Judges 18

1In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for unto that day they had not received their lot among the other tribes.

1In those days there is no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danite is seeking for itself an inheritance to inhabit, for <FI>that<Fi> hath not fallen to it unto that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel by inheritance.

2So the children of Dan sent five most valiant men, of their stock and family, from Saraa and Esthaol, to spy out the land, and to view it diligently: and they said to them: Go, and view the land. They went on their way, and when they came to mount Ephraim, they went into the house of Michas, and rested there:

2And the sons of Dan send, out of their family, five men of them, men, sons of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to traverse the land, and to search it, and they say unto them, `Go, search the land;' and they come into the hill-country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, and lodge there.

3And knowing the voice of the young man the Levite, and lodging with him, they said to him: Who brought thee hither? what dost thou here? why wouldst thou come hither?

3They <FI>are<Fi> with the household of Micah, and they have discerned the voice of the young man, the Levite, and turn aside there, and say to him, `Who hath brought thee hither? and what art thou doing in this <FI>place?<Fi> and what to thee here?'

4He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest.

4And he saith unto them, `Thus and thus hath Micah done to me; and he hireth me, and I am to him for a priest.'

5Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have effect.

5And they say to him, `Ask, we pray thee, at God, and we know whether our way is prosperous on which we are going.'

6He answered them: Go in peace: the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.

6And the priest saith to them, `Go in peace; over-against Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> your way in which ye go.'

7So the five men going on came to Lais: and they saw how the people dwelt therein without any fear, according to the custom of the Sidonians, secure and easy, having no man at all to oppose them, being very rich, and living separated, at a distance from Sidon and from all men.

7And the five men go, and come in to Laish, and see the people which <FI>is<Fi> in its midst, dwelling confidently, according to the custom of Zidonians, quiet and confident; and there is none putting to shame in the land in <FI>any<Fi> thing, possessing restraint, and they <FI>are<Fi> far off from the Zidonians, and have no word with <FI>any<Fi> man.

8And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done: to whom they answered:

8And they come in unto their brethren, at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren say to them, `What--ye?'

9Arise, and let us go up to them: for we have seen the land which is exceeding rich and fruitful: neglect not, lose no time: let us go and possess it, there will be no difficulty.

9And they say, `Rise, and we go up against them, for we have seen the land, and lo, very good; and ye are keeping silent! be not slothful to go--to enter to possess the land.

10We shall come to a people that is secure, into a spacious country, and the Lord will deliver the place to us, in which there is no want of any thing that groweth on the earth.

10When ye go, ye come in unto a people confident, and the land <FI>is<Fi> large on both hands, for God hath given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything which <FI>is<Fi> in the land.'

11There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war.

11And there journey thence, of the family of the Danite, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.

12And going up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim.

12And they go up and encamp in Kirjath-Jearim, in Judah, therefore they have called that place, `Camp of Dan,' till this day; lo, behind Kirjath-Jearim.

13From thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas,

13And they pass over thence <FI>to<Fi> the hill-country of Ephraim, and come in unto the house of Micah.

14The five men, that before had been sent to view the land of Lais, said to the rest of their brethren: You know that in these houses there is an ephod and theraphim, and a graven and a molten god: see what you are pleased to do.

14And the five men, those going to traverse the land of Laish, answer and say unto their brethren, `Have ye known that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and graven image, and molten image? and now, know what ye do.'

15And when they had turned a little aside, they went into the house of the young man the Levite, who was in the house of Michas: and they saluted him with words of peace.

15And they turn aside thither, and come in unto the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, and ask of him of welfare, --

16And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.

16(and the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who <FI>are<Fi> of the sons of Dan, are standing at the opening of the gate), --

17But they that were gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting not far off.

17yea, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up--they have come in thither--they have taken the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image--and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are girded with weapons of war--

18So they that were gone in took away the graven thing, the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god, And the priest said to them: What are you doing?

18yea, these have entered the house of Micah, and take the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest saith unto them, `What are ye doing?'

19And they said to him: Hold thy peace, and put thy finger on thy mouth, and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family in Israel?

19and they say to him, `Keep silent, lay thy hand on thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us for a father and for a priest: is it better thy being a priest to the house of one man, or thy being priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?'

20When he heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.

20And the heart of the priest is glad, and he taketh the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and goeth into the midst of the people,

21And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle, and all that was valuable,

21and they turn and go, and put the infants, and the cattle, and the baggage, before them.

22And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them,

22They have been far off from the house of Micah--and the men who <FI>are<Fi> in the houses which <FI>are<Fi> near the house of Micah have been called together, and overtake the sons of Dan,

23And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?

23and call unto the sons of Dan, and they turn round their faces, and say to Micah, `What--to thee that thou hast been called together?'

24And he answered: You have taken away my gods which I have made me, and the priest, and all that I have, and do you say: What aileth thee?

24And he saith, `My gods which I made ye have taken, and the priest, and ye go; and what to me more? and what <FI>is<Fi> this ye say unto me, What--to thee!'

25And the children of Dan said to him: See thou say no more to us, lest men enraged come upon thee, and thou perish with all thy house.

25And the sons of Dan say unto him, `Let not thy voice be heard with us, lest men bitter in soul fall upon you, and thou hast gathered thy life, and the life of thy household;'

26And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.

26and the sons of Dan go on their way, and Micah seeth that they are stronger than he, and turneth, and goeth back unto his house.

27And the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we spoke of before, and came to Lais, to a people that was quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword: and the city they burnt with fire,

27And they have taken that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and come in against Laish, against a people quiet and confident, and smite them by the mouth of the sword, and the city have burnt with fire,

28There being no man at all who brought them any succour, because they dwelt far from Sidon, and had no society or business with any man. And the city was in the land of Rohob: and they rebuilt it, and dwelt therein,

28and there is no deliverer, for it <FI>is<Fi> far off from Zidon, and they have no word with <FI>any<Fi> man, and it <FI>is<Fi> in the valley which <FI>is<Fi> by Beth-Rehob; and they build the city, and dwell in it,

29Calling the name of the city Dan, after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.

29and call the name of the city Dan, by the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; and yet Laish <FI>is<Fi> the name of the city at the first.

30And they set up to themselves the graven idol, and Jonathan the son of Gersam, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests in the tribe of Dan, until the day of their captivity.

30And the sons of Dan raise up for themselves the graven image, and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, he and his sons have been priests to the tribe of the Danite, till the day of the removal of <FI>the people<Fi> of the land.

31And the idol of Michas remained with them all the time that the house of God was in Silo. In those days there was no king in Israel.

31And they appoint for them the graven image of Micah, which he had made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.