Judges
Chapter 18
1 During that time, Israel had no king. The Danites were looking for land to live on because they had not yet received a share of land among Israel’s tribes.
2 The Danites sent five brave family men from Zorah and Eshtaol to explore the land. They told them, “Go and look over the land.” When they reached Mount Ephraim and Micah’s house, they stayed there.
3 While they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the Levite’s voice, so they went there and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? And what do you have here?”
4 He told them, “Micah has treated me this way; he has hired me, and I am his priest.”
5 They asked him, “Please ask God to guide us so we know if our journey will be successful.”
6 The priest told them, “Go peacefully: God knows the path you take.”
7 The five men left and went to Laish, where they saw the people living safely, like the Zidonians, without worry and secure; there was no leader to make them feel guilty about anything; they were distant from the Zidonians and did not interact with anyone.
8 They went to their brothers in Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers asked them, “What do you say?”
9 They said, “Get up, so we can attack them. We’ve seen the land, and it’s really good. Why wait? Don’t be lazy to go take over the land.”
10 When you go, you will find a safe people and a big land. God has given it to you; a place where you lack nothing that is on the earth.
11 From there, six hundred men from the Danite family, from Zorah and Eshtaol, equipped for battle, left.
12 They went and camped at Kirjathjearim in Judah. That’s why they named the place Mahanehdan, and it’s still called that today. It’s near Kirjathjearim.
13 They traveled from there to Mount Ephraim and arrived at Micah’s house.
14 The five men who explored Laish replied to their brothers, “Do you realize that in these homes there is a priest’s robe, household gods, a carved idol, and a metal idol? Think about what you should do now.”
15 They went there, came to the young Levite’s house, to Micah’s house, and greeted him.
16 The six hundred armed men from the tribe of Dan stood at the gate entrance.
17 The five men who went to explore the land climbed up, went there, and took the carved idol, the priestly garment, the household gods, and the cast idol, while the priest waited at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.
18 These people went into Micah’s house, took the carved idol, the priestly garment, the household gods, and the metal idol. Then the priest asked them, “What are you doing?”
19 They told him, “Be quiet, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us. Be our leader and priest. Isn’t it better to be a priest for one man’s house or a whole tribe and family in Israel?”
20 The priest was happy, and he took the special vest, the household gods, and the carved idol, and joined the people.
21 They turned and left, putting the children, the animals, and the carts ahead of them.
22 When they were far from Micah’s house, the men living near Micah gathered and caught up with the people of Dan.
23 They called out to the people of Dan. They turned around and asked Micah, “What’s wrong with you that you come with such a group?”
24 He said, “You’ve taken my gods that I made and the priest, and left. What else do I have left? Why do you ask, ‘What’s wrong with you?’”
25 The people of Dan told him, “Don’t let us hear your voice, or some angry men might attack you, and you and your family could die.”
26 The Danites continued traveling. When Micah realized they were too strong for him, he turned around and went back home.
27 They took what Micah had made and his priest, and went to Laish, a peaceful and safe town. They attacked them with swords and set the city on fire.
28 No one could save them because they were far from Zidon, not involved with anyone, and in a valley near Bethrehob. They built a city there and lived in it.
29 They named the city Dan after their ancestor Dan, born to Israel, but the city was first called Laish.
30 The Dan tribe set up an idol, and Jonathan, Gershom’s son and Manasseh’s grandson, served as priest with his sons for the Dan tribe until the land was captured.
31 They put up Micah’s carved idol, which he had made, for as long as God’s house was in Shiloh.