Judges Chapter 18

Judges Chapter 18
1 In those days there was no king in
Israel, and at the same time the tribe of
Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell
in: for unto that time all their inheritance
had not fallen unto them among the tribes
of Israel. 2 Therefore the children of
Dan sent of their family, five men out of
their coasts , even men expert in war, out
of Zorah and Eshtaol, to view the land
and search it out, and said unto them,
Go, and search out the land. Then they
came to mount Ephraim to the house of
Michah and lodged there.
3 When they were in the house of
Michah, they knew the voice of the
young man the Levite: and being turned
in thither, they said unto him, Who
brought thee hither? Or what makest thou
in this place? And what hast thou to do
here?
4 And he answered them, Thus and thus
dealeth Michah with me, and hath hired
me, and I am his priest.
5 Again they said unto him, Ask counsel
now of God, that we may know whether
the way which we go, shall be
prosperous.
6 And the priest said unto them, Go in
peace: for the Lord guideth your way
which ye go.
7 Then the five men departed and came
to Laish, and saw the people that were
therein, which dwelt careless, after the
manner of the Zidonians, quiet and sure,
because no man made any trouble in the
land, or usurped any dominion: also they
were far from the Zidonians, and had no
business with other men.
8 So they came again unto their brethren
to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren
said unto them, What have ye done?
9 And they answered, Arise, that we
may go up against them: for we have
seen the land, and surely it is very good,
and do ye sit still? Be not slothful to go
and enter to possess the land:
10 (If ye will go, ye shall come unto a
careless people, and the country is
large) for God hath given it into your
hand. It is a place which doth lack
nothing that is in the world.
11 Then there departed thence of the
family of the Danites, from Zorah and
from Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed
with instruments of war. 12 And they
went up, and pitched in Kirjath-jearim in
Judah: wherefore they called that place,
Mahaneh-Dan unto this day: and it is
behind Kirjath-jearim. 13 And they went
thence unto mount Ephraim, and came to
the house of Michah.
14 Then answered the five men, that
went to spy out the country of Laish, and
said unto their brethren, Know ye not,
that there is in these houses an ephod,
and teraphim, and a graven and a molten
image? Now therefore consider what ye
have to do.
15 And they turned thitherward and
came to the house of the young man the
Levite , even unto the house of Michah,
and saluted him peaceably. 16 And the
six hundred men appointed with their
weapons of war, which were of the
children of Dan, stood by the entering of
the gate.
17 Then the five men that went to spy out
the land, went in thither , and took the
graven image and the ephod, and the
teraphim, and the molten image: and the
priest stood in the entering of the gate
with the six hundred men, that were
appointed with weapons of war,
18 And the other went into Michah's
house and fetched the graven image, the
ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten
image. Then said the priest unto them,
What do ye?
19 And they answered him, Hold thy
peace: lay thine hand upon thy mouth,
and come with us to be our father and
priest. Whether is it better that thou
shouldest be a priest unto the house of
one man, or that thou shouldest be a
priest unto a tribe and to a family in
Israel?
20 And the priest's heart was glad, and
he took the ephod and the teraphim, and
the graven image, and went among the
people.
21 And they turned and departed, and put
the children, and the cattle, and the
substance before them.
22 When they were far off from the
house of Michah, the men that were in
the houses near to Michah's house,
gathered together, and pursued after the
children of Dan,
23 And cried unto the children of Dan:
who turned their faces, and said unto
Michah, What aileth thee, that thou
makest an outcry?
24 And he said, Ye have taken away my
gods, which I made, and the priest, and
go your ways: and what have I more?
How then say ye unto me, what aileth
thee?
25 And the children of Dan said unto
him, Let not thy voice be heard among
us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and
thou lose thy life with the lives of thine
household.
26 So the children of Dan went their
ways: and when Michah saw that they
were too strong for him, he turned, and
went back unto his house. 27 And they
took the things which Michah had made,
and the priest which he had, and came
unto Laish, unto a quiet people and
without mistrust, and smote them with
the edge of the sword, and burned the
city with fire: 28 And there was none to
help, because Laish was far from Zidon,
and they had no business with othe r
men: also it was in the valley that lieth
by Bethrehob. After, they built the city,
and dwelt therein, 29 And called the
name of the city Dan, after the name of
Dan their father which was born unto
Israel: howbeit the name of the city was
Laish at the beginning.
30 Then the children of Dan set them up
the graven image: and Jonathan the son
of Gershom, the son of Manasseh and his
sons were the priests in the tribe of the
Danites until the day of the captivity of
the land. 31 So they set them up the
graven image, which Michah had made,
all the while the house of God was in
Shiloh.