NASB — Judges 18 — KJV

Danites Seek Territory

1 aIn those° days° there° was no° king° of Israel°; and bin those° days° the tribe° of the Danites° was seeking° an inheritance° for themselves to live° in, for until° that day° Ian inheritance° had not IIbeen allotted° to them as a possession° among° the tribes° of Israel°. 2 So the sons° of Dan° sent° from their family° five° men° out of their whole° number°, Ivaliant° men° from aZorah° and Eshtaol°, to spy° out the land° and to search° it; and they said° to them, “Go°, search° the land°.” And they came° to bthe hill° country° of Ephraim°, to the house° of Micah°, and lodged° there°. 3 When they were near° the house° of Micah°, they recognized° the voice° of the young° man°, the Levite°; and they turned° aside° there° and said° to him, “Who° brought° you here°? And what° are you doing° in this° [place]? And what° do you have here°?” 4 He said° to them, “Thus° and so° has Micah° done° to me, and he has hired° me and aI have° become° his priest°.” 5 They said° to him, “Inquire° of God°, please°, that we may know° whether our way° on which° we are going° will be prosperous°.” 6 The priest° said° to them, “Go° in peace°; your way° in which° you are going° Ihas the LORDS° approval°.”

[1] ILit it IILit fallen aJg 17:6; 19:1 bJsh 19:40-48
[2] ILit men, sons of valor aJg 13:25 bJg 17:1
[4] aJg 17:12
[6] ILit is before the LORD

7 ¶ Then the five° men° departed° and came° to aLaish° and saw° the people° who° were in it living° in security°, after the manner° of the Sidonians°, quiet° and secure°; for there° was no° Iruler°° humiliating° [them] for anything° in the land°, and they were far° from the Sidonians° and had° no° dealings° with anyone°. 8 When they came° back to their brothers° at Zorah° and Eshtaol°, their brothers° said° to them, “What° [do] you [report]?” 9 They said°, “Arise°, and let us go° up against° them; for we have seen° the land°, and behold°, it is very° good°. And will you Isit° still°? Do not delay° to go°, to enter°, to possess° the land°. 10 When you enter°, you will come° to a secure° people° with a spacious°° land°; for God° has given° it into your hand°, aa place° where°° there° is no° lack° of anything°° that is on the earth°.”

[7] ILit possessor of restraint aJsh 19:47; Jg 18:29
[9] ILit be
[10] aDt 8:9

11 ¶ Then from the family° of the Danites°, from Zorah° and from Eshtaol°, six° hundred° men° armed° with weapons° of war° set° out. 12 They went° up and camped° at Kiriath-jearim° in Judah°. Therefore°° they called° that place° IaMahaneh-dan° to this° day°; behold°, it is IIwest° of Kiriath-jearim°. 13 They passed° from there° to the hill° country° of Ephraim° and came° to the house° of Micah°.

[12] II.e. the camp of Dan IILit behind aJg 13:25

Danites Take Micah’s Idols

14 ¶ Then the five° men° who went° to spy° out the country° of Laish° said° to their kinsmen°, “Do you know° that there° are in these° houses° aan ephod° and Ihousehold° idols° and a graven° image° and a molten° image°? Now° therefore, consider° what° you should do°.” 15 They turned° aside° there° and came° to the house° of the young° man°, the Levite°, to the house° of Micah°, and asked° him of his welfare°. 16 The six° hundred° men° armed° with their weapons° of war°, who° were of the sons° of Dan°, stood° by the entrance° of the gate°. 17 Now the five° men° who went° to spy° out the land° went° up [and] entered° there°, [and] took° athe graven° image° and the ephod° and Ihousehold° idols° and the molten° image°, while the priest° stood° by the entrance° of the gate° with the six° hundred° men° armed° with weapons° of war°. 18 When these° went° into Micah’s° house° and took° the graven° image°, the ephod° and Ihousehold° idols° and the molten° image°, the priest° said° to them, “What° are you doing°?” 19 They said° to him, “Be silent°, aput° your hand° over° your mouth° and come° with us, and be to us ba father° and a priest°. Is it better° for you to be a priest° to the house° of one° man°, or° to be priest° to a tribe° and a family° in Israel°?” 20 The priest’s° heart° was glad°, and he took° the ephod° and Ihousehold° idols° and the graven° image° and went° among° the people°.

[14] IHeb teraphim aJg 17:5
[17] IHeb teraphim aGn 31:19, 30; Is 41:29; Mi 5:13
[18] IHeb teraphim
[19] aJb 21:5; 29:9; 40:4 bJg 17:10
[20] IHeb teraphim

21 ¶ Then they turned° and departed°, and put° the little° ones° and the livestock° and the valuables° in front° of them. 22 When they had gone° some° distance° from the house° of Micah°, the men° who° [were] in the houses° near° Micah’s° house° assembled° and overtook° the sons° of Dan°. 23 They cried° to the sons° of Dan°, who turned° Iaround° and said° to Micah°, “What° is [the matter] with you, that you have assembled° together°?” 24 He said°, “You have taken° away my gods° which° I made°, and the priest°, and have gone° away, and what° do I have besides°? So how°° can you say° to me, ‘What° is [the matter] with you?’” 25 The sons° of Dan° said° to him, “Do not let your voice° be heard° among° us, or° else° Ifierce°° men° will fall° upon you and you will IIlose° your life°, with the lives° of your household°.” 26 So the sons° of Dan° went° on their way°; and when Micah° saw° that they were too° strong° for him, he turned° and went° back° to his house°.

[23] ILit their faces
[25] ILit bitter of soul IILit gather

27 ¶ Then they took° what° Micah° had made° and the priest° who° had° belonged° to him, and came° to aLaish°, to a people° quiet° and secure°, and struck° them with the edge° of the sword°; and they burned° the city° with fire°. 28 And there° was no° one° to deliver° [them], because° it was far° from Sidon° and they had° no° dealings° with anyone°, and it was in the valley° which° is near aBeth-rehob°. And they rebuilt° the city° and lived° in it. 29 aThey called° the name° of the city° Dan°, after the name° of Dan° their father° who° was born° in Israel°; however°, the name° of the city° formerly° was Laish°. 30 The sons° of Dan° set° up for themselves athe graven° image°; and Jonathan°, the son° of bGershom°, the son° of IManasseh°, ahe and his sons° were priests° to the tribe° of the Danites° until° the day° of the captivity° of the land°. 31 So they set° up for themselves Micah’s° graven° image° which° he had made°, all° the time° that the ahouse° of God° was at Shiloh°.

[27] aJsh 19:47; Jg 18:7
[28] a2S 10:6
[29] aJsh 19:47
[30] ISome ancient versions read Moses aJg 17:3, 5 bEx 2:22; 18:3
[31] aJsh 18:1


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The Danites send five men to seek out an inheritance.

1 ¶ In those² daysº [there was] no² kingº in Israel:º and in those² daysº the tribeº of the Danitesº soughtºª them an inheritanceº to dwell² in;¹ª for² unto² that² dayº [all their] inheritanceº had not² fallenºª unto them amongº the tribesº of Israel.º 2 And the childrenº of Danº sentºª of their familyº² fiveº men¹² from their coasts,º² men¹² of valour,º from Zorah,º² and from Eshtaol,º² to spy¹ª out²² the land,º and to searchºª it; and they saidºª unto² them, Go,¹ª² searchºª² the land:º who when they cameºª to mountº Ephraim,º to² the houseº of Micah,º they lodgedºª there.²

[1] Gn 36:31; Dt 33:5; Jsh 19:40; Jg 1:34; 17:6; 19:1; 21:25.
[2] Gn 42:9; Nu 13:17; Jsh 2:1; 17:15; 19:41; Jg 13:2, 25; 16:31; 17:1; 18:8, 11; 19:1, 18; Pv 20:18; Lk 14:31.

At the house of Micah they consult with Jonathan, and are encouraged in their way.

3 When they² [were] by² the houseº of Micah,º they² knewºª² the voiceº of the young manº the Levite:º and they turned inºª thither,² and saidºª unto him, Who² broughtºª thee hither?º and what² makestºª thou² in this² [place]? and what² hast thou here?² 4 And he saidºª unto² them, Thusº and thusº dealethºª Micahº with me, and hath hiredºª me, and I am² his priest.º 5 And they saidºª unto him, Ask counsel,ºª we pray thee,² of God,º that we may knowºª whether our wayº which² we² goºª shall be prosperous.ºª 6 And the priestº saidºª unto them, Go¹ª² in peace:º beforeº the LORDº [is] your wayº wherein² ye go.¹ª²

[3] Gn 27:22; Jg 12:6; Is 22:16; Mt 26:73.
[4] Jg 17:10; Pv 28:21; Is 56:11; Ezk 13:19; Ho 4:8; Mal 1:10; Jn 10:12; Ac 8:18; 20:33; 1Ti 3:3; Tit 1:11; 2P 2:3, 14.
[5] Jg 17:5, 13; 18:14; 1K 22:5; 2K 16:15; Is 30:1; Ezk 21:21; Ho 4:12; Ac 8:10.
[6] Dt 11:12; 1K 22:6, 12, 15; Ps 33:18; Jr 23:21, 32; 1Th 3:11.

They search Laish, and bring back news of good hope.

7 ¶ Then the fiveº men¹² departed,¹ª² and cameºª to Laish,º and sawºª² the peopleº that² [were] therein,º how they dweltºª careless,º after the mannerº of the Zidonians,º quietºª and secure;ºª and [there was] no² magistrateººª in the land,º that might put [them] to shameºª in [any] thing;º and they² [were] farº from the Zidonians,º² and had no² businessº with² [any] man.º 8 And they cameºª unto² their brethrenº to Zorahº and Eshtaol:º and their brethrenº saidºª unto them, What² [say] ye?² 9 And they said,ºª Arise,ºª that we may go upºª against² them: for² we have seenºª² the land,º and, behold,² it [is] veryº good:º and [are] ye² still?ºª be not slothfulºª² to go,¹ª² [and] to enterºª to possessºª² the land.º 10 When ye go,ºª ye shall comeºª unto² a peopleº secure,ºª and to a largeº land:º for² Godº hath givenºª it into your hands;º a placeº where² [there is] no² wantº of any² thingº that² [is] in the earth.º

[7] Jsh 19:47; Jg 18:27; 1S 3:13; 1K 1:6; Ro 13:3; 1P 2:14; Rv 18:7.
[8] Jg 13:2; 16:31; 18:2, 11.
[9] Nu 13:30; 14:7; Jsh 2:23; 18:3; 1S 4:9; 2S 10:12; 1K 22:23; Jn 6:27; He 6:11; 2P 1:10.
[10] Ex 3:8; Dt 2:29; 4:1; 8:7; 11:11; Jsh 6:16; Jg 18:7, 27; Ezk 20:6; 1Ti 6:17.

Six hundred men are sent to surprise it.

11 ¶ And there wentºª from thence²² of the familyº² of the Danites,º out of Zorahº² and out of Eshtaol,º² sixº hundredº menº appointedºª with weaponsº of war.º 12 And they went up,ºª and pitchedºª in Kirjathjearim,º in Judah:º wherefore²² they calledºª that² placeº Mahanehdanº unto² this² day:º behold,² [it is] behindº Kirjathjearim.º 13 And they passedºª thence²² unto mountº Ephraim,º and cameºª unto² the houseº of Micah.º

[11] Jg 18:11.
[12] Jsh 15:60; Jg 13:25; 1S 7:1; 1Ch 13:5; 2Ch 1:4.
[13] Jsh 24:30, 33; Jg 17:1; 18:2; 19:1.

In the way they rob Micah of his priest and his consecrate things.

14 ¶ Then answeredºª the fiveº men¹² that wentºª to spy outºª² the countryº of Laish,º and saidºª unto² their brethren,º Do ye knowºª that² there isº in these² housesº an ephod,º and teraphim,º and a graven image,º and a molten image?º now² therefore considerºª what² ye have to do.ºª 15 And they turnedºª thitherward,² and cameºª to² the houseº of the young manº the Levite,º [even] unto the houseº of Micah,º and salutedººª him. 16 And the sixº hundredº menº appointedºª with their weaponsº of war,º which² [were] of the childrenº² of Dan,º stoodºª by the enteringº of the gate.º 17 And the fiveº men¹² that went¹ª² to spy outºª² the landº went up,ºª [and] came inºª thither,² [and] tookºª² the graven image,º and the ephod,º and the teraphim,º and the molten image:º and the priestº stoodºª in the enteringº of the gateº with the sixº hundredº menº [that were] appointedºª with weaponsº of war.º 18 And these² wentºª into Micah'sº house,º and fetchedºª² the carved image,º the ephod,º and the teraphim,º and the molten image.º Then saidºª the priestº unto² them, What² doºª ye?² 19 And they saidºª unto him, Hold thy peace,ºª layºª thine handº upon² thy mouth,º and go¹ª² with² us, and be² to us¹ª a fatherº and a priest:º [is it] betterº for thee to be² a priestº unto the houseº of oneº man,º or² that thou be² a priestº unto a tribeº and a familyº in Israel?º 20 And the priest'sº heartº was glad,ºª and he tookºª² the ephod,º and the teraphim,º and the graven image,º and went² in¹ª the midstº of the people.º 21 So they turnedºª and departed,¹ª² and putºª² the little onesº and the cattleº and the carriageº beforeº them.

[14] Jg 17:5; 18:3; 1S 14:28; Pv 19:27; Is 8:19.
[15] Gn 37:14; 43:27; 1S 17:22; 2K 4:26; Mt 10:12; Lk 10:4; Jn 14:27.
[16] Jg 18:11.
[17] Ex 32:20; Jg 6:31; 17:4; 18:2, 14; 1S 4:11; 6:2; 2K 19:18; Is 46:1, 7.
[19] Jg 17:10; 2K 6:21; 8:8; 13:14; Jb 21:5; 29:9; 40:4; Pv 30:32; Mi 7:16; Mt 23:9.
[20] Jg 17:10; Pv 30:15; Is 56:11; Ezk 13:19; Ho 4:3; Ac 20:33; Php 3:19; 2P 2:3, 15.
[21] Jg 18:21.

22 ¶ [And] when they² were a good wayºª from the houseº² of Micah,º the men¹² that² [were] in the housesº near² to Micah'sº houseº were gathered together,ºª and overtookºª² the childrenº of Dan.º 23 And they criedºª unto² the childrenº of Dan.º And they turnedºª their faces,º and saidºª unto Micah,º What² aileth thee, that² thou comest with such a company?ºª 24 And he said,ºª Ye have taken awayºª² my godsº which² I made,ºª and the priest,º and ye are gone away:¹ª² and what² have I more?² and what² [is] this² [that] ye sayºª unto² me, What² aileth thee? 25 And the childrenº of Danº saidºª unto² him, Let not² thy voiceº be heardºª among² us, lest² angryºº fellows¹² runºª upon thee, and thou loseºª thy life,º with the livesº of thy household.º 26 And the childrenº of Danº went¹ª² their way:º and when Micahº sawºª that² they² [were] too strongº for² him, he turnedºª and went backºª unto² his house.º

[23] Gn 21:17; 1S 11:5; 2S 14:5; 2K 6:28; Ps 114:5; Is 22:1.
[24] Jg 17:13; Ps 115:8; Is 44:18; Jr 50:38; 51:17; Ezk 23:5; Hab 2:18; Ac 19:26; Rv 17:2.
[25] 1S 30:6; 2S 17:8; Jb 3:5; 27:2.

They win Laish, and call it Dan.

27 And they² tookºª² [the things] which² Micahº had made,ºª and the priestº which² he had,² and cameºª unto² Laish,º unto² a peopleº [that were] at quietºª and secure:ºª and they smoteºª them with the edgeº of the sword,º and burntºª the cityº with fire.º 28 And [there was] no² deliverer,ºª because² it² [was] farº from Zidon,º² and they had no² businessº with² [any] man;º and it² was in the valleyº that² [lieth] by Bethrehob.º And they builtºª² a city,º and dweltºª therein. 29 And they calledºª the nameº of the cityº Dan,º after the nameº of Danº their father,º who² was bornºª unto Israel:º howbeitº the nameº of the cityº [was] Laishº at the first.º

[27] Dt 33:22; Jsh 11:11; 19:47; Jg 18:7, 10.
[28] Nu 13:21; Jsh 11:8; Jg 18:1, 7; 2S 10:6; 14:6; Ps 7:2; 50:22; Is 23:4, 12; Dn 3:15.
[29] Gn 14:14; 30:6; 32:28; Jsh 19:47; Jg 20:1; 2S 17:11; 1K 12:29; 15:20.

They set up idolatry, wherein Jonathan inheriteth the priesthood.

30 ¶ And the childrenº of Danº set upºª² the graven image:º and Jonathan,º the sonº of Gershom,¹² the sonº of Manasseh,º he² and his sonsº were² priestsº to the tribeº of Danº until² the dayº of the captivityºª of the land.º 31 And they set them upºª² Micah'sº graven image,º which² he made,ºª all² the timeº that the houseº of Godº was² in Shiloh.º

[30] Ex 20:4; Lv 26:1; Dt 17:2; 27:15; 31:16, 29; Jsh 19:40; Jg 13:1; 1S 4:2, 10; Ps 78:58, 60; 105:44.
[31] Jsh 18:1; Jg 19:18; 21:21; 1S 1:3; 4:4; Jr 7:12.


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