18:1 In those days 3117 [there was] no king 4428 in Israel 3478: and in those days 3117 the tribe 7626 of the Danites 1839 sought 1245 8764 them an inheritance 5159 to dwell in 3427 8800; for unto that day 3117 [all their] inheritance 5159 had not fallen 5307 8804 unto them among 8432 the tribes 7626 of Israel 3478.

18:2 And the children 1121 of Dan 1835 sent 7971 8799 of their family 4940 five 2568 men 582 from their coasts 7098, men 1121 of valour 2428, from Zorah 6881, and from Eshtaol 847, to spy 7270 8763 out the land 776, and to search 2713 8800 it; and they said 559 8799 unto them, Go 3212 8798, search 2713 8798 the land 776: who when they came 935 8799 to mount 2022 Ephraim 669, to the house 1004 of Micah 4318, they lodged 3885 8799 there.(men of: Heb. sons of)

18:3 When they [were] by the house 1004 of Micah 4318, they knew 5234 8689 the voice 6963 of the young man 5288 the Levite 3881: and they turned in 5493 8799 thither, and said 559 8799 unto him, Who brought 935 8689 thee hither 1988? and what makest 6213 8802 thou in this [place]? and what hast thou here?

18:4 And he said 559 8799 unto them, Thus 2090 and thus 2090 dealeth 6213 8804 Micah 4318 with me, and hath hired 7936 8799 me, and I am his priest 3548.

18:5 And they said 559 8799 unto him, Ask counsel 7592 8798, we pray thee, of God 430, that we may know 3045 8799 whether our way 1870 which we go 1980 8802 shall be prosperous 6743 8686.

18:6 And the priest 3548 said 559 8799 unto them, Go 3212 8798 in peace 7965: before 5227 the LORD 3068 [is] your way 1870 wherein ye go 3212 8799.

18:7 Then the five 2568 men 582 departed 3212 8799, and came 935 8799 to Laish 3919, and saw 7200 8799 the people 5971 that [were] therein 7130, how they dwelt 3427 8802 careless 983, after the manner 4941 of the Zidonians 6722, quiet 8252 8802 and secure 982 8802; and [there was] no magistrate 3423 8802 6114 in the land 776, that might put [them] to shame 3637 8688 in [any] thing 1697; and they [were] far 7350 from the Zidonians 6722, and had no business 1697 with [any] man 120.(magistrate: Heb. possessor, or, heir of restraint)

18:8 And they came 935 8799 unto their brethren 251 to Zorah 6881 and Eshtaol 847: and their brethren 251 said 559 8799 unto them, What [say] ye?

18:9 And they said 559 8799, Arise 6965 8798, that we may go up 5927 8799 against them: for we have seen 7200 8804 the land 776, and, behold, it [is] very 3966 good 2896: and [are] ye still 2814 8688? be not slothful 6101 8735 to go 3212 8800, [and] to enter 935 8800 to possess 3423 8800 the land 776.

18:10 When ye go 935 8800, ye shall come 935 8799 unto a people 5971 secure 982 8802, and to a large 7342 land 776: for God 430 hath given 5414 8804 it into your hands 3027; a place 4725 where [there is] no want 4270 of any thing 1697 that [is] in the earth 776.

18:11 And there went 5265 8799 from thence of the family 4940 of the Danites 1839, out of Zorah 6881 and out of Eshtaol 847, six 8337 hundred 3967 men 376 appointed 2296 8803 with weapons 3627 of war 4421.(appointed: Heb. girded)

18:12 And they went up 5927 8799, and pitched 2583 8799 in Kirjathjearim 7157, in Judah 3063: wherefore they called 7121 8804 that place 4725 Mahanehdan 4265 unto this day 3117: behold, [it is] behind 310 Kirjathjearim 7157.

18:13 And they passed 5674 8799 thence unto mount 2022 Ephraim 669, and came 935 8799 unto the house 1004 of Micah 4318.

18:14 Then answered 6030 8799 the five 2568 men 582 that went 1980 8802 to spy out 7270 8763 the country 776 of Laish 3919, and said 559 8799 unto their brethren 251, Do ye know 3045 8804 that there is 3426 in these houses 1004 an ephod 646, and teraphim 8655, and a graven image 6459, and a molten image 4541? now therefore consider 3045 8798 what ye have to do 6213 8799.

18:15 And they turned 5493 8799 thitherward, and came 935 8799 to the house 1004 of the young man 5288 the Levite 3881, [even] unto the house 1004 of Micah 4318, and saluted 7592 8799 7965 him.(saluted…: Heb. asked him of peace)

18:16 And the six 8337 hundred 3967 men 376 appointed 2296 8803 with their weapons 3627 of war 4421, which [were] of the children 1121 of Dan 1835, stood 5324 8737 by the entering 6607 of the gate 8179.

18:17 And the five 2568 men 582 that went 1980 8802 to spy out 7270 8763 the land 776 went up 5927 8799, [and] came in 935 8804 thither, [and] took 3947 8804 the graven image 6459, and the ephod 646, and the teraphim 8655, and the molten image 4541: and the priest 3548 stood 5324 8737 in the entering 6607 of the gate 8179 with the six 8337 hundred 3967 men 376 [that were] appointed 2296 8803 with weapons 3627 of war 4421.

18:18 And these went 935 8804 into Micah's 4318 house 1004, and fetched 3947 8799 the carved image 6459, the ephod 646, and the teraphim 8655, and the molten image 4541. Then said 559 8799 the priest 3548 unto them, What do 6213 8802 ye?

18:19 And they said 559 8799 unto him, Hold thy peace 2790 8685, lay 7760 8798 thine hand 3027 upon thy mouth 6310, and go 3212 8798 with us, and be to us 1961 8800 a father 1 and a priest 3548: [is it] better 2896 for thee to be a priest 3548 unto the house 1004 of one 259 man 376, or that thou be a priest 3548 unto a tribe 7626 and a family 4940 in Israel 3478?

18:20 And the priest's 3548 heart 3820 was glad 3190 8799, and he took 3947 8799 the ephod 646, and the teraphim 8655, and the graven image 6459, and went in 935 8799 the midst 7130 of the people 5971.

18:21 So they turned 6437 8799 and departed 3212 8799, and put 7760 8799 the little ones 2945 and the cattle 4735 and the carriage 3520 before 6440 them.

18:22 [And] when they were a good way 7368 8689 from the house 1004 of Micah 4318, the men 582 that [were] in the houses 1004 near to Micah's 4318 house 1004 were gathered together 2199 8738, and overtook 1692 8686 the children 1121 of Dan 1835.

18:23 And they cried 7121 8799 unto the children 1121 of Dan 1835. And they turned 5437 8686 their faces 6440, and said 559 8799 unto Micah 4318, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company 2199 8738?(comest…: Heb. art gathered together?)

18:24 And he said 559 8799, Ye have taken away 3947 8804 my gods 430 which I made 6213 8804, and the priest 3548, and ye are gone away 3212 8799: and what have I more? and what [is] this [that] ye say 559 8799 unto me, What aileth thee?

18:25 And the children 1121 of Dan 1835 said 559 8799 unto him, Let not thy voice 6963 be heard 8085 8686 among us, lest angry 4751 5315 fellows 582 run 6293 8799 upon thee, and thou lose 622 8804 thy life 5315, with the lives 5315 of thy household 1004.(angry: Heb. bitter of soul)

18:26 And the children 1121 of Dan 1835 went 3212 8799 their way 1870: and when Micah 4318 saw 7200 8799 that they [were] too strong 2389 for him, he turned 6437 8799 and went back 7725 8799 unto his house 1004.

18:27 And they took 3947 8804 [the things] which Micah 4318 had made 6213 8804, and the priest 3548 which he had, and came 935 8799 unto Laish 3919, unto a people 5971 [that were] at quiet 8252 8802 and secure 982 8802: and they smote 5221 8686 them with the edge 6310 of the sword 2719, and burnt 8313 8804 the city 5892 with fire 784.

18:28 And [there was] no deliverer 5337 8688, because it [was] far 7350 from Zidon 6721, and they had no business 1697 with [any] man 120; and it was in the valley 6010 that [lieth] by Bethrehob 1050. And they built 1129 8799 a city 5892, and dwelt 3427 8799 therein.

18:29 And they called 7121 8799 the name 8034 of the city 5892 Dan 1835, after the name 8034 of Dan 1835 their father 1, who was born 3205 8795 unto Israel 3478: howbeit 199 the name 8034 of the city 5892 [was] Laish 3919 at the first 7223.

18:30 And the children 1121 of Dan 1835 set up 6965 8686 the graven image 6459: and Jonathan 3083, the son 1121 of Gershom 1647, the son 1121 of Manasseh 4519, he and his sons 1121 were priests 3548 to the tribe 7626 of Dan 1839 until the day 3117 of the captivity 1540 8800 of the land 776.

18:31 And they set them up 7760 8799 Micah's 4318 graven image 6459, which he made 6213 8804, all the time 3117 that the house 1004 of God 430 was in Shiloh 7887.

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