Judges 18

1 In the days those there not [was] a king in Israel and in the days those [the] tribe of the Danite[s] [was] seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in for not it had fallen to it until the day that in among [the] tribes of Israel an inheritance.

In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of the Danites was looking for territory to occupy. For up to that time they had not come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

2 And they sent [the] descendants of Dan - from tribe their five men from ends their men sons of strength from Zorah and from Eshtaol to spy out the land and to explore it and they said to them go explore the land and they went [the] hill country of Ephraim to [the] house of Micah and they spent [the] night there.

So the Danites sent out five men from their clans, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. “Go and explore the land,” they told them. The men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night.

3 They [were] near [the] house of Micah and they they recognized [the] voice of the young man the Levite and they turned aside there and they said to him who? did he bring you here and what? [are] you doing in this [place] and what? [belongs] to you here.

And while they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”

4 And he said to them like this and like this he has done for me Micah and he has hired me and I have become of him a priest.

“Micah has done this and that for me,” he replied, “and he has hired me to be his priest.”

5 And they said to him enquire please by God so let us know ¿ will it succeed journey our which we [are] going on it.

Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to determine whether we will have a successful journey.”

6 And he said to them the priest go to peace [is] before Yahweh way your which you go in it.

And the priest told them, “Go in peace. The LORD is watching over your journey.”

7 And they went [the] five the men and they came Laish towards and they saw the people which in midst its [was] dwelling to security according to [the] custom of [the] Sidonians at peace - and secure and there not [was one] putting to shame anything in the land [one] possessing oppression and [were] far they from [the] Sidonians and anything not [belonged] to them with anyone.

So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, tranquil and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone.

8 And they came to brothers their Zorah and Eshtaol and they said to them brothers their what? you.

When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers asked them, “What did you find?”

9 And they said arise! so we may go up on them for we have seen the land and there! [it is] good very and you [are] inactive may not you hesitate to go to go to take possession of the land.

They answered, “Come on, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and it is very good. Why would you fail to act? Do not hesitate to go there and take possession of the land!

10 When go you you will come - to a people secure and the land [is] broad of both hands for he has given it God in hand your a place where there not there [is] lack of any thing which [is] on the earth.

When you enter, you will come to an unsuspecting people and a spacious land, for God has delivered it into your hand. It is a place where nothing on earth is lacking.”

11 And they set out from there of [the] tribe of the Danite[s] from Zorah and from Eshtaol six hundred man girded weapons of war.

So six hundred Danites departed from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war.

12 And they went up and they encamped at Kiriath Jearim in Judah there-fore they called the place that Mahaneh Dan until the day this there! behind Kiriath Jearim.

They went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. That is why the place west of Kiriath-jearim is called Mahaneh-dan to this day.

13 And they passed through from there [the] hill country of Ephraim and they came to [the] house of Micah.

And from there they traveled to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah’s house.

14 And they answered [the] five the men who had gone to spy out the land Laish and they said to brothers their ¿ do you know that there in the houses these [are] an ephod and teraphim and a carved image and a molten image and therefore consider what? will you do.

Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do.”

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

So they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and greeted him.

16 And six hundred man girded [the] weapons of war their [were] standing [the] entrance of the gate who [were] of [the] descendants of Dan.

The six hundred Danites stood at the entrance of the gate, armed with their weapons of war.

17 And they went up [the] five the men who had gone to spy out the land they went there they took the carved image and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image and the priest [was] standing [the] entrance of the gate and six hundred the man girded [the] weapons of war.

And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.

18 And these [men] they went [the] house of Micah and they took [the] carved image of the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image and he said to them the priest what? [are] you doing.

When they entered Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 And they said to him keep quiet put hand your over mouth your and come with us and become of us a father and a priest ¿ good - [is] being you a priest of [the] house of a man one or? being you a priest of a tribe and of a clan in Israel.

“Be quiet,” they told him. “Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?”

20 And it was good [the] heart of the priest and he took the ephod and the teraphim and the carved image and he went in [the] midst of the people.

So the priest was glad and took the ephod, the household idols, and the graven image, and went with the people.

21 And they turned and they went and they put the little one[s] and the livestock and the valuable[s] before them.

Putting their small children, their livestock, and their possessions in front of them, they turned and departed.

22 They they had gone far away from [the] house of Micah and the men who [were] in the houses which [were] near [the] house of Micah they were called together and they overtook [the] descendants of Dan.

After they were some distance from Micah’s house, the men in the houses near Micah’s house mobilized and overtook the Danites.

23 And they called out to [the] descendants of Dan and they turned round faces their and they said to Micah what? [is that] to you that you have been called together.

When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?”

24 And he said gods my which I made you have taken and the priest and you have gone and what? [belongs] to me still and why? this are you saying to me what? [is] to you.

He replied, “You took the gods I had made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’”

25 And they said to him [the] descendants of Dan may not you make heard voice your with us lest they should fall on you men bitter of appetite and you will gather life your and [the] life of household your.

The Danites said to him, “Do not raise your voice against us, or angry men will attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.”

26 And they went [the] descendants of Dan to way their and he saw Micah that [were too] strong they for him and he turned and he returned to house his.

So the Danites went on their way, and Micah turned to go back home, because he saw that they were too strong for him.

27 And they they took [that] which he had made Micah and the priest who he belonged to him and they went to Laish to a people at peace and secure and they struck them to [the] mouth of [the] sword and the city they burned with fire.

After they had taken Micah’s idols and his priest, they went to Laish, to a tranquil and unsuspecting people, and they struck them with their swords and burned down the city.

28 And there not [was] a deliverer for [was] far it from Sidon and anything not [belonged] to them with anyone and it [was] in the valley which [belongs] to Beth Rehob and they rebuilt the city and they dwelt in it.

There was no one to deliver them, because the city was far from Sidon and had no alliance with anyone; it was in a valley near Beth-rehob. And the Danites rebuilt the city and lived there.

29 And they called [the] name of the city Dan by [the] name of Dan ancestor their who he was born to Israel and but [was] Laish [the] name of the city to the former [time].

They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish.

30 And they set up for themselves [the] descendants of Dan the carved image and Jonathan [the] son of Gershom [the] son of Manasseh he and sons his they were priests of [the] tribe of the Danite[s] until [the] day went into exile of the land.

The Danites set up idols for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

31 And they set up for themselves [the] carved image of Micah which he had made all [the] days of [the] being of [the] house of God at Shiloh.

So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image, and it was there the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh.