Judges 18

1 In the days those there not [was] a king in Israel and in the days those [the] tribe of the Danite[s] [was] seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in for not it had fallen to it until the day that in among [the] tribes of Israel an inheritance.

In those days there was no king in Israel. The tribe of the descendants of Dan was looking for a territory to live in, for up to that day they had not received any inheritance from among the tribes of Israel.

2 And they sent [the] descendants of Dan - from tribe their five men from ends their men sons of strength from Zorah and from Eshtaol to spy out the land and to explore it and they said to them go explore the land and they went [the] hill country of Ephraim to [the] house of Micah and they spent [the] night there.

The people of Dan sent five men from the whole number of their tribe, men who were experienced warriors from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to scout the land on foot, and to look it over. They said to them, “Go and look over the land.” They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and they spent the night there.

3 They [were] near [the] house of Micah and they they recognized [the] voice of the young man the Levite and they turned aside there and they said to him who? did he bring you here and what? [are] you doing in this [place] and what? [belongs] to you here.

When they were near Micah's house, they recognized the speech of the young Levite. So they stopped and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”

4 And he said to them like this and like this he has done for me Micah and he has hired me and I have become of him a priest.

He said to them, “This is what Micah has done for me: He has hired me to become his priest.”

5 And they said to him enquire please by God so let us know ¿ will it succeed journey our which we [are] going on it.

They said to him, “Please seek the advice of God, so we may know whether the journey we are going on will be successful.”

6 And he said to them the priest go to peace [is] before Yahweh way your which you go in it.

The priest said to them, “Go in peace. Yahweh will lead you in the way you should go.”

7 And they went [the] five the men and they came Laish towards and they saw the people which in midst its [was] dwelling to security according to [the] custom of [the] Sidonians at peace - and secure and there not [was one] putting to shame anything in the land [one] possessing oppression and [were] far they from [the] Sidonians and anything not [belonged] to them with anyone.

Then the five men left and came to Laish, and they saw that the people were living in safety, in the same way the Sidonians lived, undisturbed and secure. There was no one who conquered them or who oppressed them in any way in the land. They lived far away from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.

8 And they came to brothers their Zorah and Eshtaol and they said to them brothers their what? you.

They returned to their tribe in Zorah and Eshtaol. Their relatives asked them, “What is your report?”

9 And they said arise! so we may go up on them for we have seen the land and there! [it is] good very and you [are] inactive may not you hesitate to go to go to take possession of the land.

They said, “Come! Let us attack them! We have seen the land and it is very good. Are you doing nothing? Do not be slow to attack and conquer the land.

10 When go you you will come - to a people secure and the land [is] broad of both hands for he has given it God in hand your a place where there not there [is] lack of any thing which [is] on the earth.

When you go, you will come to a people who think they are secure, and the land is wide! God has given it to you—a place that does not lack anything in the land.”

11 And they set out from there of [the] tribe of the Danite[s] from Zorah and from Eshtaol six hundred man girded weapons of war.

Six hundred men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol.

12 And they went up and they encamped at Kiriath Jearim in Judah there-fore they called the place that Mahaneh Dan until the day this there! behind Kiriath Jearim.

They went up and camped at Kiriath Jearim, in Judah. This is why people called that place Mahaneh Dan to this day; it is west of Kiriath Jearim.

13 And they passed through from there [the] hill country of Ephraim and they came to [the] house of Micah.

They went away from there to the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.

14 And they answered [the] five the men who had gone to spy out the land Laish and they said to brothers their ¿ do you know that there in the houses these [are] an ephod and teraphim and a carved image and a molten image and therefore consider what? will you do.

Then the five men who had gone to scout the country of Laish said to their relatives, “Do you know that in these houses there are an ephod, household gods, a carved figure, and a cast metal figure? Decide now what you will do.”

15 And they turned aside there and they came to [the] house of the young man the Levite [the] house of Micah and they asked of him to welfare.

So they turned in there and came to the house of the young Levite, at the house of Micah, and they greeted him.

16 And six hundred man girded [the] weapons of war their [were] standing [the] entrance of the gate who [were] of [the] descendants of Dan.

Now the six hundred Danites, armed with weapons of war, stood at the entrance of the gate.

17 And they went up [the] five the men who had gone to spy out the land they went there they took the carved image and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image and the priest [was] standing [the] entrance of the gate and six hundred the man girded [the] weapons of war.

The five men who had gone to scout out the land went there and they took the carved figure, the ephod, the household gods, and the cast metal figure, while the priest stood by the opening of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

18 And these [men] they went [the] house of Micah and they took [the] carved image of the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image and he said to them the priest what? [are] you doing.

When these went into Micah's house and took the carved figure, the ephod, the household gods, and the cast metal figure, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 And they said to him keep quiet put hand your over mouth your and come with us and become of us a father and a priest ¿ good - [is] being you a priest of [the] house of a man one or? being you a priest of a tribe and of a clan in Israel.

They said to him, “Be quiet! Put your hand on your mouth and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest for the house of one man, or to be priest for a tribe and a clan in Israel?”

20 And it was good [the] heart of the priest and he took the ephod and the teraphim and the carved image and he went in [the] midst of the people.

The priest's heart was glad. He took the ephod, the household gods, and the carved figure, and went along with the people.

21 And they turned and they went and they put the little one[s] and the livestock and the valuable[s] before them.

So they turned and went away. They put the small children in front of themselves, as well as the cattle and their possessions.

22 They they had gone far away from [the] house of Micah and the men who [were] in the houses which [were] near [the] house of Micah they were called together and they overtook [the] descendants of Dan.

When they were a good distance from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah's house were called together, and they caught up with the Danites.

23 And they called out to [the] descendants of Dan and they turned round faces their and they said to Micah what? [is that] to you that you have been called together.

They shouted to the Danites, and they turned and said to Micah, “Why have you been called together?”

24 And he said gods my which I made you have taken and the priest and you have gone and what? [belongs] to me still and why? this are you saying to me what? [is] to you.

He said, “You stole the gods that I made, you have taken my priest, and you are leaving. What else do I have left? How can you ask me, 'What is bothering you?'”

25 And they said to him [the] descendants of Dan may not you make heard voice your with us lest they should fall on you men bitter of appetite and you will gather life your and [the] life of household your.

The people of Dan said to him, “You should not let us hear you say anything, or some very angry men will attack you, and you and your family will be killed.”

26 And they went [the] descendants of Dan to way their and he saw Micah that [were too] strong they for him and he turned and he returned to house his.

Then the people of Dan went their way. When Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

27 And they they took [that] which he had made Micah and the priest who he belonged to him and they went to Laish to a people at peace and secure and they struck them to [the] mouth of [the] sword and the city they burned with fire.

The people of Dan took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and they came to Laish, to a people who were undisturbed and secure and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city.

28 And there not [was] a deliverer for [was] far it from Sidon and anything not [belonged] to them with anyone and it [was] in the valley which [belongs] to Beth Rehob and they rebuilt the city and they dwelt in it.

There was no one to rescue them because it was a long way from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone. It was in the valley that is near Beth Rehob. The Danites rebuilt the city and lived there.

29 And they called [the] name of the city Dan by [the] name of Dan ancestor their who he was born to Israel and but [was] Laish [the] name of the city to the former [time].

They named the city Dan, the name of Dan their ancestor, who was one of Israel's sons. But the name of the city used to be Laish.

30 And they set up for themselves [the] descendants of Dan the carved image and Jonathan [the] son of Gershom [the] son of Manasseh he and sons his they were priests of [the] tribe of the Danite[s] until [the] day went into exile of the land.

The people of Dan set up the carved figure for themselves. Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses, he and his sons were priests for the tribe of the Danites until the day of the land's captivity.

31 And they set up for themselves [the] carved image of Micah which he had made all [the] days of [the] being of [the] house of God at Shiloh.

So they worshiped Micah's carved figure that he made as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.