In those days{H3117} there was no king{H4428} in Israel:{H3478} and in those days{H3117} the tribe{H7626} of the Danites{H1839} sought{H1245} them an inheritance{H5159} to dwell in;{H3427} for unto that day{H3117} [their] inheritance{H5159} had not fallen{H5307} unto them among{H8432} the tribes{H7626} of Israel.{H3478}

And the children{H1121} of Dan{H1835} sent{H7971} of their family{H4940} five{H2568} men{H582} from their whole number,{H7098} men{H1121} of valor,{H2428} from Zorah,{H6881} and from Eshtaol,{H847} to spy{H7270} out the land,{H776} and to search{H2713} it; and they said{H559} unto them, Go,{H3212} search{H2713} the land.{H776} And they came{H935} to the hill-country{H2022} of Ephraim,{H669} unto the house{H1004} of Micah,{H4318} and lodged{H3885} there.

When they were by the house{H1004} of Micah,{H4318} they knew{H5234} the voice{H6963} of the young man{H5288} the Levite;{H3881} and they turned aside{H5493} thither, and said{H559} unto him, Who brought{H935} thee hither?{H1988} and what doest{H6213} thou in this place? and what hast thou here?

And he said{H559} unto them, Thus{H2090} and thus{H2090} hath Micah{H4318} dealt{H6213} with me, and he hath hired{H7936} me, and I am become his priest.{H3548}

And they said{H559} unto him, Ask counsel,{H7592} we pray thee, of God,{H430} that we may know{H3045} whether our way{H1870} which we go{H1980} shall be prosperous.{H6743}

And the priest{H3548} said{H559} unto them, Go{H3212} in peace:{H7965} before{H5227} Jehovah{H3068} is your way{H1870} wherein ye go.{H3212}

Then the five{H2568} men{H582} departed,{H3212} and came{H935} to Laish,{H3919} and saw{H7200} the people{H5971} that were therein,{H7130} how they dwelt{H3427} in security,{H983} after the manner{H4941} of the Sidonians,{H6722} quiet{H8252} and secure;{H982} for there was none in the land,{H776} possessing authority,{H3423} that might put [them] to shame{H3637} in anything,{H1697} and they were far{H7350} from the Sidonians,{H6722} and had no dealings{H1697} with any man.{H120}

And they came{H935} unto their brethren{H251} to Zorah{H6881} and Eshtaol:{H847} and their brethren{H251} said{H559} unto them, What [say] ye?

And they said,{H559} Arise,{H6965} and let us go up{H5927} against them; for we have seen{H7200} the land,{H776} and, behold, it is very{H3966} good:{H2896} and are ye still?{H2814} be not slothful{H6101} to go{H3212} and to enter{H935} in to possess{H3423} the land.{H776}

When ye go,{H935} ye shall come{H935} unto a people{H5971} secure,{H982} and the land{H776} is large;{H7342} for God{H430} hath given{H5414} it into your hand,{H3027} a place{H4725} where there is no want{H4270} of anything{H1697} that is in the earth.{H776}

And there set{H5265} forth from thence of the family{H4940} of the Danites,{H1839} out of Zorah{H6881} and out of Eshtaol,{H847} six{H8337} hundred{H3967} men{H376} girt{H2296} with weapons{H3627} of war.{H4421}

And they went up,{H5927} and encamped{H2583} in Kiriath-jearim,{H7157} in Judah:{H3063} wherefore they called{H7121} that place{H4725} Mahaneh-dan,{H4265} unto this day;{H3117} behold, it is behind{H310} Kiriath-jearim.{H7157}

And they passed{H5674} thence unto the hill-country{H2022} of Ephraim,{H669} and came{H935} unto the house{H1004} of Micah.{H4318}

Then answered{H6030} the five{H2568} men{H582} that went{H1980} to spy out{H7270} the country{H776} of Laish,{H3919} and said{H559} unto their brethren,{H251} Do ye know{H3045} that there is{H3426} in these houses{H1004} an ephod,{H646} and teraphim,{H8655} and a graven image,{H6459} and a molten image?{H4541} now therefore consider{H3045} what ye have to do.{H6213}

And they turned{H5493} aside thither, and came{H935} to the house{H1004} of the young man{H5288} the Levite,{H3881} even unto the house{H1004} of Micah,{H4318} and asked him of his welfare.{H7592}

And the six{H8337} hundred{H3967} men{H376} girt{H2296} with their weapons{H3627} of war,{H4421} who were of the children{H1121} of Dan,{H1835} stood{H5324} by the entrance{H6607} of the gate.{H8179}

And the five{H2568} men{H582} that went{H1980} to spy out{H7270} the land{H776} went up,{H5927} and came in{H935} thither, and took{H3947} the graven image,{H6459} and the ephod,{H646} and the teraphim,{H8655} and the molten image:{H4541} and the priest{H3548} stood{H5324} by the entrance{H6607} of the gate{H8179} with the six{H8337} hundred{H3967} men{H376} girt{H2296} with weapons{H3627} of war.{H4421}

And when these went{H935} into Micah's{H4318} house,{H1004} and fetched{H3947} the graven image,{H6459} the ephod,{H646} and the teraphim,{H8655} and the molten image,{H4541} the priest{H3548} said{H559} unto them, What do{H6213} ye?

And they said{H559} unto him, Hold thy peace,{H2790} lay{H7760} thy hand{H3027} upon thy mouth,{H6310} and go{H3212} with us, and be to us{H1961} a father{H1} and a priest:{H3548} is it better{H2896} for thee to be priest{H3548} unto the house{H1004} of one{H259} man,{H376} or to be priest{H3548} unto a tribe{H7626} and a family{H4940} in Israel?{H3478}

And the priest's{H3548} heart{H3820} was glad,{H3190} and he took{H3947} the ephod,{H646} and the teraphim,{H8655} and the graven image,{H6459} and went in{H935} the midst{H7130} of the people.{H5971}

So they turned{H6437} and departed,{H3212} and put{H7760} the little ones{H2945} and the cattle{H4735} and the goods{H3520} before{H6440} them.

When they were a good way{H7368} from the house{H1004} of Micah,{H4318} the men{H582} that were in the houses{H1004} near to Micah's{H4318} house{H1004} were gathered together,{H2199} and overtook{H1692} the children{H1121} of Dan.{H1835}

And they cried{H7121} unto the children{H1121} of Dan.{H1835} And they turned{H5437} their faces,{H6440} and said{H559} unto Micah,{H4318} What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?{H2199}

And he said,{H559} ye have taken away{H3947} my gods{H430} which I made,{H6213} and the priest,{H3548} and are gone away,{H3212} and what have I more? and how then say{H559} ye unto me, What aileth thee?

And the children{H1121} of Dan{H1835} said{H559} unto him, Let not thy voice{H6963} be heard{H8085} among us, lest angry{H4751} fellows{H582} fall{H6293} upon you, and thou lose{H622} thy life,{H5315} with the lives{H5315} of thy household.{H1004}

And the children{H1121} of Dan{H1835} went{H3212} their way:{H1870} and when Micah{H4318} saw{H7200} that they were too strong{H2389} for him, he turned{H6437} and went back{H7725} unto his house.{H1004}

And they took{H3947} that which Micah{H4318} had made,{H6213} and the priest{H3548} whom he had, and came{H935} unto Laish,{H3919} unto a people{H5971} quiet{H8252} and secure,{H982} and smote{H5221} them with the edge{H6310} of the sword;{H2719} and they burnt{H8313} the city{H5892} with fire.{H784}

And there was no deliverer,{H5337} because it was far{H7350} from Sidon,{H6721} and they had no dealings{H1697} with any man;{H120} and it was in the valley{H6010} that lieth by Beth-rehob.{H1050} And they built{H1129} the city,{H5892} and dwelt{H3427} therein.

And they called{H7121} the name{H8034} of the city{H5892} Dan,{H1835} after the name{H8034} of Dan{H1835} their father,{H1} who was born{H3205} unto Israel:{H3478} howbeit{H199} the name{H8034} of the city{H5892} was Laish{H3919} at the first.{H7223}

And the children{H1121} of Dan{H1835} set up{H6965} for themselves the graven image:{H6459} and Jonathan,{H3083} the son{H1121} of Gershom,{H1647} the son{H1121} of Moses,{H4519} he and his sons{H1121} were priests{H3548} to the tribe{H7626} of the Danites{H1839} until the day{H3117} of the captivity{H1540} of the land.{H776}

So they set them up{H7760} Micah's{H4318} graven image{H6459} which he made,{H6213} all the time{H3117} that the house{H1004} of God{H430} was in Shiloh.{H7887}