Judges 18
18In those days, there was no king in Israel, and the Danite tribe was looking for territory to occupy. Up to that time no territory had been captured [by them] among the tribes of Israel.H3117H4428H3478H3117H7626H1839H1245H5159H3427H3117H5159H5307H8432H7626H34782So the Danites sent out five brave men from all their clans, from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. They told them, "Go and explore the land." They came to the hill country of Ephraim as far as the home of Micah and spent the night there.H1121H1835H7971H4940H2568H582H7098H1121H2428H6881H847H7270H776H2713H559H3212H2713H776H935H2022H669H1004H4318H38853While they were near Micah's home, they recognized the speech of the young Levite. So they went over to him and asked, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is keeping you here?"H1004H4318H5234H6963H5288H3881H5493H559H935H1988H62134He told them what Micah had for him and that he had hired him as his priest.H559H2090H2090H6213H4318H7936H35485Then they said to him, "Please inquire of God so we will know if we will have a successful journey."H559H7592H430H3045H1870H1980H67436The priest told them, "Go in peace. The LORD is watching over the journey you are going on."H3548H559H3212H7965H5227H3068H1870H32127The five men left and came to Laish. They saw that the people who were there were living securely, in the same way as the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. They were far from the Sidonians, having no alliance with anyone.H2568H582H3212H935H3919H7200H5971H7130H3427H983H4941H6722H8252H982H3423H6114H776H3637H1697H7350H6722H1697H1208When the men went back to their clans at Zorah and Eshtaol, their people asked them, "What did you find out?"H935H251H6881H847H251H5599They answered, "Come on, let's go up against them, for we have seen the land, and it is very good. Why wait? Don't hesitate to go and invade and take possession of the land!H559H6965H5927H7200H776H3966H2896H2814H6101H3212H935H3423H77610When you get there, you will come to an unsuspecting people and a wide-open land, for God has handed it over to you. It is a place where nothing on earth is lacking."H935H935H5971H982H7342H776H430H5414H3027H4725H4270H1697H77611Six hundred Danites departed from Zorah and Eshtaol armed with weapons of war.H5265H4940H1839H6881H847H8337H3967H376H2296H3627H442112They went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. This is why the place is called the Camp of Dan to this day; it is west of Kiriath-jearim.H5927H2583H7157H3063H7121H4725H4265H3117H310H715713From there they traveled to the hill country of Ephraim and arrived at Micah's house.H5674H2022H669H935H1004H431814The five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish told their brothers, "Did you know that there are an ephod, household gods, and a carved image overlaid with silver in these houses? Now think about what you should do."H6030H2568H582H1980H7270H776H3919H559H251H3045H3426H1004H646H8655H6459H4541H3045H621315So they detoured there and went to the house of the young Levite at the home of Micah and greeted him.H5493H935H1004H5288H3881H1004H4318H7592H796516The 600 Danite men were standing by the entrance of the gate, armed with their weapons of war.H8337H3967H376H2296H3627H4421H1121H1835H5324H6607H817917Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land went in and took the carved image overlaid with silver, the ephod, and the household idols, while the priest was standing by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war.H2568H582H1980H7270H776H5927H935H3947H6459H646H8655H4541H3548H5324H6607H8179H8337H3967H376H2296H3627H442118When they entered Micah's house and took the carved image overlaid with silver, the ephod, and the household idols, the priest said to them, "What are you doing?"H935H4318H1004H3947H6459H646H8655H4541H559H3548H621319They told him, "Be quiet. Keep your mouth shut. 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 for you to be a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?"H559H2790H7760H3027H6310H3212H1961H1H3548H2896H3548H1004H259H376H3548H7626H4940H347820So the priest was pleased and took his ephod, household idols, and carved image, and went with the people.H3548H3820H3190H3947H646H8655H6459H935H7130H597121They prepared to leave, putting their small children, livestock, and possessions in front of them.H6437H3212H7760H2945H4735H3520H644022After they were some distance from Micah's house, the men who were in the houses near it mobilized and caught up with the Danites.H7368H1004H4318H582H1004H4318H1004H2199H1692H1121H183523They called to the Danites, who turned to face them, and said to Micah, "What's the matter with you that you mobilized [the men]?"H7121H1121H1835H5437H6440H559H4318H219924He said, "You took the gods I had made and the priest, and went away. What do I have left? How can you say to me, 'What's the matter with you?'"H559H3947H430H6213H3548H3212H55925The Danites said to him, "Don't raise your voice against us, or angry men will attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives."H1121H1835H559H6963H8085H4751H5315H582H6293H622H5315H5315H100426The Danites went on their way, and Micah turned to go back home, because he saw that they were stronger than he was.H1121H1835H3212H1870H4318H7200H2389H6437H7725H100427After they had taken the gods Micah had made and the priest that belonged to him, they went to Laish, to a quiet and unsuspecting people. They killed them with their swords and burned down the city.H3947H4318H6213H3548H935H3919H5971H8252H982H5221H6310H2719H8313H5892H78428There was no one to save them, because it was far from Sidon and they had no alliance with anyone. It was in a valley that belonged to Beth-rehob. They rebuilt the city and lived in it.H5337H7350H6721H1697H120H6010H1050H1129H5892H342729They named the city Dan, after the name of their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel. The city was formerly named Laish.H7121H8034H5892H1835H8034H1835H1H3205H3478H199H8034H5892H3919H722330The Danites set up the carved image for themselves. Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the Danite tribe until the time of the exile from the land.H1121H1835H6965H6459H3083H1121H1647H1121H4519H1121H3548H7626H1839H3117H1540H77631So they set up for themselves Micah's carved image that he had made, [and it was there] as long as the house of God was in Shiloh.H7760H4318H6459H6213H3117H1004H430H7887
Columbus, OH
