1 I n 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.

¶ 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.

2 A nd 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.

And 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.

3 T hey 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?'

When 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?

4 A nd he saith unto them, `Thus and thus hath Micah done to me; and he hireth me, and I am to him for a priest.'

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

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

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

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

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

7 A nd 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.

¶ 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.

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

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

9 A nd 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.

And 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.

10 W hen 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.'

When 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.

11 A nd there journey thence, of the family of the Danite, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.

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

12 A nd 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.

And 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.

13 A nd they pass over thence the hill-country of Ephraim, and come in unto the house of Micah.

And they passed from there unto Mount Ephraim and came unto the house of Micah.

14 A nd 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.'

¶ 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.

15 A nd 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, --

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

16 ( 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), --

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

17 y ea, 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 --

And 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.

18 y ea, 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?'

So 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?

19 a nd 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?'

And 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?

20 A nd 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,

And 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.

21 a nd they turn and go, and put the infants, and the cattle, and the baggage, before them.

So they turned and departed and put the little ones and the cattle and the baggage before them.

22 T hey 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,

And 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.

23 a nd 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?'

And 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?

24 A nd 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!'

And 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?

25 A nd 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;'

And 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.

26 a nd 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.

And 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.

27 A nd 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,

¶ 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.

28 a nd 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,

And 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.

29 a nd 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.

And 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.

30 A nd 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.

And 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.

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

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