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The Danites' Migration and the Theft of Micah's Idols

Judges 18:1-31

18
Chapter 18
1 In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of Dan sought for itself an inheritance to dwell in, for it had not fallen to it until that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel as an inheritance. 2 And the sons of Dan sent from their family five men from their ends, men sons of power from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it. And they said to them, "Go, search out the land." And they came to the hill country of Ephraim as far as the house of Micaiah, and they lodged there. 3 They went to the house of Micaiah, and they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They turned aside there and said to him, "Who brought you here, and what are you doing here, and what do you have here?" 4 And he said to them, "This is what Micaiah did to me: he hired me, and I became to him a priest." 5 And they said to him, "Please inquire of God, and we will know whether our way—on which we are going—will succeed." 6 And the priest said to them, "Go in peace. The LORD will prosper the way you are going." 7 And the five men went and came to Laish and saw the people who were dwelling in its midst securely, like the judgment of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. And there was no possessing a thing in the land, inheriting restraint. And they were far from the Sidonians, and there was no thing to them with humanity. 8 And they came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol and said to them, "Brothers, what are you doing?" 9 And they said, "Rise up and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And you—why do you hesitate? Do not be lazy to go, to come, to possess the land." 10 When you come, you will come to a people secure and a land spacious of hands, for God has given it into your hand—a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth. 11 Then six hundred men from the clan of the Danites set out from there, from Zorah and Eshtaol, girded with utensils of warfare. 12 They went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. On account of this they called that place Camp-of-Dan until this day. Behold, it is behind Kiriath-jearim. 13 They passed over from there Mount Ephraim and came to the house of Micah. 14 And the five men who had gone to spy out the land at Laish responded and said to their brothers, “Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod and teraphim and a carved image and a molten image? And now know what you will do.” 15 And they turned aside there and came to the house of the young Levite, the house of Micaiah, and asked him about his peace. 16 And six hundred men girded with their weapons of war were standing at the entrance of the gate, which was from the sons of Dan. 17 And the five men who were walking to spy out the land went up. They came there, they took the carved image and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image, and the priest was standing at the entrance of the gate, and six hundred men girded with weapons of war. 18 And they came to Micaiah's house and took the idol, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest said to them, "What are you doing?" 19 And they said to him, "Be mute, put your hand on your mouth and go with us, and be to us for a father and for a priest. Is it better: your being a priest for the house of one man, or your being a priest for a tribe and a family in Israel?" 20 And the heart of the priest was pleased, and he took the ephod and the teraphim and the idol, and he went in the midst of the people. 21 They turned and went, and put the dependents and the livestock and the baggage before them. 22 They had gone far from Micaiah's house, and the men who were in the houses that were with Micaiah's house were alarmed and overtook the sons of Dan. 23 And they called to the sons of Dan and turned their faces and said to Micaiah, "What is it to you that you have cried out?" 24 And he said, "My God whom I made—you took him, and the priest, and you went. And what is left for me anymore? And what is this you say to me? What do you want?" 25 And they said to him, "Sons of Dan, do not let your voice be heard among us, lest bitter men meet you and take your life and the life of your house." 26 The sons of Dan went on their way. Micaiah saw that they were stronger than him, so he turned and returned to his house. 27 And they took what Micaiah had made and the priest that he had, and they came upon Laish, upon a quiet and secure people, and they struck them by the mouth of the sword. And the city they burned with fire. 28 There is no deliverer because it is far from Sidon, and they have no dealings with Adam. It is in the valley that is by the house of Rehob. And they built the city and dwelt in it. 29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel. But the name of the city was at first Laish. 30 And the sons of Dan set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom son of Moses and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the exile of the land. 31 And they set up for themselves the graven image of Micaiah that he made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.