Judges 18

1 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.

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.

2 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.

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.

3 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?”

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?

4 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.”

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

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

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

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

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

7 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.

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.

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

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

9 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.

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:

10 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.”

(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.

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

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

12 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.

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.

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

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

14 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.”

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.

15 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—

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.

16 (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)—

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.

17 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—

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,

18 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?”

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?

19 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?”

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?

20 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,

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

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

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

22 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,

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,

23 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?”

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

24 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?”

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?

25 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”;

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.

26 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.

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.

27 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,

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:

28 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,

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,

29 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.

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.

30 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.

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.

31 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.

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