1In thosedaystherewas nokingof Israel;and in thosedaysthe tribeof the Daniteswas seekingan inheritancefor themselves to livein, for untilthat dayan inheritancehad not been allottedto them as a possessionamongthe tribesof Israel.2So the sonsof Dansentfrom their familyfivemenout of their wholenumber,valiantmenfrom Zorahand Eshtaol,to spyout the landand to searchit; and they saidto them, "Go,searchthe land."And they cameto the hillcountryof Ephraim,to the houseof Micah,and lodgedthere.3When they were nearthe houseof Micah,they recognizedthe voiceof the youngman,the Levite;and they turnedasidethereand saidto him, "Whobroughtyou here?And whatare you doingin this[place]? And whatdo you have here?"4He saidto them, "Thusand sohas Micahdoneto me, and he has hiredme and I havebecomehis priest."5They saidto him, "Inquireof God,please,that we may knowwhether our wayon whichwe are goingwill be prosperous."6The priestsaidto them, "Goin peace;your wayin whichyou are goinghas the LORD'Sapproval."
7Then the fivemendepartedand cameto Laishand sawthe peoplewhowere in it livingin security,after the mannerof the Sidonians,quietand secure;for therewas norulerhumiliating[them] for anythingin the land,and they were farfrom the Sidoniansand hadnodealingswith anyone.8When they cameback to their brothersat Zorahand Eshtaol,their brotherssaidto them, "What[do] you [report]?"9They said,"Arise,and let us goup againstthem; for we have seenthe land,and behold,it is verygood.And will you sitstill?Do not delayto go,to enter,to possessthe land.10"When you enter,you will cometo a securepeoplewith a spaciousland;for Godhas givenit into your hand,a placewherethereis nolackof anythingthat is on the earth."
11Then from the familyof the Danites,from Zorahand from Eshtaol,sixhundredmenarmedwith weaponsof warsetout.12They wentup and campedat Kiriath-jearimin Judah.Thereforethey calledthat placeMahaneh-danto thisday;behold,it is westof Kiriath-jearim.13They passedfrom thereto the hillcountryof Ephraimand cameto the houseof Micah.
14Then the fivemenwho wentto spyout the countryof Laishsaidto their kinsmen,"Do you knowthat thereare in thesehousesan ephodand householdidolsand a gravenimageand a moltenimage?Nowtherefore, considerwhatyou should do."15They turnedasidethereand cameto the houseof the youngman,the Levite,to the houseof Micah,and askedhim of his welfare.16The sixhundredmenarmedwith their weaponsof war,whowere of the sonsof Dan,stoodby the entranceof the gate.17Now the fivemenwho wentto spyout the landwentup [and] enteredthere,[and] tookthe gravenimageand the ephodand householdidolsand the moltenimage,while the prieststoodby the entranceof the gatewith the sixhundredmenarmedwith weaponsof war.18When thesewentinto Micah'shouseand tookthe gravenimage,the ephodand householdidolsand the moltenimage,the priestsaidto them, "Whatare you doing?"19They saidto him, "Be silent,putyour handoveryour mouthand comewith us, and be to us a fatherand a priest.Is it betterfor you to be a priestto the houseof oneman,orto be priestto a tribeand a familyin Israel?"20The priest'sheartwas glad,and he tookthe ephodand householdidolsand the gravenimageand wentamongthe people.
21Then they turnedand departed,and putthe littleonesand the livestockand the valuablesin frontof them.22When they had gonesomedistancefrom the houseof Micah,the menwho[were] in the housesnearMicah'shouseassembledand overtookthe sonsof Dan.23They criedto the sonsof Dan,who turnedaroundand saidto Micah,"Whatis [the matter] with you, that you have assembledtogether?"24He said,"You have takenaway my godswhichI made,and the priest,and have goneaway, and whatdo I have besides?So howcan you sayto me, 'Whatis [the matter] with you?'"25The sonsof Dansaidto him, "Do not let your voicebe heardamongus, orelsefiercemenwill fallupon you and you will loseyour life,with the livesof your household."26So the sonsof Danwenton their way;and when Micahsawthat they were toostrongfor him, he turnedand wentbackto his house.
27Then they tookwhatMicahhad madeand the priestwhohadbelongedto him, and cameto Laish,to a peoplequietand secure,and struckthem with the edgeof the sword;and they burnedthe citywith fire.28And therewas nooneto deliver[them], becauseit was farfrom Sidonand they hadnodealingswith anyone,and it was in the valleywhichis near Beth-rehob.And they rebuiltthe cityand livedin it.29They calledthe nameof the cityDan,after the nameof Dantheir fatherwhowas bornin Israel;however,the nameof the cityformerlywas Laish.30The sonsof Dansetup for themselves the gravenimage;and Jonathan,the sonof Gershom,the sonof Manasseh,he and his sonswere prieststo the tribeof the Danitesuntilthe dayof the captivityof the land.31So they setup for themselves Micah'sgravenimagewhichhe had made,allthe timethat the houseof Godwas at Shiloh.
