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 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 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.

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 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?'

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 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.'

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

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

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

And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The presence of the Lord be with you on your way.”

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.

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

Then the spies came back to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, “What is your report? ”

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.

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 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 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 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 six hundred men of the family of the Danites went from there, from Zorah and Eshtaol, 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.

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

And they passed from there to the mountains of Ephraim, and came to 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 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 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, --

So they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young Levite man—to 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), --

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 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 --

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 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?'

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 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 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 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,

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

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

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 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 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 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!'

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 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 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 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.

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 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,

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 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,

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 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 to Israel. However, the name of the city formerly was Laish.

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.

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 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.

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