Judges 18

1In those daysH3117 there was no kingH4428 in IsraelH3478: and in those daysH3117 the tribeH7626 of the Danites soughtH1245 them an inheritanceH5159 to dwellH3427 in; for unto that dayH3117 their inheritanceH5159 had not fallenH5307 unto them among the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478. 2And the children of DanH1835 sentH7971 of their familyH4940 fiveH2568 menH376 from their whole number, menH376 of valor, from ZorahH6881, and from EshtaolH847, to spyH7270 out the landH776, and to searchH2713 it; and they saidH559 unto them, GoH935, searchH2713 the landH776. And they cameH935 to the hill-country of EphraimH669, unto the houseH1004 of MicahH4318, and lodged there. 3When they were by the houseH1004 of MicahH4318, they knew the voiceH6963 of the youngH5288 manH5288 the LeviteH3881; and they turnedH5493 asideH5493 thither, and saidH559 unto him, Who broughtH935 thee hither? and what doest thou in this place? and what hast thou hereH6311? 4And he saidH559 unto them, Thus and thus hath MicahH4318 dealt with me, and he hath hiredH7936 me, and I amH1961 becomeH1961 his priestH3548. 5And they saidH559 unto him, AskH7592 counsel, we pray thee, of GodH430, that we may knowH3045 whether our wayH1870 which we goH1980 shall be prosperous. 6And the priestH3548 saidH559 unto them, Go in peaceH7965: before Jehovah is your wayH1870 wherein ye go.

7Then the fiveH2568 menH376 departed, and cameH935 to Laish, and sawH7200 the peopleH5971 that were therein, how they dweltH3427 in securityH983, after the mannerH1697 of the SidoniansH6722, quietH8252 and secureH982; for there was none in the landH776, possessing authority, that might put them to shameH3637 in anythingH1697, and they were farH7350 from the SidoniansH6722, and had no dealings with any manH376. 8And they cameH935 unto their brethren to ZorahH6881 and EshtaolH847: and their brethren saidH559 unto them, What sayH559 ye? 9And they saidH559, AriseH6965, and let us goH935 up against them; for we have seenH7200 the landH776, and, behold, it is veryH3966 goodH2896: and are ye still? be not slothful to goH935 and to enter in to possessH3423 the landH776. 10When ye goH935, ye shall comeH935 unto a peopleH5971 secureH982, and the landH776 is large; for GodH430 hath givenH5414 it into your handH3027, a placeH4725 whereH834 there is no want of anything that is in the earthH776.

11And there setH5265 forth from thence of the familyH4940 of the Danites, out of ZorahH6881 and out of EshtaolH847, sixH8337 hundredH3967 menH376 girt with weaponsH3627 of warH4421. 12And they wentH5927 up, and encampedH2583 in Kiriath-jearimH7157, in JudahH3063: wherefore they calledH7121 that placeH4725 Mahaneh-danH4265, unto this dayH3117; behold, it is behind Kiriath-jearimH7157. 13And they passedH5674 thence unto the hill-country of EphraimH669, and cameH935 unto the houseH1004 of MicahH4318.

14Then answered the fiveH2568 menH376 that wentH1980 to spyH7270 out the country of Laish, and saidH559 unto their brethren, Do ye knowH3045 that there is in these housesH1004 an ephodH646, and teraphimH8655, and a graven imageH6459, and a molten imageH6459? nowH6258 thereforeH6258 consider what ye have to do. 15And they turnedH5493 asideH5493 thither, and cameH935 to the houseH1004 of the youngH5288 manH5288 the LeviteH3881, even unto the houseH1004 of MicahH4318, and askedH7592 him of his welfareH7965. 16And the sixH8337 hundredH3967 menH376 girt with their weaponsH3627 of warH4421, who were of the children of DanH1835, stoodH5324 by the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179. 17And the fiveH2568 menH376 that wentH1980 to spyH7270 out the landH776 wentH1980 up, and cameH935 in thither, and tookH3947 the graven image, and the ephodH646, and the teraphimH8655, and the molten image: and the priestH3548 stoodH5324 by the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 with the sixH8337 hundredH3967 menH376 girt with weaponsH3627 of warH4421. 18And when these wentH935 into Micah’s houseH1004, and fetched the graven imageH6459, the ephodH646, and the teraphimH8655, and the molten imageH6459, the priestH3548 saidH559 unto them, What do ye? 19And they saidH559 unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thy handH3027 upon thy mouthH6310, and go with us, and beH1961 to us a fatherH1 and a priestH3548: is it betterH2896 for thee to beH1961 priestH3548 unto the houseH1004 of oneH259 manH376, or to beH1961 priestH3548 unto a tribeH7626 and a familyH4940 in IsraelH3478? 20And the priest’sH3548 heartH3820 was glad, and he tookH3947 the ephodH646, and the teraphimH8655, and the graven imageH6459, and wentH935 in the midstH7130 of the peopleH5971.

21So they turnedH6437 and departed, and putH7760 the littleH2945 onesH2945 and the cattle and the goods before them. 22WhenH834 they were a good way from the houseH1004 of MicahH4318, the menH376 that were in the housesH1004 near to Micah’sH4318 houseH1004 were gathered togetherH2199, and overtookH1692 the children of DanH1835. 23And they criedH2199 unto the children of DanH1835. And they turnedH5437 their facesH6440, and saidH559 unto MicahH4318, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company? 24And he saidH559, ye have takenH3947 awayH3947 my godsH430 which I madeH6213, and the priestH3548, and are gone awayH3947, and what have I more? and howH4100 then sayH559 ye unto me, What aileth thee? 25And the children of DanH1835 saidH559 unto him, Let not thy voiceH6963 be heardH8085 among us, lestH6435 angry fellows fallH6293 upon you, and thou lose thy lifeH5315, with the livesH5315 of thy householdH1004. 26And the children of DanH1835 wentH7725 their wayH1870: and when MicahH4318 sawH7200 that they were too strongH2389 for him, he turnedH6437 and wentH7725 backH7725 unto his houseH1004.

27And they tookH3947 that which MicahH4318 had madeH6213, and the priestH3548 whom he had, and cameH935 unto Laish, unto a peopleH5971 quietH8252 and secureH982, and smote them with the edge of the swordH2719; and they burntH8313 the cityH5892 with fireH784. 28And there was no delivererH5337, because it was farH7350 from SidonH6721, and they had no dealings with any manH120; and it was in the valleyH6010 that lieth by Beth-rehobH1050. And they builtH1129 the cityH5892, and dweltH3427 therein. 29And they calledH7121 the nameH8034 of the cityH5892 DanH1835, after the nameH8034 of DanH1835 their fatherH1, who was bornH3205 unto IsraelH3478: howbeit the nameH8034 of the cityH5892 was Laish at the firstH7223. 30And the children of DanH1835 setH6965 up for themselves the graven imageH6459; and JonathanH3129, the sonH1121 of GershomH1647, the sonH1121 of Moses, he and his sonsH1121 wereH1961 priestsH3548 to the tribeH7626 of the Danites until the dayH3117 of the captivity of the landH776. 31So they setH7760 them up Micah’s graven imageH6459 which he madeH6213, all the time that the houseH1004 of GodH430 wasH1961 in ShilohH7887.