The Koine Bible

In those days there was no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of Dan was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in, because an inheritance had not fallen to it until those days among the tribes of Israel.

And the sons of Dan sent from their families five men from among themselves, sons of might, from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it out; and they said to them, Go and explore the land. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, and they stayed there.

While they were beside the house of Micha, they also recognized the voice of the young man, the younger Levite, and they turned aside there and said to him, Who brought you here, and what are you doing here, and what is yours here?

And he said to them, Thus and thus Micah did to me, and he hired me, and I became to him as a priest.

And they said to him, Ask now of God, and we shall know whether our way on which we are going is prospered.

And the priest said to them, Go in peace before the Lord; your way on which you are going is before him.

And the five men went and came to Laish and saw the people dwelling in it sitting in security, according to the manner of the Sidonians, resting in security and not being able to speak a word, because they were far away from Sidon, and there was no matter for them with Syria.

And the five men came to their brothers at Zareah and Eshtaol, and their brothers were saying to them, Why are you sitting?

And they said, Rise up, and let us go up against them, because we entered in and went through the land as far as Laish, and we saw the people dwelling in it in security, according to the manner of the Sidonians, and far away, being distant from Sidon, and there was no dealing for them with Syria. But rise up, and let us go up against them, because we have found the land, and behold, it is very good; and you are silent, do not delay to go, to come and to inherit the land.

Whenever you enter, you will come to a people trusting, and the land is broad, because God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of any thing, whatever is in the land

And six hundred men girded with weapons of war set out from the clan of Dan, from Zorah and Eshtaol.

And they went up and encamped in Kiriath-jearim in Judah; therefore that place was called Camp of Dan to this day; behold, behind Kiriath-jearim.

They passed on from there and came as far as the hill of Ephraim, and they came as far as the house of Micah.

And the five men who were going to spy out the land answered and said to their brothers, Do you know that in these houses there is an ephod and teraphim and a carved image and a molten image? And now know what you will do.

And they turned aside there and entered into the house of the young Levite, into the house of Micha, and they greeted him.

And the six hundred men, girded with weapons of war, stood at the door of the gate, those from the sons of Dan.

And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up; they entered there and took the carved image and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image, and the priest was standing by the door of the gate, and the six hundred men who were girded with weapons of war

And these men entered into the house of Micha and took the carved image and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image, and the priest said to them, What are you doing?

And they said to him, Be silent, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us, and you shall be to us as a father and as a priest. Is it better for you to be a priest of the house of one man than to be a priest of a tribe and kinship in Israel?

And the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod and the teraphim and the carved image and the molten image, and he went into the midst of the people

And they turned and went away and set in order the whole household and his possession, the glorious, before them

Now when they had gone far from the house of Micha, behold, Micha and the men who were with the house, with Micha, were crying out after the sons of Dan

And the sons of Dan turned their faces and said to Michah, What is it to you that you have cried out?

And Micha said, My carved image that I made for myself you have taken, and the priest, and you have gone away; and what still is there for me? and what is this that you say to me? Why are you shouting this?

And the sons of Dan said to him, Let not your voice be heard with us, lest men bitter in soul meet you, and you add your life and the life of your house.

And the sons of Dan went on their way, and Micah saw that they were stronger than he, and he turned aside and returned to his house

And they took what Micha had made and the priest who was with him, and they came as far as Laisa, to a people resting and confident, and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and they burned the city with fire

and there is no one delivering, because it is far from the Sidonians, and there is no dealings for them with men; and it is in the valley that is of the house of Roob. And they built the city and dwelt in it

And they called the name of the city Dan, according to the name of their father, who became to Israel; and Laish was the name of the city formerly.

And the sons of Dan set up for themselves the carved image of Micha, and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses, he and his sons, were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

And they set up for themselves the graven image of Micah, which he made, all the days as long as the house of God was in Shiloh.