1In those days was no king in Israel; and the lineage of Dan sought possession to itself, to dwell therein; for till to that day it had not taken heritage among other lineages.

2Therefore the sons of Dan sent five the strongest men of their generation, and meine, from Zorah and Eshtaol, that they should espy the land, and behold diligently. And they said to them, Go ye, and behold the land. And when they going forth had come into the hill country of Ephraim, and had entered into the house of Micah, they rested there.

3And they knew the voice of the young waxing deacon [or Levite]; and they rested in his place, and said to him, Who brought thee hither? What doest thou here? For what cause wouldest thou come hither?

4The which answered, Micah hath given to me these things and these, and he hath hired me for meed, that I be priest to him.

5And they prayed him, that he should counsel with the Lord, and that they might know, whether they went in the way of prosperity, and that the thing of their purpose should have effect.

6Which answered to them, Go ye with peace, the Lord beholdeth your way, and the journey whither ye go.

7Then those five men went forth, and came to Laish; and they saw the people dwelling therein without any dread, by the custom of Sidonians, secure and restful, for no man utterly against-stood them, and they were full rich, and dwelled far from Sidon, and were parted from all men.

8And they turned again to their brethren in Zorah and Eshtaol; and they answered to brethren, asking what they had done,

9and said, Rise ye, and go we up to them of Laish, for we have seen the land full rich and plenteous; do not ye be negligent, do not ye cease, go we forth, and have we it into possession;

10no travail shall be to us; we shall enter to secure men, into a full large country; and the Lord shall betake to us a place, wherein is not poverty of anything of those things that be brought forth in [the] earth.

11Therefore six hundred men girded with arms of battle went forth of the kindred of Dan, that is, from Zorah and Eshtaol.

12And they went up, and dwelled in Kiriathjearim of Judah, the which place took from that time the name of [the] Tents of Dan, and it is behind the back of Kiriathjearim.

13From thence they passed into the hill country of Ephraim; and when they had come to the house of Micah,

14the five men, that were sent before to behold the land of Laish, said to their other brethren, Know ye, that ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image or idol, and a molten image is in these houses; see ye what pleaseth you.

15And when they had bowed a little aside, they entered into the house of the young deacon, that was in the house of Micah, and they greeted him with peaceable words.

16And six hundred men stood before the door, so as they were armed.

17And they, that entered into the house of the young man, enforced or endeavoured to take away the graven image, and the ephod, and teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood before the door, while six hundred full strong men abode not far thence.

18Therefore they that entered took the graven image, ephod, and idols, and the molten image; to whom the priest said, What do ye?

19To whom they answered, Be thou still, and put thy finger on thy mouth, and come with us, that we have thee father and priest. What is better to thee, that thou be priest in the house of one man, either in a lineage and meine of Israel?

20And when he had heard this, he assented to their words, and he took the ephod, and idols, and the graven image, and went forth with them.

21And when they went forth, and had made their little children, and their work beasts, and all thing that was precious, to go before them;

22and when they were now far from the house of Micah, [the] men that dwelled in the houses of or near Micah cried together, and pursued [or followed],

23and began to cry after the backs. Which when they had beheld, [they] said to Micah, What wilt thou to thee? why criest thou?

24Which answered, Ye have taken away my gods, which I made to me, and the priest, and what dwelleth over? and ye say, What is to thee?

25And the sons of Dan said to him, Beware, lest thou speak [any] more to us, and men stirred in soul come to thee, and thou perish with all thine house.

26And so Dan went forth in the journey begun. And Micah saw, that they were stronger than he, and [he] turned again into his house.

27Forsooth six hundred men took the priest, and the things which we before-said, and came into Laish to the people resting and secure; and they smited them by the sharpness of sword, and betook the city to burning,

28while no man utterly gave help, for they dwelled far from Sidon, and had not anything of fellowship and cause with any men. And the city was set in the countryside of Bethrehob; the which city Dan builded again, and dwelled therein;

29and the name of the city was called Dan, by the name of their father, whom Israel had begat, the which city was called Laish before.

30And Dan setted there the graven image, and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, [the] son of Moses, and Jonathan’s sons, the priests, in the lineage of Dan, till into the day of their captivity.

31And the idol of Micah dwelled with them, in all [the] time that the house of God was in Shiloh.