Judges 18

1 In those dayes there was no King in Israel, and at the same time the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for vnto that time all their inheritance had not fallen vnto them among the tribes of Israel.

In those days there was no king in Israel; and in those days the tribe of Dan sought for itself an inheritance to inhabit, because no inheritance had fallen to it until that day in the midst of the tribes of the children of Israel.

2 Therefore the children of Dan sent of their familie, fiue men out of their coastes, euen men expert in warre, out of Zorah and Eshtaol, to viewe the lande and search it out, and saide vnto them, Goe, and search out the lande. Then they came to mount Ephraim to the house of Michah and lodged there.

And the sons of Dan sent from their families five men of valour, from Saraa and from Esthaol, to spy out the land and to search it; and they said to them, Go and search out the land. And they came as far as the mount of Ephraim to the house of Michaias and they lodged there,

3 When they were in the house of Michah, they knewe the voyce of the yong man the Leuite: and being turned in thither, they saide vnto him, Who brought thee hither? or what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou to doe here?

in the house of Michaias, and they recognised the voice of the young man the Levite, and turned in thither; and said to him, Who brought thee in hither? and what doest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?

4 And he answered them, Thus and thus dealeth Michah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his Priest.

And he said to them, Thus and thus did Michaias to me, and he hired me, and I became his priest.

5 Againe they said vnto him, Aske counsell nowe of God, that we may knowe whether the way which we goe, shalbe prosperous.

And they said to him, Enquire now of God, and we shall know whether our way will prosper, on which we are going.

6 And the Priest sayde vnto them, Goe in peace: for the Lord guideth your way which ye goe.

And the priest said to them, Go in peace; your way in which ye go, [is] before the Lord.

7 Then the fiue men departed and came to Laish, and sawe the people that were therein, which dwelt carelesse, after the maner of the Zidonians, quiet and sure, because no man made any trouble in the lande, or vsurped any dominion: also they were farre from the Zidonians, and had no businesse with other men.

And the five men went on, and came to Laisa; and they saw the people in the midst of it dwelling securely, at ease as [is] the manner of the Sidonians, and there is no one perverting or shaming a matter in the land, no heir extorting treasures; and they are far from the Sidonians, and they have no intercourse with any one.

8 So they came againe vnto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren saide vnto them, What haue ye done?

And the five men came to their brethren to Saraa and Esthaol, and said to their brethren, Why sit ye here [idle]?

9 And they answered, Arise, that we may goe vp against them: for we haue seene the lande, and surely it is very good, and doe ye sit stil? be not slouthfull to goe and enter to possesse the lande:

And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and, behold, [it is] very good, yet ye are still: delay not to go, an to enter in to possess the land.

10 (If ye will goe, ye shall come vnto a carelesse people, and the countrey is large) for God hath giuen it into your hande. It is a place which doeth lacke nothing that is in the worlde.

And whensoever ye shall go, ye shall come in upon a people secure, and the land [is] extensive, for God has given it into your hand; a place where there is no want of anything that the earth affords.

11 Then there departed thence of the familie of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, sixe hundreth men appointed with instruments of warre.

And there departed thence of the families of Dan, from Saraa and from Esthaol, six hundred men, girded with weapons of war.

12 And they went vp, and pitched in Kiriath-iearim in Iudah: wherefore they called that place, Mahaneh-Dan vnto this day: and it is behinde Kiriath-iearim.

And they went up, and encamped in Cariathiarim in Juda; therefore it was called in that place the camp of Dan, until this day: behold, [it is] behind Cariathiarim.

13 And they went thence vnto mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Michah.

And they went on thence to the mount of Ephraim, and came to the house of Michaias.

14 Then answered the fiue men, that went to spie out the countrey of Laish, and said vnto their brethren, Knowe ye not, that there is in these houses an Ephod, and Teraphim, and a grauen and a molten image? Nowe therefore consider what ye haue to doe.

And the five men who went to spy out the land of Laisa answered, and said to their brethren, Ye know that there is in this place an ephod, and theraphin, and a graven and a molten image; and now consider what ye shall do.

15 And they turned thitherward and came to the house of the yong man the Leuite, euen vnto the house of Michah, and saluted him peaceably.

And they turned aside there, and went into the house of the young man, the Levite, [even] into the house of Michaias, and asked him how he was.

16 And the six hundreth men appointed with their weapons of warre, which were of the children of Dan, stoode by the entring of the gate.

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

17 Then the fiue men that went to spie out the land, went in thither, and tooke the grauen image and the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the molten image: and the Priest stoode in the entring of the gate with the sixe hundreth men, that were appointed with weapons of warre,

And the five men who went to spy out the land went up, and entered into the house of Michaias, and the priest stood.

18 And the other went into Michahs house and fet the grauen image, the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the molten image. Then saide the Priest vnto them, What doe ye?

And they took the graven image, and the ephod, and the theraphin, and the molten image; and the priest said to them, What are ye doing?

19 And they answered him, Holde thy peace: lay thine hande vpon thy mouth, and come with vs to be our father and Priest. Whether is it better that thou shouldest be a Priest vnto ye house of one man, or that thou shouldest be a Priest vnto a tribe and to a familie in Israel?

And they said to him, Be silent, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest: [is it] better for thee to be the priest of the house of one man, or to be the priest of a tribe and house for a family of Israel?

20 And the Priestes heart was glad, and hee tooke the Ephod and the Teraphim, and the grauen image, and went among the people.

And the heart of the priest was glad, and he took the ephod, and the theraphin, and the graven image, and the molten image, and went in the midst of the people.

21 And they turned and departed, and put the children, and the cattell, and the substance before them.

So they turned and departed, and put their children and their property and their baggage before them.

22 When they were farre off from the house of Michah, the men that were in the houses neere to Michahs house, gathered together, and pursued after the children of Dan,

They went some distance from the house of Michaias, and, behold, Michaias and the men in the houses near Michaias' house, cried out, and overtook the children of Dan.

23 And cryed vnto the children of Dan: who turned their faces, and said vnto Michah, What ayleth thee, that thou makest an outcrie?

And the children of Dan turned their face, and said to Michaias, What is the matter with thee that thou hast cried out?

24 And hee saide, Yee haue taken away my gods, which I made, and the Priest, and go your wayes: and what haue I more? howe then say ye vnto me, what ayleth thee?

And Michaias said, Because ye have taken my graven image which I made, and my priest, and are gone; and what have I remaining? and what [is] this [that] ye say to me, Why criest thou?

25 And the children of Dan sayde vnto him, Let not thy voyce be heard among vs, least angrie fellowes runne vpon thee, and thou lose thy life with the liues of thine housholde.

And the children of Dan said to him, Let not thy voice be heard with us, lest angry men run upon thee, and take away thy life, and the lives of thy house.

26 So the children of Dan went their wayes: and when Michah saw that they were too strong for him, hee turned, and went backe vnto his house.

And the children of Dan went their way; and Michaias saw that they were stronger than himself, and he returned to his house.

27 And they tooke the things which Michah had made, and the Priest which he had, and came vnto Laish, vnto a quiet people and without mistrust, and smote them with the edge of the sworde, and burnt the citie with fire:

And the children of Dan took what Michaias had made, and the priest that he had, and they came to Laisa, to a people quiet and secure; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

28 And there was none to helpe, because Laish was farre from Zidon, and they had no businesse with other men: also it was in the valley that lyeth by Beth-rehob. After, they built the citie, and dwelt therein,

And there was no deliverer, because [the city] is far from the Sidonians, and they have no intercourse with men, and it [is] in the valley of the house of Raab; and they built the city, and dwelt in it.

29 And called the name of the citie Dan, after the name of Dan their father which was borne vnto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the beginning.

And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; and the name of the city was Ulamais before.

30 Then the children of Dan set them vp the grauen image: and Ionathan the sonne of Gershom, the sonne of Manasseh and his sonnes were the Priestes in the tribe of the Danites vntil the day of the captiuitie of the lande.

And the children of Dan set up the graven image for themselves; and Jonathan son of Gerson son of Manasse, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan till the time of the carrying away of the nation.

31 So they set them vp the grauen image, which Michah had made, all the while the house of God was in Shiloh.

And they set up for themselves the graven image which Michaias made, all the days that the house of God was in Selom; and it was so in those days [that] there was no king in Israel.