1 In those days|strong="H3117" there was no king|strong="H4428" in Israel|strong="H3478": and in those days|strong="H3117" the tribe|strong="H7626" of the Danites|strong="H1839" sought|strong="H1245" them an inheritance|strong="H5159" to dwell in|strong="H3427"; for unto that day|strong="H3117" all their inheritance|strong="H5159" had not fallen|strong="H5307" unto them among|strong="H8432" the tribes|strong="H7626" of Israel|strong="H3478".
2 And the children|strong="H1121" of Dan|strong="H1835" sent|strong="H7971" of their family|strong="H4940" five|strong="H2568" men|strong="H0582" from their coasts|strong="H7098", men|strong="H1121" of valour|strong="H2428", from Zorah|strong="H6881", and from Eshtaol|strong="H0847", to spy|strong="H7270" out the land|strong="H0776", and to search|strong="H2713" it; and they said|strong="H0559" unto them, Go|strong="H3212", search|strong="H2713" the land|strong="H0776": who when they came|strong="H0935" to mount|strong="H2022" Ephraim|strong="H0669", to the house|strong="H1004" of Micah|strong="H4318", they lodged|strong="H3885" there.
3 When they were by the house|strong="H1004" of Micah|strong="H4318", they knew|strong="H5234" the voice|strong="H6963" of the young man|strong="H5288" the Levite|strong="H3881": and they turned in|strong="H5493" thither, and said|strong="H0559" unto him, Who brought|strong="H0935" thee hither|strong="H1988"? and what makest|strong="H6213" thou in this place? and what hast thou here?
4 And he said|strong="H0559" unto them, Thus|strong="H2090" and thus|strong="H2090" dealeth|strong="H6213" Micah|strong="H4318" with me, and hath hired|strong="H7936" me, and I am his priest|strong="H3548".
5 And they said|strong="H0559" unto him, Ask counsel|strong="H7592", we pray thee, of God|strong="H0430", that we may know|strong="H3045" whether our way|strong="H1870" which we go|strong="H1980" shall be prosperous|strong="H6743".
6 And the priest|strong="H3548" said|strong="H0559" unto them, Go|strong="H3212" in peace|strong="H7965": before|strong="H5227" the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* is your way|strong="H1870" wherein ye go|strong="H3212".
7 Then the five|strong="H2568" men|strong="H0582" departed|strong="H3212", and came|strong="H0935" to Laish|strong="H3919", and saw|strong="H7200" the people|strong="H5971" that were therein|strong="H7130", how they dwelt|strong="H3427" careless|strong="H0983", after the manner|strong="H4941" of the Zidonians|strong="H6722", quiet|strong="H8252" and secure|strong="H0982"; and there was no magistrate|strong="H3423" in the land|strong="H0776", that might put them to shame|strong="H3637" in any thing|strong="H1697"; and they were far|strong="H7350" from the Zidonians|strong="H6722", and had no business|strong="H1697" with any man|strong="H0120".
8 And they came|strong="H0935" unto their brethren|strong="H0251" to Zorah|strong="H6881" and Eshtaol|strong="H0847": and their brethren|strong="H0251" said|strong="H0559" unto them, What say ye?
9 And they said|strong="H0559", Arise|strong="H6965", that we may go up|strong="H5927" against them: for we have seen|strong="H7200" the land|strong="H0776", and, behold, it is very|strong="H3966" good|strong="H2896": and are ye still|strong="H2814"? be not slothful|strong="H6101" to go|strong="H3212", and to enter|strong="H0935" to possess|strong="H3423" the land|strong="H0776".
10 When ye go|strong="H0935", ye shall come|strong="H0935" unto a people|strong="H5971" secure|strong="H0982", and to a large|strong="H7342" land|strong="H0776": for God|strong="H0430" hath given|strong="H5414" it into your hands|strong="H3027"; a place|strong="H4725" where there is no want|strong="H4270" of any thing|strong="H1697" that is in the earth|strong="H0776".
11 And there went|strong="H5265" from thence of the family|strong="H4940" of the Danites|strong="H1839", out of Zorah|strong="H6881" and out of Eshtaol|strong="H0847", six|strong="H8337" hundred|strong="H3967" men|strong="H0376" appointed|strong="H2296" with weapons|strong="H3627" of war|strong="H4421".
12 And they went up|strong="H5927", and pitched|strong="H2583" in Kirjath-jearim|strong="H7157", in Judah|strong="H3063": wherefore they called|strong="H7121" that place|strong="H4725" Mahaneh-dan|strong="H4265" unto this day|strong="H3117": behold, it is behind|strong="H0310" Kirjath-jearim|strong="H7157".
13 And they passed|strong="H5674" thence unto mount|strong="H2022" Ephraim|strong="H0669", and came|strong="H0935" unto the house|strong="H1004" of Micah|strong="H4318".
14 Then answered|strong="H6030" the five|strong="H2568" men|strong="H0582" that went|strong="H1980" to spy out|strong="H7270" the country|strong="H0776" of Laish|strong="H3919", and said|strong="H0559" unto their brethren|strong="H0251", Do ye know|strong="H3045" that there is|strong="H3426" in these houses|strong="H1004" an ephod|strong="H0646", and teraphim|strong="H8655", and a graven image|strong="H6459", and a molten image|strong="H4541"? now therefore consider|strong="H3045" what ye have to do|strong="H6213".
15 And they turned|strong="H5493" thitherward, and came|strong="H0935" to the house|strong="H1004" of the young man|strong="H5288" the Levite|strong="H3881", even unto the house|strong="H1004" of Micah|strong="H4318", and saluted|strong="H7592" him.
16 And the six|strong="H8337" hundred|strong="H3967" men|strong="H0376" appointed|strong="H2296" with their weapons|strong="H3627" of war|strong="H4421", which were of the children|strong="H1121" of Dan|strong="H1835", stood|strong="H5324" by the entering|strong="H6607" of the gate|strong="H8179".
17 And the five|strong="H2568" men|strong="H0582" that went|strong="H1980" to spy out|strong="H7270" the land|strong="H0776" went up|strong="H5927", and came in|strong="H0935" thither, and took|strong="H3947" the graven image|strong="H6459", and the ephod|strong="H0646", and the teraphim|strong="H8655", and the molten image|strong="H4541": and the priest|strong="H3548" stood|strong="H5324" in the entering|strong="H6607" of the gate|strong="H8179" with the six|strong="H8337" hundred|strong="H3967" men|strong="H0376" that were appointed|strong="H2296" with weapons|strong="H3627" of war|strong="H4421".
18 And these went|strong="H0935" into Micah’s|strong="H4318" house|strong="H1004", and fetched|strong="H3947" the carved image|strong="H6459", the ephod|strong="H0646", and the teraphim|strong="H8655", and the molten image|strong="H4541". Then said|strong="H0559" the priest|strong="H3548" unto them, What do|strong="H6213" ye?
19 And they said|strong="H0559" unto him, Hold thy peace|strong="H2790", lay|strong="H7760" thine hand|strong="H3027" upon thy mouth|strong="H6310", and go|strong="H3212" with us, and be to us|strong="H1961" a father|strong="H0001" and a priest|strong="H3548": is it better|strong="H2896" for thee to be a priest|strong="H3548" unto the house|strong="H1004" of one|strong="H0259" man|strong="H0376", or that thou be a priest|strong="H3548" unto a tribe|strong="H7626" and a family|strong="H4940" in Israel|strong="H3478"?
20 And the priest’s|strong="H3548" heart|strong="H3820" was glad|strong="H3190", and he took|strong="H3947" the ephod|strong="H0646", and the teraphim|strong="H8655", and the graven image|strong="H6459", and went in|strong="H0935" the midst|strong="H7130" of the people|strong="H5971".
21 So they turned|strong="H6437" and departed|strong="H3212", and put|strong="H7760" the little ones|strong="H2945" and the cattle|strong="H4735" and the carriage|strong="H3520" before|strong="H6440" them.
22 And when they were a good way|strong="H7368" from the house|strong="H1004" of Micah|strong="H4318", the men|strong="H0582" that were in the houses|strong="H1004" near to Micah’s|strong="H4318" house|strong="H1004" were gathered together|strong="H2199", and overtook|strong="H1692" the children|strong="H1121" of Dan|strong="H1835".
23 And they cried|strong="H7121" unto the children|strong="H1121" of Dan|strong="H1835". And they turned|strong="H5437" their faces|strong="H6440", and said|strong="H0559" unto Micah|strong="H4318", What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company|strong="H2199"?
24 And he said|strong="H0559", Ye have taken away|strong="H3947" my gods|strong="H0430" which I made|strong="H6213", and the priest|strong="H3548", and ye are gone away|strong="H3212": and what have I more? and what is this that ye say|strong="H0559" unto me, What aileth thee?
25 And the children|strong="H1121" of Dan|strong="H1835" said|strong="H0559" unto him, Let not thy voice|strong="H6963" be heard|strong="H8085" among us, lest angry|strong="H4751" fellows|strong="H0582" run|strong="H6293" upon thee, and thou lose|strong="H0622" thy life|strong="H5315", with the lives|strong="H5315" of thy household|strong="H1004".
26 And the children|strong="H1121" of Dan|strong="H1835" went|strong="H3212" their way|strong="H1870": and when Micah|strong="H4318" saw|strong="H7200" that they were too strong|strong="H2389" for him, he turned|strong="H6437" and went back|strong="H7725" unto his house|strong="H1004".
27 And they took|strong="H3947" the things which Micah|strong="H4318" had made|strong="H6213", and the priest|strong="H3548" which he had, and came|strong="H0935" unto Laish|strong="H3919", unto a people|strong="H5971" that were at quiet|strong="H8252" and secure|strong="H0982": and they smote|strong="H5221" them with the edge|strong="H6310" of the sword|strong="H2719", and burnt|strong="H8313" the city|strong="H5892" with fire|strong="H0784".
28 And there was no deliverer|strong="H5337", because it was far|strong="H7350" from Zidon|strong="H6721", and they had no business|strong="H1697" with any man|strong="H0120"; and it was in the valley|strong="H6010" that lieth by Beth-rehob|strong="H1050". And they built|strong="H1129" a city|strong="H5892", and dwelt|strong="H3427" therein.
29 And they called|strong="H7121" the name|strong="H8034" of the city|strong="H5892" Dan|strong="H1835", after the name|strong="H8034" of Dan|strong="H1835" their father|strong="H0001", who was born|strong="H3205" unto Israel|strong="H3478": howbeit|strong="H0199" the name|strong="H8034" of the city|strong="H5892" was Laish|strong="H3919" at the first|strong="H7223".
30 And the children|strong="H1121" of Dan|strong="H1835" set up|strong="H6965" the graven image|strong="H6459": and Jonathan|strong="H3083", the son|strong="H1121" of Gershom|strong="H1647", the son|strong="H1121" of Manasseh|strong="H4519", he and his sons|strong="H1121" were priests|strong="H3548" to the tribe|strong="H7626" of Dan|strong="H1839" until the day|strong="H3117" of the captivity|strong="H1540" of the land|strong="H0776".
31 And they set them up|strong="H7760" Micah’s|strong="H4318" graven image|strong="H6459", which he made|strong="H6213", all the time|strong="H3117" that the house|strong="H1004" of God|strong="H0430" was in Shiloh|strong="H7887".