Judges 18
English Standard Version
Danites Take the Levite and the Idol
18 (A)In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days (B)the tribe of the people of Dan was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in, for until then no inheritance among the tribes of Israel had fallen to them. 2 So the people of Dan sent five able men from the whole number of their tribe, (C)from Zorah and from Eshtaol, (D)to spy out the land and to explore it. And they said to them, “Go and explore the land.” And they came (E)to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. 3 When they were by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. And they turned aside and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?” 4 And he said to them, “This is how Micah dealt with me: (F)he has hired me, and I have become his priest.” 5 And they said to him, (G)“Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether the journey on which we are setting out will succeed.” 6 And the priest said to them, (H)“Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord.”
7 Then the five men departed and came to (I)Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, (J)quiet and unsuspecting, lacking[a] nothing that is in the earth and possessing wealth, and how (K)they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone. 8 And when they came to their brothers at (L)Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers said to them, “What do you report?” 9 They said, (M)“Arise, and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. (N)And will you do nothing? (O)Do not be slow to go, to enter in and possess the land. 10 As soon as you go, you will come to an (P)unsuspecting people. The land is spacious, for God has given it into your hands, (Q)a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.”
11 So 600 men of the tribe of Dan, (R)armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol, 12 and went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. On this account that place is called (S)Mahaneh-dan[b] to this day; behold, it is west of (T)Kiriath-jearim. 13 And they passed on from there to (U)the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.
14 Then the five men who had gone to scout out the country of Laish said to their brothers, “Do you know that (V)in these houses there are an ephod, household gods, a carved image, and a metal image? Now therefore consider what you will do.” 15 And they turned aside there and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and (W)asked him about his welfare. 16 Now the 600 men of the Danites, (X)armed with their weapons of war, stood by the entrance of the gate. 17 And (Y)the five men who had gone to scout out the land went up and entered and took (Z)the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war. 18 And when these went into Micah's house and took (AA)the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19 And they said to him, “Keep quiet; (AB)put your hand on your mouth and come with us and be to us (AC)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 clan in Israel?” 20 And the priest's heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.
21 So they turned and departed, putting the little ones and the livestock and (AD)the goods in front of them. 22 When they had gone a distance from the home of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah's house were called out, and they overtook the people of Dan. 23 And they shouted to the people of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you come with such a company?” 24 And he said, (AE)“You take my gods that I made and the priest, and go away, and what have I left? How then do you ask me, ‘What is the matter with you?’” 25 And the people of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and you lose your life with the lives of your household.” 26 Then the people of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home.
27 But the people of Dan took what Micah had made, and the priest who belonged to him, and they came to Laish, to a people (AF)quiet and unsuspecting, and (AG)struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire. 28 And there was no deliverer because it was (AH)far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs to (AI)Beth-rehob. Then they rebuilt the city and lived in it. 29 And they named the city (AJ)Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor, who was born to Israel; but (AK)the name of the city was Laish at the first. 30 And the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan the son of Gershom, (AL)son of Moses,[c] (AM)and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day (AN)of the captivity of the land. 31 So they set up Micah's carved image that he made, (AO)as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.
Footnotes
- Judges 18:7 Compare 18:10; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Judges 18:12 Mahaneh-dan means camp of Dan
- Judges 18:30 Or Manasseh
Judges 18
The Voice
18 During this period, Israel had no king, and the tribe of Dan was searching for a territory they could call their own because at that time they had not been assigned land among the other peoples of Israel. 2 So the people of Dan chose five brave men from out of the entire tribe, men from the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol, to explore the land and to seek a new home for them. “Go and explore the land,” was their charge.
When they reached the hill country of Ephraim, they stayed in Micah’s home. 3 As they came near Micah’s house, they recognized from his speech that the Levite priest was not from around there.
Danite Spies (to the young Levite): Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?
Levite: 4 To make a long story short, Micah made all this happen for me and put me to work. I serve him as his priest.
Danite Spies: 5 Ask the True God if our mission will succeed.
Levite: 6 Go in peace. The Eternal is watching over you on this mission.
7 The five spies went on their way and came to Laish, in the northern of the land of Canaan, where they observed that the people seemed to live without concern for their security, like the people of Sidon, quiet and without suspicion, lacking in nothing, and in peace. They were far from Sidon and were not allied with anyone.
8 So the men returned to their people at Zorah and Eshtaol, who wanted to hear their report. They told their people about the land of Laish.
Danite Spies: 9 Come on, let’s gather our forces and go to war against them, for we have seen the land and it is good. Why are you just sitting there? Don’t waste another minute here. Let’s go in and take that land. 10 When you get there, you’ll see that they don’t suspect any danger. The land is large and is full of every good thing on earth, and God has given it into our hands.
11 Then 600 men from the tribe of Dan armed themselves for war and set out from Zorah and Eshtaol. 12 These warriors of Dan went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim, or city of forests, in Judah, which is why the place just to the west is still called Mahaneh-dan, camp of Dan. 13 From there, they entered the hill country of Ephraim and approached Micah’s house. 14 The five spies who had scouted out the land of Laish spoke to their fellow warriors.
Danite Spies: Did you know that in these houses (the village where Micah lived) are a priestly vest, their household gods, and a cast image of silver? Give some thought to what you would like to do now.
15 They turned and went in the direction of the young Levite’s house at Micah’s place and greeted him. 16 So the 600 Danite warriors waited outside the gate, ready to attack, 17 while the five men who had spied out the land were to go inside to take the sacred objects: the ritual vestment, the household gods, and the cast image of silver. The priest stood at the gates with the warriors; 18 and when the five took the priestly vest, household gods, and the cast image of silver, he said to them,
Levite: What are you doing?
Danite Spies: 19 Be quiet. Keep silent, come with us, and be a father and a priest to us. Isn’t it better for you to be priest and father to an entire tribe and clan of Israel than to a single household?
20 The priest agreed. He took possession of the ritual vestment, household idols, and carved image and joined the people of Dan on their journey. 21 They traveled on, putting their children, livestock, and their possessions in front of the procession. 22 But when they had traveled some distance from Micah’s home, his friends who lived nearby gathered together and chased after the people of Dan.
When they caught up to them, 23 they shouted after the people of Dan.
Danites (to Micah): What’s wrong? What brings so many of you out after us?
Micah: 24 What’s wrong? You steal my household gods and my priest and go off, and where does that leave me? What do you mean, “What’s wrong?”
Danites: 25 You would be wise to lower your voice, or else some hot-tempered individuals among us are likely to attack you. Then you’ll lose your life and the lives of those you care about.
26 With this the people of Dan went on their way. Micah saw that there were too many of them for him to protest any further, so he turned and went back home.
27 The people of Dan, having taken Micah’s household gods and his priest, came to Laish; and there they attacked those people who were quiet and without suspicion, killed them without mercy, and burned down their city. 28 No one came to save the people of Laish, since they were far from Sidon and had no treaties with anyone. This all happened in the valley that is near Beth-rehob, house of a broad place. The Danites rebuilt the city there and lived in it. 29 They changed the name of the city from Laish to Dan, after their ancestor and namesake who was born to Israel (also called Jacob). 30 There the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan (son of Gershom, son of Moses) and his sons became the priests to Dan and were their priests until the people of Israel were taken off into captivity. 31 They kept the carved image of Micah as their own for as long as the house of the True God was at Shiloh.
Judges 18
New English Translation
The Tribe of Dan Finds an Inheritance
18 In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the Danite tribe was looking for a place[a] to settle, because at that time they did not yet have a place to call their own among the tribes of Israel.[b] 2 The Danites sent out from their whole tribe five representatives,[c] capable men[d] from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. They said to them, “Go, explore the land.” They came to the Ephraimite hill country and spent the night at Micah’s house.[e] 3 As they approached[f] Micah’s house, they recognized the accent[g] of the young Levite. So they stopped[h] there and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?”[i] 4 He told them what Micah had done for him, saying,[j] “He hired me, and I became his priest.” 5 They said to him, “Seek a divine oracle for us,[k] so we can know if we will be successful on our mission.”[l] 6 The priest said to them, “Go with confidence.[m] The Lord will be with you on your mission.”[n]
7 So the five men journeyed on[o] and arrived in Laish. They noticed that the people there[p] were living securely, like the Sidonians do,[q] undisturbed and unsuspecting. No conqueror was troubling them in any way.[r] They lived far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.[s] 8 When the Danites returned to their tribe[t] in Zorah and Eshtaol, their kinsmen[u] asked them, “How did it go?”[v] 9 They said, “Come on, let’s attack them,[w] for[x] we saw their land and it is very good. You seem lethargic,[y] but don’t hesitate[z] to invade and conquer[aa] the land. 10 When you invade,[ab] you will encounter[ac] unsuspecting people. The land is wide![ad] God is handing it over to you—a place that lacks nothing on earth!”[ae]
11 So 600 Danites, fully armed, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol.[af] 12 They went up and camped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. (To this day that place is called Camp of Dan.[ag] It is west[ah] of Kiriath Jearim.) 13 From there they traveled through the Ephraimite hill country and arrived at Micah’s house. 14 The five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish[ai] said to their kinsmen,[aj] “Do you realize that inside these houses are an ephod, some personal idols, a carved image, and a metal image? Decide now what you want to do.” 15 They stopped[ak] there, went inside the young Levite’s house (which belonged to Micah),[al] and asked him how he was doing.[am] 16 Meanwhile the 600 Danites, fully armed, stood at the entrance to the gate.[an] 17 The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole[ao] the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the 600 fully armed men.[ap] 18 When these men broke into Micah’s house and stole[aq] the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19 They said to him, “Shut up! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us! You can be our adviser[ar] and priest. Wouldn’t it be better to be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for just one man’s family?”[as] 20 The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group.[at]
21 They turned and went on their way, but they walked behind the children, the cattle, and their possessions.[au] 22 After they had gone a good distance from Micah’s house, Micah’s neighbors[av] gathered together and caught up with the Danites. 23 When they called out to the Danites, the Danites[aw] turned around and said to Micah, “Why have you gathered together?” 24 He said, “You stole my gods that I made, as well as this priest, and then went away. What do I have left? How can you have the audacity to say to me, ‘What do you want?’”[ax] 25 The Danites said to him, “Don’t say another word to us, or some very angry men[ay] will attack you, and you and your family will die.”[az] 26 The Danites went on their way; when Micah realized[ba] they were too strong to resist,[bb] he turned around and went home.
27 Now the Danites[bc] took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and came to Laish, where the people were undisturbed and unsuspecting. They struck them down with the sword and burned the city.[bd] 28 No one came to the rescue because the city[be] was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone.[bf] The city[bg] was in a valley near Beth Rehob. The Danites[bh] rebuilt the city and occupied it. 29 They named it Dan after their ancestor, who was one of Israel’s sons.[bi] But the city’s name used to be Laish. 30 The Danites worshiped[bj] the carved image. Jonathan, descendant[bk] of Gershom, son of Moses,[bl] and his descendants[bm] served as priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the exile. 31 They worshiped[bn] Micah’s carved image[bo] the whole time God’s authorized shrine[bp] was in Shiloh.
Footnotes
- Judges 18:1 tn Heb “an inheritance.”
- Judges 18:1 tn Heb “because there had not fallen to them by that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel an inheritance.”
- Judges 18:2 tn Heb “The Danites sent from their tribe five men, from their borders.”
- Judges 18:2 tn Heb “men, sons of strength.”
- Judges 18:2 tn Heb “They came to the Ephraimite hill country, to Micah’s house, and spent the night there.”
- Judges 18:3 tn Or “When they were near.”
- Judges 18:3 tn Heb “voice.” This probably means that “his speech was Judahite [i.e., southern] like their own, not Israelite [i.e., northern]” (R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 263).
- Judges 18:3 tn Heb “turned aside.”
- Judges 18:3 tn Heb “What [is there] to you here?”
- Judges 18:4 tn Heb “He said to them, ‘Such and such Micah has done for me.’” Though the statement is introduced and presented, at least in part, as a direct quotation (note especially “for me”), the phrase “such and such” appears to be the narrator’s condensed version of what the Levite really said.
- Judges 18:5 tn Heb “Ask God.”
- Judges 18:5 tn Heb “so we can know if our way on which we are going will be successful.”
- Judges 18:6 tn Heb “in peace.”
- Judges 18:6 tn Heb “In front of the Lord is your way in which you are going.”
- Judges 18:7 tn Or “went.”
- Judges 18:7 tn Heb “who were in its midst.”
- Judges 18:7 tn Heb “according to the custom of the Sidonians.”
- Judges 18:7 tn Heb “and there was no one humiliating anything in the land, one taking possession [by] force.”
- Judges 18:7 tc Heb “and a thing there was not to them with men.” Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX and Symmachus read “Syria” here rather than the MT’s “men.” This reading presupposes a Hebrew Vorlage אֲרָם (ʾaram, “Aram,” i.e., Arameans) rather than the MT reading אָדָם (ʾadam). This reading is possibly to be preferred over the MT.
- Judges 18:8 tn Heb “They came to their brothers.”
- Judges 18:8 tn Heb “brothers.”
- Judges 18:8 tn Heb “What you?”
- Judges 18:9 tn Heb “Arise, and let us go up against them.”
- Judges 18:9 tc Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX adds “we entered and walked around in the land as far as Laish and.”
- Judges 18:9 tn Heb “But you are inactive.”
- Judges 18:9 tn Or “be lazy.”
- Judges 18:9 tn Heb “to go”; “to enter”; “to possess.”
- Judges 18:10 tn Heb “When you enter.”
- Judges 18:10 tn Heb “you will come to.”
- Judges 18:10 tn Heb “broad of hands,” an idiom meaning “wide on both sides.”
- Judges 18:10 tn Heb “a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.”
- Judges 18:11 tn Heb “They journeyed from there, from the tribe of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, 600 men, equipped with weapons of war.”
- Judges 18:12 tn Or “Mahaneh Dan”; the Hebrew term “Mahaneh” means “camp [of].” Many English versions retain the transliterated Hebrew expression, but cf. CEV “Dan’s Camp.”
- Judges 18:12 tn Heb “behind.”
- Judges 18:14 tc Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX lacks the phrase “of Laish.”
- Judges 18:14 tn Heb “brothers.”
- Judges 18:15 tn Heb “turned aside.”
- Judges 18:15 tn Heb “Micah’s house.”
- Judges 18:15 tn Heb “they asked him concerning peace.”
- Judges 18:16 tn Heb “And the 600 men, equipped with the weapons of war…from the sons of Dan.”
- Judges 18:17 tn Heb “went up, went in there, took.”
- Judges 18:17 tn Heb “600 men, equipped with the weapons of war.”
- Judges 18:18 tn Heb “These went into Micah’s house and took.”
- Judges 18:19 tn See the note on the word “adviser” in 17:10.
- Judges 18:19 tn Heb “Is it better for you to be priest for the house of one man or for you to be priest for a tribe, for a clan in Israel?”
- Judges 18:20 tn Heb “and went into the midst of the people.”
- Judges 18:21 tn Heb “They turned and went and put the children, the cattle, and the possessions in front of them.”
- Judges 18:22 tn Heb “the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house.”
- Judges 18:23 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Danites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Judges 18:24 tn Heb “What is this you say to me, ‘What to you?’”
- Judges 18:25 tn Heb “bitter in spirit.” This phrase is used in 2 Sam 17:8 of David and his warriors, who are compared to a bear robbed of her cubs.
- Judges 18:25 tn Heb “and you will gather up your life and the life of your house.”
- Judges 18:26 tn Heb “saw.”
- Judges 18:26 tn Heb “they were stronger than he.”
- Judges 18:27 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Danites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Judges 18:27 tn The Hebrew adds “with fire.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons, because it is redundant in English.
- Judges 18:28 tn Heb “it.” The Hebrew pronoun is feminine singular here, referring to the “city” (a grammatically feminine singular noun) mentioned in v. 27.
- Judges 18:28 tn Heb “and a thing there was not to them with men.”
- Judges 18:28 tn Heb “it.” The Hebrew pronoun is feminine singular here, referring to the “city” (a grammatically feminine singular noun) mentioned in v. 27.
- Judges 18:28 tn Heb “They”; the referent (the Danites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Judges 18:29 tn Heb “They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who had been born to Israel.”
- Judges 18:30 tn Heb “erected for themselves.”
- Judges 18:30 tn Heb “son.”
- Judges 18:30 tc Several ancient textual witnesses, including some LXX mss and the Vulgate, support the reading “Moses” (מֹשֶׁה, mosheh) here. Many Hebrew mss have a nun (נ) suspended above the name between the first two letters (מנשׁה), suggesting the name Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, menasheh). This is probably a scribal attempt to protect Moses’ reputation. For discussion, see G. F. Moore, Judges (ICC), 401-2.
- Judges 18:30 tn Heb “sons.”
- Judges 18:31 tn Heb “they set up for themselves.”
- Judges 18:31 tn Heb “the carved image that Micah had made.”
- Judges 18:31 tn Heb “the house of God.”
Judges 18
New Century Version
Dan’s Family Captures Laish
18 At that time Israel did not have a king. And at that time the tribe of Dan was still looking for a land where they could live, a land of their own. The Danites had not yet been given their own land among the tribes of Israel. 2 So, from their family groups, they chose five soldiers from the cities of Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out and explore the land. They were told, “Go, explore the land.”
They came to the mountains of Ephraim, to Micah’s house, where they spent the night. 3 When they came near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite.[a] So they stopped there and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing here? Why are you here?”
4 He told them what Micah had done for him, saying, “He hired me. I am his priest.”
5 They said to him, “Please ask God if our journey will be successful.”
6 The priest said to them, “Go in peace. The Lord is pleased with your journey.”
7 So the five men left. When they came to the city of Laish, they saw that the people there lived in safety, like the people of Sidon. They thought they were safe and had plenty of everything. They lived a long way from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone else.
8 When the five men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them, “What did you find?”
9 They answered, “We have seen the land, and it is very good. We should attack them. Aren’t you going to do something? Don’t wait! Let’s go and take that land! 10 When you go, you will see there is plenty of land—plenty of everything! The people are not expecting an attack. Surely God has handed that land over to us!”
11 So six hundred Danites left Zorah and Eshtaol ready for war. 12 On their way they set up camp near the city of Kiriath Jearim in Judah. That is why the place west of Kiriath Jearim is named Mahaneh Dan[b] to this day. 13 From there they traveled on to the mountains of Ephraim. Then they came to Micah’s house.
14 The five men who had explored the land around Laish said to their relatives, “Do you know in one of these houses there are a holy vest, household gods, an idol, and a statue? You know what to do.” 15 So they stopped at the Levite’s house, which was also Micah’s house, and greeted the Levite. 16 The six hundred Danites stood at the entrance gate, wearing their weapons of war. 17 The five spies went into the house and took the idol, the holy vest, the household idols, and the statue. The priest and the six hundred men armed for war stood by the entrance gate.
18 When the spies went into Micah’s house and took the image, the holy vest, the household idols, and the statue, the priest asked them, “What are you doing?”
19 They answered, “Be quiet! Don’t say a word. Come with us and be our father and priest. Is it better for you to be a priest for one man’s house or for a tribe and family group in Israel?” 20 This made the priest happy. So he took the holy vest, the household idols, and the idol and went with the Danites. 21 They left Micah’s house, putting their little children, their animals, and everything they owned in front of them.
22 When they had gone a little way from Micah’s house, the men who lived near Micah were called out and caught up with them. 23 The men with Micah shouted at the Danites, who turned around and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you? Why have you been called out to fight?”
24 Micah answered, “You took my gods that I made and my priest. What do I have left? How can you ask me, ‘What’s the matter?’”
25 The Danites answered, “You should not argue with us. Some of our angry men might attack you, killing you and your family.” 26 Then the Danites went on their way. Micah knew they were too strong for him, so he turned and went back home.
27 Then the Danites took what Micah had made and his priest and went on to Laish. They attacked those peaceful people and killed them with their swords and then burned the city. 28 There was no one to save the people of Laish. They lived too far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone else. Laish was in a valley near Beth Rehob.
The people of Dan rebuilt the city and lived there. 29 They changed the name of Laish to Dan, naming it for their ancestor Dan, one of the sons of Israel.
30 The people of Dan set up the idols in the city of Dan. Jonathan son of Gershom, Moses’ son, and his sons served as priests for the tribe of Dan until the land was captured. 31 The people of Dan set up the idols Micah had made as long as the Holy Tent of God was in Shiloh.
Judges 18
New Living Translation
Idolatry in the Tribe of Dan
18 Now in those days Israel had no king. And the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place where they could settle, for they had not yet moved into the land assigned to them when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel. 2 So the men of Dan chose from their clans five capable warriors from the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol to scout out a land for them to settle in.
When these warriors arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, they came to Micah’s house and spent the night there. 3 While at Micah’s house, they recognized the young Levite’s accent, so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here, and what are you doing in this place? Why are you here?” 4 He told them about his agreement with Micah and that he had been hired as Micah’s personal priest.
5 Then they said, “Ask God whether or not our journey will be successful.”
6 “Go in peace,” the priest replied. “For the Lord is watching over your journey.”
7 So the five men went on to the town of Laish, where they noticed the people living carefree lives, like the Sidonians; they were peaceful and secure.[a] The people were also wealthy because their land was very fertile. And they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby.
8 When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them, “What did you find?”
9 The men replied, “Come on, let’s attack them! We have seen the land, and it is very good. What are you waiting for? Don’t hesitate to go and take possession of it. 10 When you get there, you will find the people living carefree lives. God has given us a spacious and fertile land, lacking in nothing!”
11 So 600 men from the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol. 12 They camped at a place west of Kiriath-jearim in Judah, which is called Mahaneh-dan[b] to this day. 13 Then they went on from there into the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.
14 The five men who had scouted out the land around Laish explained to the others, “These buildings contain a sacred ephod, as well as some household idols, a carved image, and a cast idol. What do you think you should do?” 15 Then the five men turned off the road and went over to Micah’s house, where the young Levite lived, and greeted him kindly. 16 As the 600 armed warriors from the tribe of Dan stood at the entrance of the gate, 17 the five scouts entered the shrine and removed the carved image, the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the cast idol. Meanwhile, the priest was standing at the gate with the 600 armed warriors.
18 When the priest saw the men carrying all the sacred objects out of Micah’s shrine, he said, “What are you doing?”
19 “Be quiet and come with us,” they said. “Be a father and priest to all of us. Isn’t it better to be a priest for an entire tribe and clan of Israel than for the household of just one man?”
20 The young priest was quite happy to go with them, so he took along the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the carved image. 21 They turned and started on their way again, placing their children, livestock, and possessions in front of them.
22 When the people from the tribe of Dan were quite a distance from Micah’s house, the people who lived near Micah came chasing after them. 23 They were shouting as they caught up with them. The men of Dan turned around and said to Micah, “What’s the matter? Why have you called these men together and chased after us like this?”
24 “What do you mean, ‘What’s the matter?’” Micah replied. “You’ve taken away all the gods I have made, and my priest, and I have nothing left!”
25 The men of Dan said, “Watch what you say! There are some short-tempered men around here who might get angry and kill you and your family.” 26 So the men of Dan continued on their way. When Micah saw that there were too many of them for him to attack, he turned around and went home.
27 Then, with Micah’s idols and his priest, the men of Dan came to the town of Laish, whose people were peaceful and secure. They attacked with swords and burned the town to the ground. 28 There was no one to rescue the people, for they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby. This happened in the valley near Beth-rehob.
Then the people of the tribe of Dan rebuilt the town and lived there. 29 They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor, Israel’s son, but it had originally been called Laish.
30 Then they set up the carved image, and they appointed Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses,[c] as their priest. This family continued as priests for the tribe of Dan until the Exile. 31 So Micah’s carved image was worshiped by the tribe of Dan as long as the Tabernacle of God remained at Shiloh.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
