Judges 18

1 In those days, there was no king in Israel, —and, in those days, the tribe of the Danites was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in for there had not fallen to them, unto that day, in the midst of the tribes of Israel, enough for an inheritance.

In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for unto that day they had not received their lot among the other tribes.

2 So then the sons of Dan sent, out of their family, five men out of their bounds—men who were sons of valour—out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol—to spy out the land, and to explore it, and they said unto them, Go! explore the land. And they came into the hill country of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, and lodged there.

So the children of Dan sent five most valiant men of their stock and family from Saraa and Esthaol, to spy out the land, and to view it diligently: and they said to them: Go, and view the land. They went on their way, and when they came to mount Ephraim, they went into the house of Michas, and rested there:

3 They, being by the house of Micah, knew the voice of the young man, the Levite, —so they turned aside there, and said to him—Who brought thee in hither? and what art thou doing in this place, and what hast thou here?

And knowing the voice of the young man the Levite, and lodging with him, they said to him: Who brought thee hither? what dost thou here? why wouldst thou come hither?

4 And he said unto them, Thus and so, hath Micah dealt with me, and hath hired me, and I am become his priest.

He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest.

5 So they said unto him—Ask of God, we pray thee, —that we may know whether the journey on which we are going shall have good success.

Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have effect.

6 And the priest said unto them—Go! and prosper, —before Yahweh, is your journey on which ye go.

He answered them: Go in peace, the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.

7 So the five men went their way, and entered Laish, —and saw the people who were therein, dwelling securely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quietly and securely, and there was no one to reproach them with anything in the land, none to possess himself of dominion, they being, far away, from the Zidonians, and having no dealings with any one.

So the five men going on came to Lais: and they saw how the people dwelt therein without any fear, according to the custom of the Sidonians, secure and easy, having no man at all to oppose them, being very rich, and living separated, at a distance from Sidon and from all men.

8 So they came unto their brethren, in Zorah and Eshtaol, —and their brethren said unto them—Why are ye minded to do nothing?

And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done? to whom they answered:

9 And they said—Arise! and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and lo! it is very good, —are, ye, then, minded to do nothing? do not be too slothful to go, and enter, and take possession of the land.

Arise, and let us go up to them: for we have seen the land which is exceeding rich and fruitful: neglect not, lose no time: let us go and possess it, there will be no difficulty.

10 When ye do enter, ye will enter amongst a people secure, and, the land, is of ample bounds, —yea God hath delivered it into your hands, —a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.

We shall come to a people that is secure, into a spacious country, and the Lord will deliver the place to us, in which there is no want of any thing that groweth on the earth.

11 So there brake up from thence, out of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men, begirt with weapons of war.

There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war,

12 And they went up and encamped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah, —wherefore they have called that place, Mahaneh-dan—unto this day, lo! it is behind Kiriath-jearim.

And going up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim.

13 And they passed on from thence unto the hill country of Ephraim, —and came as far as the house of Micah.

From thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas,

14 Then responded the five men who had been to spy out the land of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Know ye that there are in these houses, an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image, —now, therefore, know what ye will do!

The five men, that before had been sent to view the land of Lais, said to the rest of their brethren: You know that in these houses there is an ephod, and theraphim, and a graven, and a molten god: see what you are pleased to do.

15 So they turned aside thither, and entered into the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, —and asked him of his welfare.

And when they had turned a little aside, they went into the house of the young man the Levite, who was in the house of Michas: and they saluted him with words of peace.

16 Now, the six hundred men, begirt with weapons of war, were standing at the entrance of the gate, —they being of the sons of Dan.

And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.

17 Then went up the five men who had been to spy out the land, they came in thither, they took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, —now, the priest, was standing at the entrance of the gate, with the six hundred men who were begirt with weapons of war.

But they that were gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting not far off.

18 But, when, these, had entered the house of Micah, and taken the graven image and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them, What are ye doing?

So they that were gone in took away the graven thing, the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god. And the priest said to them: What are you doing?

19 And they said unto him—Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and become to us a father and a priest, —is it better that thou be priest to the house of one man, or that thou be priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?

And they said to him: Hold thy peace and put thy finger on thy mouth and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family in Israel?

20 Then was the heart of the priest glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, —and came into the midst of the people.

When he had heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.

21 So they turned, and went their way, —and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the goods, before them.

And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle and all that was valuable,

22 They, had gone a good way from the house of Micah, when, the men that were in the houses near to the house of Micah, were called out and overtook the sons of Dan.

And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them,

23 And they called unto the sons of Dan, who turned their faces, —and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou hast called out thy neighbours?

And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?

24 And he said—My gods which I had made, ye have taken away, and the priest, and have departed, and what have I more? How then is it that ye can say unto me, What aileth thee?

And he answered: You have taken away my gods which I have made me and the priest, and all that I have, and do you say: What aileth thee?

25 And the sons of Dan said unto him, Do not let thy voice be heard among us, —lest men embittered in soul fall upon you, and thou gather in thy life and the lives of thy household.

And the children of Dan said to him: See thou say no more to us, lest men enraged come upon thee, and thou perish with all thy house.

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

And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.

27 They, therefore, took what Micah had made, and the priest that he had, and came upon Laish, upon a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword, —the city also, burned they with fire.

And the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we spoke of before, and came to Lais to a people that was quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword: and the city was burnt with fire,

28 And there was no one to rescue, because it was, far, from Zidon, and they had no, dealings, with any one, it, being in the vale that pertaineth to Beth-rehob. Then built they the city, and dwelt therein,

There being no man at all who brought them any succour, because they dwelt far from Sidon, and had no society or business with any man. And the city was in the land of Rohob: and they rebuilt it and dwelt therein.

29 and called the name of the city, Dan, by the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel, —howbeit, Laish, was the name of the city, at the first.

Calling the name of the city Dan after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.

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

And they set up to themselves the graven idol, and Jonathan the son of Gersam the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests in the tribe of Dan, until the day of their captivity.

31 So they set up for themselves the graven image of Micah, which he had made, —[and let it remain] all the days that the house of God was in Shiloh.

And the idol of Michas remained with them all the time that the house of God was in Silo. In those days there was no king in Israel.