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Idolatry in the Tribe of Dan
Now in those days Israel had no king. And the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place where they could settle, for they had not yet moved into the land assigned to them when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel.
Now in those days Israel had no king. And the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place where they could settle, for they had not yet moved into the land assigned to them when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel.
The Danites Settle in Laish
In those days there was no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for themselves an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day [their lot] had not fallen to them for inheritance among the tribes of Israel.
In those days there was no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for themselves an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day [their lot] had not fallen to them for inheritance among the tribes of Israel.
So the men of Dan chose from their clans five capable warriors from the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol to scout out a land for them to settle in.
When these warriors arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, they came to Micah’s house and spent the night there.
When these warriors arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, they came to Micah’s house and spent the night there.
And the children of Dan sent of their family five men of their whole number, men of valour, from Zoreah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to examine it; and they said to them, Go, examine the land. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
While at Micah’s house, they recognized the young Levite’s accent, so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here, and what are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”
When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man, the Levite; and they turned in thither, and said to him, Who brought thee hither? and what doest thou in this [place]? and what hast thou here?
He told them about his agreement with Micah and that he had been hired as Micah’s personal priest.
And he said to them, Thus and thus has Micah done to me; and he has hired me, and I am his priest.
Then they said, “Ask God whether or not our journey will be successful.”
And they said to him, Inquire, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way on which we go shall be prosperous.
“Go in peace,” the priest replied. “For the LORD is watching over your journey.”
And the priest said to them, Go in peace: before Jehovah is your way on which ye go.
And the five men departed, and came to Laish; and they saw the people that were therein, dwelling securely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and no one was in the land who possessed authority, that might put [them] to shame in anything; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had nothing to do with [any] man.
When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them, “What did you find?”
-- And they came to their brethren at Zoreah and Eshtaol. And their brethren said to them, What [say] ye?
The men replied, “Come on, let’s attack them! We have seen the land, and it is very good. What are you waiting for? Don’t hesitate to go and take possession of it.
And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good; and ye are still! Be not slothful to go, to enter to take possession of the land.
When you get there, you will find the people living carefree lives. God has given us a spacious and fertile land, lacking in nothing!”
When ye go in, ye shall come to a people secure, and the land is spacious in every direction; for God has given it into your hands; [it is] a place where there is no want of anything that is on the earth.
So 600 men from the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol.
And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zoreah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.
And they went up and encamped in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah; therefore they call that place Mahaneh-Dan to this day: behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim.
Then they went on from there into the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.
And they passed thence to mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.
The five men who had scouted out the land around Laish explained to the others, “These buildings contain a sacred ephod, as well as some household idols, a carved image, and a cast idol. What do you think you should do?”
Danites Take Micah's Idols
Then the five men that had gone to spy out the country of Laish spoke and said to their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? And now ye know what to do.
Then the five men that had gone to spy out the country of Laish spoke and said to their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? And now ye know what to do.
Then the five men turned off the road and went over to Micah’s house, where the young Levite lived, and greeted him kindly.
And they turned thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, and inquired after his welfare.
As the 600 armed warriors from the tribe of Dan stood at the entrance of the gate,
And the six hundred men of the children of Dan, girded with their weapons of war, stood at the entrance of the gate.
the five scouts entered the shrine and removed the carved image, the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the cast idol. Meanwhile, the priest was standing at the gate with the 600 armed warriors.
And the five men that had gone to spy out the land went up, entered in thither, [and] took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men that were girded with weapons of war.
When the priest saw the men carrying all the sacred objects out of Micah’s shrine, he said, “What are you doing?”
And these came into Micah's house, and took the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest said to them, What do ye?
“Be quiet and come with us,” they said. “Be a father and priest to all of us. Isn’t it better to be a priest for an entire tribe and clan of Israel than for the household of just one man?”
And they said to him, Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for thee to be a priest for the house of one man, or to be priest for a tribe and a family in Israel?
The young priest was quite happy to go with them, so he took along the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the carved image.
Then the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
They turned and started on their way again, placing their children, livestock, and possessions in front of them.
And they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the baggage before them.
When the people from the tribe of Dan were quite a distance from Micah’s house, the people who lived near Micah came chasing after them.
They were already far from the house of Micah, when the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.
They were shouting as they caught up with them. The men of Dan turned around and said to Micah, “What’s the matter? Why have you called these men together and chased after us like this?”
And they cried to the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said to Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?
“What do you mean, ‘What’s the matter?’” Micah replied. “You’ve taken away all the gods I have made, and my priest, and I have nothing left!”
And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away; and what have I more? and what is this that ye say to me, What aileth thee?
The men of Dan said, “Watch what you say! There are some short-tempered men around here who might get angry and kill you and your family.”
And the children of Dan said to him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest men of exasperated spirit run upon you, and thou lose thy life and the lives of thy household.
So the men of Dan continued on their way. When Micah saw that there were too many of them for him to attack, he turned around and went home.
And the children of Dan went their way; and Micah saw that they were too strong for him, and he turned and went back to his house.
Then, with Micah’s idols and his priest, the men of Dan came to the town of Laish, whose people were peaceful and secure. They attacked with swords and burned the town to the ground.
And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest that he had had, and came upon Laish, upon a people quiet and secure; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burned the city with fire.
There was no one to rescue the people, for they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby. This happened in the valley near Beth-rehob.
Then the people of the tribe of Dan rebuilt the town and lived there.
Then the people of the tribe of Dan rebuilt the town and lived there.
And there was no deliverer, for it was far from Zidon, and they had nothing to do with [any] man; and it [lay] in the valley that is by Beth-rehob. And they built the city and dwelt therein.
They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor, Israel’s son, but it had originally been called Laish.
And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; howbeit Laish was the name of the city at the first.
And the children of Dan set up the graven image; and Jehonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses; he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.