1 ¶ In those days there was no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Dan sought a possession for themselves to dwell in, for unto that day their lot had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel for an inheritance.

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

2 A nd the sons of Dan sent five men from their family of their borders, 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. These came unto Mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, and they lodged there.

The children of Dan sent five men of their family from their whole number, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it. 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 near the house of Micah, they recognized the accent of the voice of the young man the Levite, and they turned in there and said unto him, Who brought thee here? And what doest thou in this place? And what hast thou here?

When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; so they turned aside there, and said to him, “Who brought you here? What do you do in this place? What do you have here?”

4 A nd he said unto them, Thus and thus Micah has done with me and has hired me that I may be his priest.

He said to them, “Thus and thus has Micah dealt with me, and he has hired me, and I am become his priest.”

5 A nd they said unto him, Ask counsel now, therefore, of God, that we may know whether he shall prosper our journey which we do.

They said to him, “Please ask counsel of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.”

6 A nd the priest replied unto them, Go in peace. Your journey which ye do is before the LORD.

The priest said to them, “Go in peace. Your way in which you go is before Yahweh.”

7 ¶ Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw that the people that dwelt there were secure, idle, and confident after the manner of the Zidonians; and there was no one in that land that might hinder them in any way from possessing that land; furthermore they were far from the Zidonians and had no business with anyone.

Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people who were there, how they lived in safety, in the way of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no one in the land, possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with anyone else.

8 A nd they retuned unto their brethren in Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?

They came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brothers asked them, “What do you say?”

9 A nd they said, Arise, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good; and are ye to remain still? Do not be slothful to go and to enter to possess the land.

They said, “Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. Do you stand still? Don’t be slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land.

10 W hen ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure and to a large land, for God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.

When you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people, and the land is large; for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.”

11 A nd there went from there of the family of Dan, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

The family of the Danites set out from Zorah and Eshtaol, with six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

12 A nd they went up and pitched camp in Kirjathjearim in Judah; therefore, they called that place the camp of Dan unto this day; it is behind Kirjathjearim.

They went up and encamped in Kiriath Jearim, in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahaneh Dan, to this day. Behold, it is behind Kiriath Jearim.

13 A nd they passed from there unto Mount Ephraim and came unto the house of Micah.

They passed from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

14 ¶ Then the five men that had gone to spy out the land of Laish 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.

Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish answered, and said to their brothers, “Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and an engraved image, and a molten image? Now therefore consider what you have to do.”

15 A nd they turned in there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and greeted him.

They turned aside there, and came to the house of the young Levite man, even to the house of Micah, and asked him how he was doing.

16 A nd the six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the sons of Dan, stood by the entrance of the 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 that went to spy out the land went up and went in there and took the graven image and the ephod, and the teraphim and the molten image while the priest stood in the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men that were armed with weapons of war.

The five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the engraved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

18 S o they entered into Micah’s house and took the graven image the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image. Then the priest said unto them, What are you doing?

When these went into Micah’s house, and took the engraved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 A nd they said unto him, Silence, lay thy hand upon thy mouth and go with us to be our father and 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 of Israel?

They said to him, “Hold your peace, put your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?”

20 A nd 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.

The priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, the teraphim, and the engraved image, and went with the people.

21 S o 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 livestock, and the goods before them.

22 A nd 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 sons of Dan.

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 A nd they cried unto the sons of Dan. And these turned their faces and said unto Micah, What ails thee that thou dost come with such a company?

As they cried to the children of Dan, they turned their faces, 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 is left to me? And why do ye say unto me, What ails thee?

He said, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away! What more do I have? How can you ask me, ‘What ails you?’”

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

The children of Dan said to him, “Don’t let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall on you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household.”

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

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.

27 ¶ And they took the things which Micah had made together with 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.

They took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, and struck them with the edge of the sword; then they burned the city with fire.

28 A nd there was no deliverer because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with anyone; and it was in the valley that lies by Bethrehob. Then they rebuilt the city and dwelt therein.

There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone else; and it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. They built the city, and lived in it.

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

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 used to be Laish.

30 A nd the sons of Dan set up the graven image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershon, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

The children of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.

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

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