1. In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for itself to inhabit. For to that day it had not fallen to them by inheritance among the tribes of Israel.
2. And the sons of Dan sent out of their family five men from their whole number, men, sons of valor, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it. And they said to them, Go, search the land. And they came to the hills of Ephraim, to Micah's house, and lodged there.
3. They were near the household of Micah, and they recognized the young man's voice, the Levite. And they turned in there, and said to him, Who has brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what have you here?
4. And he said to them, This and this Micah has done to me. And he hired me, and I am a priest to him.
5. And they said to him, Please ask of God and we will know whether our way in which we are going will be prosperous.
6. And the priest said to them, Go in peace. Your way in which you go is before Jehovah.
7. And the five men departed, and came to Laish. And they saw the people living securely in its midst, according to the custom of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. And there were none to put them to shame in a thing, nor possessing authority. And they were far away from the Sidonians, and they had no word with any men.
8. And they came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol. And their brothers said to them, What did you do?
9. And they said, Rise up, and we shall go against them, for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good. And would you be silent? Do not hesitate to go to enter in to possess the land.
10. When you go you shall come to a secure people, and the land is large on both hands; for God has given it into your hand, a place in which there is no lack of anything which is in the land.
11. And six hundred men of the family of the Danites from Zorah and from Eshtaol girded themselves with weapons of war, pulling up stakes from there.
12. And they went up and camped in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah. Therefore they called that place a camp of Dan until this day. Behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim.
13. And they passed on from there to the hills of Ephraim, and came into the house of Micah.
14. And the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish answered and said to their brothers, Do you not know that there are in these houses an ephod and household idols, and a graven image, and a molten image? And now, you know what you are to do.
15. And they turned in there, and came into the house of the young man, the Levite in Micah's house. And they asked him for the peace.
16. And the six hundred men of the sons of Dan girded with their weapons of war were standing at the opening of the gate.
17. And the five men, those who went to spy out the land came in there, and they took the graven image, and the ephod, and the household idols, and the casted image. And the priest was standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who were girded with weapons of war.
18. And when these went into the house of Micah and took the graven image, the ephod, and the household idols, and the casted image, even the priest said to them, What are you doing?
19. And they said to him, Be quiet! Lay your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for one man's house, or for you to be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?
20. And the heart of the priest was glad. And he took the ephod, and the household idols, and the graven image, and went among the people.
21. And they turned and departed, and put the little ones, and the livestock, and the valuables before them.
22. They had gone far away from Micah's house, and the men who were in the houses near Micah's house had been called together, and had overtaken the sons of Dan.
23. And they called to the sons of Dan, and they turned their faces and said to Micah, What ails you, that you have been called together?
24. And he said, You have taken my gods which I made, and the priest, and you are leaving, and what more do I have? What is this you say to me, What ails you?
25. And the sons of Dan said to him, Do not let your voice be heard among us, that men bitter in soul not fall on you, and you lose your life, and the lives of your household.
26. And the sons of Dan went on their way. And Micah saw that they were stronger than he, and turned and went back to his house.
27. And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest he had, and came against Laish, against a people quiet and secure. And they struck them with the mouth of the sword, and burned the city with fire.
28. And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no word with any men. And it was in the valley which is beside Beth-rehob. And they built the city and lived in it.
29. And they called the name of the city, Dan, by the name of their father Dan, who was born to Israel. And yet Laish was the name of the city at first.
30. And the sons of Dan raised up for themselves the graven image. And Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.
31. And they set up for themselves Micah's graven image, which he had made, all the days that the house of God was in Shiloh.