1 I n those days there was no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for themselves an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day had not fallen to them for inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

In 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.

2 A nd the children of Dan sent of their family five men of their whole number, men of valour, from Zoreah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to examine it; and they said to them, Go, examine the land. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

So 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.

3 W hen they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man, the Levite; and they turned in thither, and said to him, Who brought thee hither? and what doest thou in this ? and what hast thou here?

When 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?

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

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

5 A nd they said to him, Inquire, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way on which we go shall be prosperous.

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

6 A nd the priest said to them, Go in peace: before Jehovah is your way on which ye go.

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

7 A nd the five men departed, and came to Laish; and they saw the people that were therein, dwelling securely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and no one was in the land who possessed authority, that might put to shame in anything; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had nothing to do with man.

Then 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.

8 — And they came to their brethren at Zoreah and Eshtaol. And their brethren said to them, What ye?

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

9 A nd they said, Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good; and ye are still! Be not slothful to go, to enter to take possession of the land.

They 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.

10 W hen ye go in, ye shall come to a people secure, and the land is spacious in every direction; for God has given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of anything that is on the earth.

When 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.

11 A nd there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zoreah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.

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

12 A nd they went up and encamped in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah; therefore they call that place Mahaneh-Dan to this day: behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim.

And 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.

13 A nd they passed thence to mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

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

14 T hen the five men that had gone to spy out the country of Laish spoke and said to their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? And now ye know what to do.

Then 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.

15 A nd they turned thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, and inquired after his welfare.

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

16 A nd the six hundred men of the children of Dan, girded with their weapons of war, stood at the entrance of the gate.

Now the 600 Danites with their weapons of war stood at Micah’s gate.

17 A nd the five men that had gone to spy out the land went up, entered in thither, took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men that were girded with weapons of war.

And 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.

18 A nd these came into Micah's house, and took the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest said to them, What do ye?

And 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?

19 A nd they said to him, Hold thy peace, lay thy 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 for the house of one man, or to be priest for a tribe and a family in Israel?

And 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?

20 T hen 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.

And 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.

21 A nd they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the baggage before them.

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

22 T hey were already far from the house of Micah, when the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.

When 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.

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

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

24 A nd 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 to me, What aileth thee?

And 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?

25 A nd the children of Dan said to him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest men of exasperated spirit run upon you, and thou lose thy life and the lives of thy household.

And 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.

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

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

27 A nd they took that which Micah had made, and the priest that he had had, and came upon Laish, upon a people quiet and secure; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burned the city with fire.

And 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.

28 A nd there was no deliverer, for it was far from Zidon, and they had nothing to do with man; and it in the valley that is by Beth-rehob. And they built the city and dwelt therein.

And 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.

29 A nd they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; howbeit Laish was the name of the city at the first.

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

30 A nd the children of Dan set up the graven image; and Jehonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses; he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

And 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.

31 A nd they set up for themselves Micah's graven image, which he had made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

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