1 T here was no king of Israel in those days. At that time the family of the Danites was looking for their own land to live in. For no land had been given to them yet among the families 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 people of Dan sent five men from all those in their family. They were men with strength of heart, from Zorah and Eshtaol, sent to look over the land. The people of Dan said to them, “Go and look over the land.” And the men came to the house of Micah in the hill country of Ephraim. They stayed 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 were near the house of Micah, they heard the voice of the young man, the Levite. They knew who he was, and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What do you have 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 T he Levite said to them, “This is what Micah has done for me. He has hired me. I have become his religious leader.”

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

5 T hey said to him, “We beg you to ask God if all will go well for us as we travel.”

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

6 T he religious leader said to them, “Go in peace. The way you are going is pleasing to 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 left and came to Laish. They saw how the people lived there, quiet and feeling safe, like the Sidonians. There was no ruler in the land who would put them to shame for anything. They were far from the Sidonians and had nothing to do 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 returned to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol. Their brothers said to them, “What do you have to 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 answered, “Get ready. Let us go up against them. For we have seen their land and it is very good. Will you sit and do nothing? Do not wait. Go into the land and take it.

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 in, you will come to people who feel very safe. They have much land, but God has given it to you. It will be a place where you will have all you need on 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 T hen 600 men from the family of Dan, from Zorah and Eshtaol, went out ready for war.

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

12 T hey went to Kiriath-jearim in Judah and set up their tents. 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 T hey went from there to the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.

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 look over the country of Laish said to their brothers, “Do you know that in these houses there are gods, a holy vest, and objects made to look like gods? So think about what you should 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 T hey turned there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, at the home of Micah. They asked him how he was getting along.

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

16 T he 600 men of the sons of Dan who were ready for war were standing by 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 T he five men who had gone to look over the land went in the house. They took the objects made to look like gods, the holy vest and the other gods. The religious leader stood by the gate with the 600 men who were ready for 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 W hen the men went into Micah’s house and took the objects made to look like gods, the holy vest and the other gods, the religious leader 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 T hey said to him, “Be quiet. Put your hand over your mouth and come with us. Be a father and a religious leader to us. Is it better for you to be a religious leader to the house of one man, or to a 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 T he religious leader felt glad in his heart. He took the holy vest, the house gods and objects made to look like gods. And he went among 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 T hen they turned and left. They put the little ones, the animals and their riches in front of them.

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

22 T hey had gone a long way from the house of Micah. And the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house gathered together and went after them. When they came to 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 t hey called out to them. The sons of Dan turned around and said to Micah, “What is wrong with you? Why have you gathered together?”

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 M icah said, “You have taken away my gods which I made. And you go away with the religious leader. What do I have left? How can you say to me, ‘What is wrong with 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 T he sons of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us. Or angry men will kill you and those of your house.”

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 T hen the sons of Dan went on their way. Micah saw that they were too strong for him. So he returned 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 T he men of Dan took what Micah had made and the religious leader who had belonged to him. They came to Laish, to people who were quiet and felt safe. And they killed them with the sword. They burned the city with fire.

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 T here was no one to take them away from their trouble, because it was far from Sidon and they had nothing to do with anyone. It was in the valley near Beth-rehob. The sons of Dan built the city again, and lived 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 called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born in Israel. The name of the city had been Laish before.

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 T he people of Dan set up for themselves the object made to look like a god. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, and his sons were religious leaders to the family of Dan until the day their land was taken.

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 T hey set up the false god that Micah had made, while 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.