Judges 18

The Danites Settle in Laish

1In thoseH1992 daysH3117 there was noH369 kingH4428 in IsraelH3478, and the tribeH7626 of the DanitesH1839 was looking forH1245 territoryH5159 to occupyH3427. ForH3588 up toH5704 thatH1931 timeH3117 they had notH3808 come intoH5307 an inheritanceH5159 amongH8432 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478. 2So the DanitesH1121H1835 sent outH7971 fiveH2568 menH582 from their clansH4940H7098, menH582 ofH1121 valorH2428 from ZorahH6881 and EshtaolH847, to spy outH7270 the landH776 and explore itH2713. “GoH1980 and exploreH2713 the landH776,” they told themH559H413.

The men enteredH935 the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669 and came toH5704 the houseH1004 of MicahH4318, where they spent the nightH3885H8033. 3And while theyH1992 were nearH5973 Micah’sH4318 houseH1004, theyH1992 recognizedH5234 the voiceH6963 of the youngH5288 LeviteH3881; so they went overH5493 and askedH559 him, “WhoH4310 broughtH935 you hereH1988? WhatH4100 are youH859 doingH6213 in thisH2088 place? WhyH4100 are you hereH6311?”

4“MicahH4318 has doneH6213 thisH2090 and thatH2088 for me,” he repliedH559H413, “and he has hired meH7936 to beH1961 his priestH3548.”

5Then they saidH559 to him, “PleaseH4994 inquireH7592 of GodH430 to determineH3045 whether weH587H1980H5921 will have a successfulH6743 journeyH1870.”

6And the priestH3548 toldH559 them, “GoH1980 in peaceH7965. The LORDH3068 is watching overH5227 your journeyH1870.”

7So the fiveH2568 menH582 departedH1980 and cameH935 to LaishH3919, where they sawH7200 that the peopleH5971 were livingH3427 securelyH983, likeH4941 the SidoniansH6722, quietH8252 and unsuspectingH982. There was nothingH369H1697 lackingH3637 in the landH776 and no oppressiveH3423 rulerH6114. And theyH1992 were far awayH7350 from the SidoniansH6722 and had noH369 allianceH1697 withH5973 anyoneH120.

8When the men returnedH935 toH413 ZorahH6881 and EshtaolH847, their brothersH251 askedH559 them, “WhatH4100 did you findH859?”

9They answeredH559, “Come onH6965, let us go upH5927 against themH5921, forH3588 we have seenH7200 the landH776H2009, and it is veryH3966 goodH2896. Why would you fail to actH859H2814? Do notH408 hesitateH6101 to go thereH1980H935 and take possession ofH3423 the landH776! 10When you enterH935, you will comeH935 toH413 an unsuspectingH982 peopleH5971 and a spaciousH7342H3027 landH776, forH3588 GodH430 has delivered itH5414 into your handH3027. It is a placeH4725 whereH834 nothingH369H8033H3605H1697 on earthH776 is lackingH4270.”

11So sixH8337 hundredH3967H376 DanitesH1839 departedH5265 fromH8033H4940 ZorahH6881 and EshtaolH847, armedH2296 with weaponsH3627 of warH4421. 12They went upH5927 and campedH2583 at Kiriath-jearimH7157 in JudahH3063. That is whyH5921H3651 theH1931 placeH4725 westH310 of Kiriath-jearimH7157 is calledH7121 Mahaneh-danH42651 toH5704 thisH2088H2009 dayH3117. 13And from thereH8033 they traveledH5674 to the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669 and cameH935 toH5704 Micah’sH4318 houseH1004.

14

The Danites Take Micah’s Idols

Then the fiveH2568 menH582 who had goneH1980 to spy outH7270 the landH776 of LaishH3919 saidH559 toH413 their brothersH251, “Did you knowH3045 thatH3588 one of theseH428 housesH1004 hasH3426 an ephodH646, household godsH8655, a graven imageH6459, and a molten idolH4541? NowH6258 think aboutH3045 whatH4100 you should doH6213.”

15So they turnedH5493 aside thereH8033 and wentH935 toH413 the homeH1004 of the youngH5288 LeviteH3881, the houseH1004 of MicahH4318, and greeted himH7592H7965.

16The sixH8337 hundredH3967 DanitesH1121H1835H376 stoodH5324 at the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179, armedH2296 with their weaponsH3627 of warH4421. 17And the fiveH2568 menH582 who had goneH1980 to spy outH7270 the landH776 went insideH935H8033 and tookH3947 the graven imageH6459, the ephodH646, the household idolsH8655, andH853 the molten idolH4541, while the priestH3548 stoodH5324 at the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 with the sixH8337 hundredH3967 armedH2296 menH376.

18When theyH428 enteredH935 Micah’sH4318 houseH1004 and tookH3947 the graven imageH6459, the ephodH646, the household idolsH8655, andH853 the molten idolH4541, the priestH3548 saidH559 to themH413, “WhatH4100 are youH859 doingH6213?”

19“Be quietH2790,” they toldH559 him. “PutH7760 your handH3027 overH5921 your mouthH6310 and comeH1980 with usH5973 and beH1961 a fatherH1 and a priestH3548 to us. Is it betterH2896 for you to beH1961 a priestH3548 for the houseH1004 of oneH259 personH376 orH176 a priestH3548 for a tribeH7626 and familyH4940 in IsraelH3478?”

20So the priestH3548 was gladH3190H3820 and tookH3947 the ephodH646, the household idolsH8655, andH853 the graven imageH6459, and wentH935 withH7130 the peopleH5971. 21PuttingH7760 their small childrenH2945, their livestockH4735, and their possessionsH3520 in front of themH6440, they turnedH6437 and departedH1980.

22After theyH1992 were some distanceH7368 from Micah’sH4318 houseH1004, the menH582 in the housesH1004 nearH5973 Micah’sH4318 houseH1004 mobilizedH2199 and overtookH1692 the DanitesH1121H1835. 23When they called outH7121 after themH413, the DanitesH1121H1835 turnedH5437 to face themH6440 and saidH559 to MicahH4318, “What is the matterH4100 with you thatH3588 you have called out such a companyH2199?”

24He repliedH559, “You tookH3947 the godsH430 I had madeH6213, and my priestH3548, and went awayH1980. What elseH5750 do I haveH4100? HowH4100H2088 can you sayH559 to meH413, ‘What is the matterH4100 with you?’”

25The DanitesH1121H1835 saidH559 to himH413, “Do notH408 raiseH8085 your voiceH6963 against usH5973, orH6435 angryH4751H5315 menH582 will attackH6293 you, and you and your familyH1004 will loseH622 your livesH5315.”

26So the DanitesH1121H1835 wentH1980 on their wayH1870, and Micah turnedH6437 to go backH7725H413 homeH1004, because heH4318 sawH7200 thatH3588 theyH1992 were too strongH2389 for himH4480.

27After theyH1992 had takenH3947 Micah’sH4318 idols and his priestH3548, they wentH935 toH5921 LaishH3919, toH5921 a quietH8252 and unsuspectingH982 peopleH5971, and they struckH5221 themH853H6310 with their swordsH2719 and burned downH8313H784 the cityH5892. 28There was no oneH369 to deliver themH5337, becauseH3588 the city was farH7350 from SidonH6721 and had noH369 allianceH1697 withH5973 anyoneH120; itH1931 was in a valleyH6010 nearH834 Beth-rehobH1050.

And the Danites rebuiltH1129 the cityH5892 and livedH3427 there. 29They namedH7121H8034 it DanH1835, afterH8034 their forefatherH1 DanH1835, whoH834 was bornH3205 to IsraelH3478—thoughH199 the cityH5892 was formerlyH7223 namedH8034 LaishH3919.

30The DanitesH1121H1835 set upH6965 idolsH6459 for themselves, and JonathanH3083 son ofH1121 GershomH1647, the sonH1121 of MosesH4519H1931,2 and his sonsH1121 wereH1961 priestsH3548 for the tribeH7626 of DanH1839 untilH5704 the dayH3117 of the captivityH1540 of the landH776.

31So they set upH7760 for themselves Micah’sH4318 graven imageH6459, and it was there the wholeH3605 timeH3117 the houseH1004 of GodH430 wasH1961 in ShilohH7887.