Judges 18

1 In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for them an inheritance to dwell in, for to that day their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.

In those days there is no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danite is seeking an inheritance to inhabit for itself, for [that] has not fallen to it to that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel by inheritance.

2 And the sons of Dan sent of their family five men from their whole number, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it. And they said to them, Go, search the land. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

And the sons of Dan send, out of their family, five of their men—men, sons of valor—from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to traverse the land, and to search it, and they say to them, “Go, search the land”; and they come into the hill-country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodge there.

3 When they were by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man the Levite. And they turned aside there, and said to him, Who brought thee here? And what are thou doing in this place? And what have thou here?

They [are] 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 has brought you here? And what are you doing in this [place]? And why are you here?”

4 And he said to them, Thus and thus has Micah dealt with me, and he has hired me, and I have become his priest.

And he says to them, “Thus and thus has Micah done to me; and he hires me, and I am for a priest to him.”

5 And they said to him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

And they say to him, “Please ask of God, and we know whether our way on which we are going is prosperous.”

6 And the priest said to them, Go in peace. Your way is before Jehovah in which ye go.

And the priest says to them, “Go in peace; before YHWH [is] your way in which you go.”

7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were in it, how they dwelt in security, according to the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure, for there was none in the land possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything. And they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with any man.

And the five men go, and come to Laish, and see the people which [is] 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 [any] thing, possessing restraint, and they [are] far off from the Zidonians, and have no word with [any] man.

8 And they came to their brothers to Zorah and Eshtaol. And their brothers said to them, What say ye?

And they come to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers say to them, “What [did] you [find]?”

9 And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good, and are ye idle? Be not slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land.

And they say, “Rise, and we go up against them, for we have seen the land, and behold—very good; and you are keeping silent! Do not be slothful to go—to enter to possess the land.

10 When ye go, ye shall come to a people secure. And the land is large, for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no want of anything that is on the earth.

When you go, you come to a confident people, and the land [is] large on both hands, for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything which [is] in the land.”

11 And there set forth from there of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.

And there journey there, of the family of the Danite, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.

12 And they went up, and encamped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan, to this day. Behold, it is behind Kiriath-jearim.

And they go up and encamp in Kirjath-Jearim, in Judah, therefore they have called that place, “Camp of Dan,” until this day; behold, behind Kirjath-Jearim.

13 And they passed from there to the hill-country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

And they pass over there [to] the hill-country of Ephraim, and come to the house of Micah.

14 Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish, answered and said to their brothers, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? Now therefore consider what ye have to do.

And the five men, those going to traverse the land of Laish, answer and say to their brothers, “Have you known that in these houses there is an ephod, and teraphim, and carved image, and molten image? And now, know what you do.”

15 And they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare.

And they turn aside there, and come to the house of the young man, the Levite, the house of Micah, and ask of him of welfare—

16 And the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who were of the sons of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

(and the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who [are] of the sons of Dan, are standing at the opening of the gate)—

17 And the five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girded with weapons of war.

indeed, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up—they have come in there—they have taken the carved 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—

18 And when these went into Micah's house, and fetched the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, What do ye?

indeed, these have entered the house of Micah, and take the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest says to them, “What are you doing?”

19 And they said to him, Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for thee to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?

And they say to him, “Keep silent, lay your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be for a father and for a priest to us: is it better your being a priest for the house of one man, or your being priest for a tribe and for a family in Israel?”

20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.

And the heart of the priest is glad, and he takes the ephod, and the teraphim, and the carved image, and goes into the midst of the people,

21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the goods before them.

and they turn and go, and put the infants, and the livestock, and the baggage, before them.

22 When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the sons of Dan.

They have been far off from the house of Micah—and the men who [are] in the houses which [are] near the house of Micah have been called together, and overtake the sons of Dan,

23 And they cried out to the sons of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said to Micah, What troubles thee that thou come with such a company?

and call to the sons of Dan, and they turn their faces around, and say to Micah, “What [is this] to you that you have been called together?”

24 And he said, ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away, and what have I more? And how do ye then say to me, What troubles thee?

And he says, “You have taken my gods which I made, and the priest, and you go; and what more do I [have]? And what [is] this you say to me, What [is this] to you?”

25 And the sons of Dan said to him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.

And the sons of Dan say to him, “Do not let your voice be heard with us, lest men bitter in soul fall on you, and you have gathered your life, and the life of your household”;

26 And the sons of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

and the sons of Dan go on their way, and Micah sees that they are stronger than he, and turns, and goes back to his house.

27 And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and they burnt the city with fire.

And 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 strike them by the mouth of the sword, and have burned the city with fire,

28 And there was no deliverer because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with any man, and it was in the valley that lies by Beth-rehob. And they built the city, and dwelt in it.

and there is no deliverer, for it [is] far off from Sidon, and they have no word with [any] man, and it [is] in the valley which [is] by Beth-Rehob; and they build the city, and dwell in it,

29 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 was Laish at first.

and call the name of the city Dan, by the name of their father Dan, who was born to Israel; and yet Laish [is] the name of the city at the first.

30 And the sons of Dan set up for themselves the graven image. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.

And the sons of Dan raise up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, he and his sons have been priests for the tribe of the Danite, until the day of the expulsion of [the people] of the land.

31 So they set up for them Micah's graven image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

And they appoint for themselves the carved image of Micah, which he had made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.