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.

There 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.

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 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.

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 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?”

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.'

The Levite said to them, “This is what Micah has done for me. He has hired me. I have become his religious leader.”

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.'

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

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

The religious leader said to them, “Go in peace. The way you are going is pleasing to 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 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.

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

The five men returned to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol. Their brothers said to them, “What do you have to say?”

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.

They 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.

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 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.”

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.

Then 600 men from the family of Dan, from Zorah and Eshtaol, went out ready for 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.

They 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.

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

They went from there to the hill country 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 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.”

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, --

They 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.

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 600 men of the sons of Dan who were ready for war were standing by 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 --

The 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.

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 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?”

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?'

They 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?”

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,

The 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.

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

Then they turned and left. They put the little ones, the animals and their riches 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,

They 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,

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?'

they called out to them. The sons of Dan turned around and said to Micah, “What is wrong with you? Why have you gathered together?”

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!'

Micah 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?’”

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;'

The 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.”

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 sons of Dan went on their way. Micah saw that they were too strong for him. So he returned to 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,

The 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.

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 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.

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.

They 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.

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.

The 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.

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.

They set up the false god that Micah had made, while the house of God was at Shiloh.