Chapter 18

The Danites Overtake Micah. ¹ At that time, there was no king in Israel. In those days the tribe of the Danites were seeking a place^[a] where they could dwell, because up to that time they had not yet come into their inheritance among the tribes of Israel. ² The Danites sent out five men, one from each of its clans, brave warriors. They went out from Zorah and Eshtaol to investigate the land and to explore it. They said to them, “Go and explore the land.”

They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and they stayed there. ³ As they drew near the house of Micah, they heard the voice of the young Levite, so they turned in there and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?” ⁴ He told them what Micah had done for him and said, “He hired me, and I am his priest.” ⁵ Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God whether our journey will be successful.” ⁶ He replied, “Go in peace. The Lord is with you on your journey.”

⁷ The five men left and came to Laish. They saw that the people there were living in safety, just like the Sidonians lived, quiet and secure. There were no rulers in the land who could shame them in anything. They were quite far away from the Sidonians, and they had no ties to anyone.

⁸ They came back to their brethren in Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, “What do you have to say?” ⁹ They said, “Arise so that we can attack them. We have seen the land, and it is truly very good. Do not delay in going there so that you can enter and take possession of the land. ¹⁰ When you enter, you will find a people living in security in a vast land. God has given it into your hands. It is a place where you will not lack anything upon the earth.”

¹¹ Six hundred men from the clans of the Danites went out from Zorah and Eshtaol dressed in battle gear. ¹² They went up and camped in Kiriath-jearim in Judah. (This is why this place is called Mahaneh-dan up to this day. It lies to the west of Kiriath-jearim.) ¹³ They went on from there to the hill country of Ephraim, coming to the house of Micah.

¹⁴ The five men who had gone out to investigate the land around Laish said to their brethren, “Do you know that in these houses there are an ephod, teraphim, and a carved molten image? What do you think we should do?” ¹⁵ They turned aside and went to the house of the young Levite (the house of Micah) and they greeted him. ¹⁶ The six hundred armed men, the Danites, stood by the entrance to the gate.

¹⁷ The five men who had gone out to investigate the land then arrived there. They took the carved image, the ephod, the teraphim and the molten image. The priest stood at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred men who were armed for war. ¹⁸ When they went into Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the teraphim and the molten image, the priest asked them, “What are you doing?” ¹⁹ They said to him, “Be quiet! Put your hand over your mouth, and come with us to be a father and a priest to us. Is it better to be a father and a priest to one man’s household, or to be father and priest to a tribe and a clan in Israel?” ²⁰ This pleased the priest. He took the ephod, the teraphim, and the carved image and traveled with those people. ²¹ They then turned and departed, with their children, their cattle, and their possessions in the front of the march.

²² When they had traveled some distance from the house of Micah, the men who lived in the houses near Micah’s house overtook the Danites. ²³ When they shouted out, the Danites turned and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, calling out such a group?” ^24 [b]He replied, “You took the gods that I made and the priest, and then you went on your way. What else do I have? How could you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’ ” ²⁵ The Danites said to him, “Keep quiet, or these men could get angry, and you and your household could lose their lives.” ²⁶ So the Danites continued on their journey. When Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned back and went home.

²⁷ They took away the things that Micah had made and his priest, and they arrived in Laish. This land was quiet, with people who lived in security, and they put them to the sword and burned the city down. ²⁸ There was no one to deliver them, for Sidon was far away and they had no allies. This happened in the valley near Beth-rehob. They built a city and dwelt there. ²⁹ They named the city Dan after their forefather who was called Dan. He was the son of Israel. The city had originally been called Laish. ³⁰ The Danites set up the carved idol, and they chose Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons as priests to the Danites, and they continued to serve until they were exiled from the land.^{[c] 31} They maintained the carved idol that Micah had made, and it remained there the whole time that the house of God was in Shiloh.