Judges 18
18
The Migration of the Tribe of Dan
1In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan sought a territory to settle in. They still had no place to call their own among the tribes of Israel. 2So the Danites sent out from Zorah and from Eshtaol five of their valiant men # 18:2 Or “prosperous men.” to spy out the land, telling them, “Go, explore the land.” When they advanced to the hill country of Ephraim, they got as far as Micah’s house and camped near there. 3When they approached Micah’s house, they recognized the voice # 18:3 That is, his dialect. From his accent, they recognized he was from their district in Judah. of the young Levite, so they went over to him and asked, “Why are you here? Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place?”
4He replied, “Micah helped me. He hired me, and I’ve become his priest.”
5Then they said to him, “Good! Please pray to God for us and find out if our mission will succeed.”
6The priest replied, “You have nothing to worry about. The eyes of Yahweh are watching over your mission. # 18:6 Or “Yahweh’s eyes [go] before you.” You will succeed.”
7So the five spies went northward and came to Laish. They observed that the people were wealthy and living in security, after the manner of the Sidonians. # 18:7 That is, the Phoenicians. Their quiet and carefree community lacked nothing. Furthermore, they lived far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone, leaving them defenseless.
8When the spies returned to Zorah and Eshtaol from their expedition, they were asked, “What’s your report?”
9“Come on, let’s do this!” they replied. “Listen, we’ve seen the land, and it’s very good. Don’t just sit here wasting time; let’s go quickly and invade the land to conquer and possess it. 10When we arrive, we will encounter an unsuspecting people. The land is wide open and fruitful. God has indeed given it into your hand!”
11So six hundred Danites, fully armed for war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol. 12They went up and camped west of Kiriath Jearim in Judah. (To this day that place is called The Camp of Dan.) 13From there they passed through the hill country of Ephraim until they arrived at the house of Micah.
14Then the five men who had explored the region of Laish remarked to their comrades, “Did you know there’s an ephod somewhere in these houses, and other idols and an idol overlaid with silver? So decide what you’ll do about it.”
15So they stopped there and came to Micah’s house where the young Levite lived, and they greeted him. 16While the six hundred fully armed Danites stationed themselves by the entrance of the gate, 17the five spies proceeded to enter and take the idol overlaid with silver, the ephod, and the other idols. Now the priest was standing with the six hundred fully armed men at the entrance of the gate. 18When he saw the men going into Micah’s house to take the idol overlaid with silver, the ephod, and the other idols, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”
19They said to him, “Be quiet! Don’t say a word, just come with us and be our priest and a father to us all. Isn’t it better for you to be a priest representing an entire tribe of Israel rather than the house of only one man?” 20The offer pleased the priest and he accepted. He took all the idols and the ephod and joined the Danites.
21They resumed their journey with their children, their livestock, and their possessions going in front of them. # 18:21 They did this to defend themselves from an attack from the rear. 22When they had traveled a considerable distance from Micah’s home, Micah and his neighbors gathered and chased the Danites until they caught up with them. 23They shouted at the Danites, who turned around and answered Micah, “What’s your problem? Why have you come against us with such a company?”
24He replied, “Why did you take the gods that I made, kidnap my priest, and march off? What’s left for me now? How dare you ask me, ‘What’s my problem?’ ”
25The Danites retorted, “We don’t want to hear any more of your complaints lest some of our hot-tempered men here attack and kill you, your friends, and your household.” 26So the Danites went their way. When Micah realized that he was outnumbered, he turned around and went back home.
The Danites Conquer Laish
27The Danites, Micah’s priest, and all that Micah had made, came to Laish, a city of quiet and unsuspecting people. They slaughtered them and burned down their city. 28No one came to their rescue, because Laish was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with Aram. Laish was in the valley that belonged to Beth Rehob. The Danites rebuilt the city and lived in it. 29Although the city used to be called Laish, they named the city Dan after their ancestor Dan the Israelite.
30The Danites erected their own idol to worship. Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons served as priests to the tribe of the Danites until the time the nation went into captivity. # 18:30 Either the captivity of Israel under Tiglath-pileser in 734 BC (see 2 Kings 15:29), or the exile after the fall of Samaria in 722 BC (see 2 Kings 17:6). 31So they enshrined the idol Micah had made, and they made it their own even though the proper house of God # 18:31 That is, the tabernacle Moses had made during their days in the wilderness. stood at Shiloh.
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Judges 18: TPT
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