1In those days3117 there was no king4428 in Israel3478: and in those days3117 the tribe7626 of the Danites1839 sought1245 them an inheritance5159 to dwell in3427; for unto that day3117 all their inheritance5159 had not fallen5307 unto them among8432 the tribes7626 of Israel3478.
2And the children1121 of Dan1835 sent7971 of their family4940 five2568 men582 from their coasts7098, men1121 of valour2428, from Zorah6881, and from Eshtaol847, to spy7270 out the land776, and to search2713 it; and they said559 unto them, Go3212, search2713 the land776: who when they came935 to mount2022 Ephraim669, to the house1004 of Micah4318, they lodged3885 there.
3When they were by the house1004 of Micah4318, they knew5234 the voice6963 of the young man5288 the Levite3881: and they turned in5493 thither, and said559 unto him, Who brought935 thee hither1988? and what makest6213 thou in this place? and what hast thou here?
4And he said559 unto them, Thus2090 and thus2090 dealeth6213 Micah4318 with me, and hath hired7936 me, and I am his priest3548.
5And they said559 unto him, Ask counsel7592, we pray thee, of God430, that we may know3045 whether our way1870 which we go1980 shall be prosperous6743.
6And the priest3548 said559 unto them, Go3212 in peace7965: before5227 the LORD3068 is your way1870 wherein ye go3212.
7Then the five2568 men582 departed3212, and came935 to Laish3919, and saw7200 the people5971 that were therein7130, how they dwelt3427 careless983, after the manner4941 of the Zidonians6722, quiet8252 and secure982; and there was no magistrate3423 6114 in the land776, that might put them to shame3637 in any thing1697; and they were far7350 from the Zidonians6722, and had no business1697 with any man120.
8And they came935 unto their brethren251 to Zorah6881 and Eshtaol847: and their brethren251 said559 unto them, What say ye?
9And they said559, Arise6965, that we may go up5927 against them: for we have seen7200 the land776, and, behold, it is very3966 good2896: and are ye still2814? be not slothful6101 to go3212, and to enter935 to possess3423 the land776.
10When ye go935, ye shall come935 unto a people5971 secure982, and to a large7342 land776: for God430 hath given5414 it into your hands3027; a place4725 where there is no want4270 of any thing1697 that is in the earth776.
11And there went5265 from thence of the family4940 of the Danites1839, out of Zorah6881 and out of Eshtaol847, six8337 hundred3967 men376 appointed2296 with weapons3627 of war4421.
12And they went up5927, and pitched2583 in Kirjathjearim7157, in Judah3063: wherefore they called7121 that place4725 Mahanehdan4265 unto this day3117: behold, it is behind310 Kirjathjearim7157.
13And they passed5674 thence unto mount2022 Ephraim669, and came935 unto the house1004 of Micah4318.
14Then answered6030 the five2568 men582 that went1980 to spy out7270 the country776 of Laish3919, and said559 unto their brethren251, Do ye know3045 that there is3426 in these houses1004 an ephod646, and teraphim8655, and a graven image6459, and a molten image4541? now therefore consider3045 what ye have to do6213.
15And they turned5493 thitherward, and came935 to the house1004 of the young man5288 the Levite3881, even unto the house1004 of Micah4318, and saluted7592 7965 him.
16And the six8337 hundred3967 men376 appointed2296 with their weapons3627 of war4421, which were of the children1121 of Dan1835, stood5324 by the entering6607 of the gate8179.
17And the five2568 men582 that went1980 to spy out7270 the land776 went up5927, and came in935 thither, and took3947 the graven image6459, and the ephod646, and the teraphim8655, and the molten image4541: and the priest3548 stood5324 in the entering6607 of the gate8179 with the six8337 hundred3967 men376 that were appointed2296 with weapons3627 of war4421.
18And these went935 into Micah's4318 house1004, and fetched3947 the carved image6459, the ephod646, and the teraphim8655, and the molten image4541. Then said559 the priest3548 unto them, What do6213 ye?
19And they said559 unto him, Hold thy peace2790, lay7760 thine hand3027 upon thy mouth6310, and go3212 with us, and be to us1961 a father1 and a priest3548: is it better2896 for thee to be a priest3548 unto the house1004 of one259 man376, or that thou be a priest3548 unto a tribe7626 and a family4940 in Israel3478?
20And the priest's3548 heart3820 was glad3190, and he took3947 the ephod646, and the teraphim8655, and the graven image6459, and went in935 the midst7130 of the people5971.
21So they turned6437 and departed3212, and put7760 the little ones2945 and the cattle4735 and the carriage3520 before6440 them.
22And when they were a good way7368 from the house1004 of Micah4318, the men582 that were in the houses1004 near to Micah's4318 house1004 were gathered together2199, and overtook1692 the children1121 of Dan1835.
23And they cried7121 unto the children1121 of Dan1835. And they turned5437 their faces6440, and said559 unto Micah4318, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company2199?
24And he said559, Ye have taken away3947 my gods430 which I made6213, and the priest3548, and ye are gone away3212: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say559 unto me, What aileth thee?
25And the children1121 of Dan1835 said559 unto him, Let not thy voice6963 be heard8085 among us, lest angry4751 5315 fellows582 run6293 upon thee, and thou lose622 thy life5315, with the lives5315 of thy household1004.
26And the children1121 of Dan1835 went3212 their way1870: and when Micah4318 saw7200 that they were too strong2389 for him, he turned6437 and went back7725 unto his house1004.
27And they took3947 the things which Micah4318 had made6213, and the priest3548 which he had, and came935 unto Laish3919, unto a people5971 that were at quiet8252 and secure982: and they smote5221 them with the edge6310 of the sword2719, and burnt8313 the city5892 with fire784.
28And there was no deliverer5337, because it was far7350 from Zidon6721, and they had no business1697 with any man120; and it was in the valley6010 that lieth by Bethrehob1050. And they built1129 a city5892, and dwelt3427 therein.
29And they called7121 the name8034 of the city5892 Dan1835, after the name8034 of Dan1835 their father1, who was born3205 unto Israel3478: howbeit199 the name8034 of the city5892 was Laish3919 at the first7223.
30And the children1121 of Dan1835 set up6965 the graven image6459: and Jonathan3083, the son1121 of Gershom1647, the son1121 of Manasseh4519, he and his sons1121 were priests3548 to the tribe7626 of Dan1839 until the day3117 of the captivity1540 of the land776.
31And they set them up7760 Micah's4318 graven image6459, which he made6213, all the time3117 that the house1004 of God430 was in Shiloh7887.