhabit, for hath not fallen to it unto that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel by inheritance.

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.

And the sons of Dan send, out of their family, five men of them, men, sons of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to traverse the land, and to search it, and they say unto them, `Go, search the land;' and they come into the hill-country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, and lodge 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?

They with the household of Micah, and they have discerned the voice of the young man, the Levite, and turn aside there, and say to him, `Who hath brought thee hither? and what art thou doing in this and what to thee here?'

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

And he saith unto them, `Thus and thus hath Micah done to me; and he hireth me, and I am to him for a 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.

And they say to him, `Ask, we pray thee, at God, and we know whether our way is prosperous on which we are going.'

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 saith to them, `Go in peace; over-against Jehovah your way in which ye go.'

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.

And the five men go, and come in to Laish, and see the people which in its midst, dwelling confidently, according to the custom of Zidonians, quiet and confident; and there is none putting to shame in the land in thing, possessing restraint, and they far off from the Zidonians, and have no word with man.

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

And they come in unto their brethren, at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren say to them, `What -- ye?'

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.

And they say, `Rise, and we go up against them, for we have seen the land, and lo, very good; and ye are keeping silent! be not slothful to go -- to 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 ye go, ye come in unto a people confident, and the land large on both hands, for God hath given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything which in the land.'

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 there journey thence, of the family of the Danite, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, six hundred men girded 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.

And they go up and encamp in Kirjath-Jearim, in Judah, therefore they have called that place, `Camp of Dan,' till this day; lo, behind Kirjath-Jearim.

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

And they pass over thence the hill-country of Ephraim, and come in unto 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.

And the five men, those going to traverse the land of Laish, answer and say unto their brethren, `Have ye known that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and graven image, and molten image? and now, know what ye 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.

And they turn aside thither, and come in unto the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, and ask of him of welfare, --

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

(and the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who of the sons of Dan, are standing at the opening 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.

yea, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up -- they have come in thither -- they have taken the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image -- and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are girded 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?

yea, these have entered the house of Micah, and take the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest saith unto them, `What are ye 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 say to him, `Keep silent, lay thy hand on thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us for a father and for a priest: is it better thy being a priest to the house of one man, or thy being priest to a tribe and to 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.

And the heart of the priest is glad, and he taketh the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and goeth into the midst of the people,

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

and they turn and go, and put the infants, and the cattle, and the baggage, before 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.

They have been far off from the house of Micah -- and the men who in the houses which near the house of Micah have been called together, and overtake the sons 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 call unto the sons of Dan, and they turn round their faces, and say to Micah, `What -- to thee that thou hast been called together?'

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?

And he saith, `My gods which I made ye have taken, and the priest, and ye go; and what to me more? and what this ye say unto me, What -- to thee!'

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 sons of Dan say unto him, `Let not thy voice be heard with us, lest men bitter in soul fall upon you, and thou hast gathered thy life, and the life of thy 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.

and the sons of Dan go on their way, and Micah seeth that they are stronger than he, and turneth, and goeth back unto his house.

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.

And they have taken that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and come in against Laish, against a people quiet and confident, and smite them by the mouth of the sword, and the city have burnt 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.

and there is no deliverer, for it far off from Zidon, and they have no word with man, and it in the valley which by Beth-Rehob; and they build the city, and dwell in it,

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 call the name of the city Dan, by the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; and yet Laish the name of the city at the first.

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.

And the sons of Dan raise up for themselves the graven image, and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, he and his sons have been priests to the tribe of the Danite, till the day of the removal of 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.

And they appoint for them the graven image of Micah, which he had made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.