The Danites Settle in Laish
1In those days Israel had no king.
And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking a place of their own where they might settle, because they had not yet come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 2So the Danites sent five of their leading men from Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out the land and explore it. These men represented all the Danites. They told them, “Go, explore the land.”
So they entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night. 3When they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they turned in there and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”
4He told them what Micah had done for him, and said, “He has hired me and I am his priest.”
5Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to learn whether our journey will be successful.”
6The priest answered them, “Go in peace. Your journey has the Lord’s approval.”
7So the five men left and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living in safety, like the Sidonians, at peace and secure. And since their land lacked nothing, they were prosperous.18:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain. Also, they lived a long way from the Sidonians and had no relationship with anyone else.18:7 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts with the Arameans
8When they returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their fellow Danites asked them, “How did you find things?”
9They answered, “Come on, let’s attack them! We have seen the land, and it is very good. Aren’t you going to do something? Don’t hesitate to go there and take it over. 10When you get there, you will find an unsuspecting people and a spacious land that God has put into your hands, a land that lacks nothing whatever.”
11Then six hundred men of the Danites, armed for battle, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol. 12On their way they set up camp near Kiriath Jearim in Judah. This is why the place west of Kiriath Jearim is called Mahaneh Dan18:12 Mahaneh Dan means Dan’s camp. to this day. 13From there they went on to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah’s house.
14Then the five men who had spied out the land of Laish said to their fellow Danites, “Do you know that one of these houses has an ephod, some household gods and an image overlaid with silver? Now you know what to do.” 15So they turned in there and went to the house of the young Levite at Micah’s place and greeted him. 16The six hundred Danites, armed for battle, stood at the entrance of the gate. 17The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods while the priest and the six hundred armed men stood at the entrance of the gate.
18When the five men went into Micah’s house and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”
19They answered him, “Be quiet! Don’t say a word. Come with us, and be our father and priest. Isn’t it better that you serve a tribe and clan in Israel as priest rather than just one man’s household?” 20The priest was very pleased. He took the ephod, the household gods and the idol and went along with the people. 21Putting their little children, their livestock and their possessions in front of them, they turned away and left.
22When they had gone some distance from Micah’s house, the men who lived near Micah were called together and overtook the Danites. 23As they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you that you called out your men to fight?”
24He replied, “You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, ‘What’s the matter with you?’ ”
25The Danites answered, “Don’t argue with us, or some of the men may get angry and attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.” 26So the Danites went their way, and Micah, seeing that they were too strong for him, turned around and went back home.
27Then they took what Micah had made, and his priest, and went on to Laish, against a people at peace and secure. They attacked them with the sword and burned down their city. 28There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon and had no relationship with anyone else. The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob.
The Danites rebuilt the city and settled there. 29They named it Dan after their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city used to be called Laish. 30There the Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses,18:30 Many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; many other Hebrew manuscripts and some other Septuagint manuscripts Manasseh and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land. 31They continued to use the idol Micah had made, all the time the house of God was in Shiloh.
米迦和但支派
1那時以色列沒有王。但支派的人正在尋找可以居住的地方，因為他們在以色列各支派中還沒有得到屬於自己的土地。 2但支派的人從瑣拉和以實陶派本族的五名勇士去打探、察看那個地方，並吩咐說：「你們去察看那個地方。」他們到了以法蓮山區，在米迦家裡借宿。 3他們到了米迦家，聽出那利未青年的口音，就轉身進去問他：「誰帶你來這裡的？你在這裡做什麼？你為什麼在這裡？」 4那青年便把米迦聘他做祭司的事告訴了他們。 5他們說：「請你求問上帝，看看我們是否一路順利。」 6祭司說：「你們安心去吧，耶和華會一路眷顧你們。」
7五人啟程來到拉億，發現當地人像西頓人一樣無憂無慮，生活安寧，毫無防範，繁榮富足。他們離西頓很遠，與外界沒有來往。
8五人回到瑣拉和以實陶後，族人問他們：「你們有什麼發現嗎？」 9他們回答說：「我們前去攻取那地方吧！我們已經打探清楚了，那地方非常好。你們還等什麼？要趕快去佔領那地方。 10你們到了那裡，會看見當地的居民毫無防範，那裡地大物博，一無所缺。上帝已經把那地方賜給我們了。」
11但支派便從瑣拉和以實陶派出六百個帶兵器的人。 12他們來到猶大的基列·耶琳的西邊安營。因此，那地方至今仍叫瑪哈尼·但18·12 「瑪哈尼·但」意思是「但的軍營」。。 13然後，他們去以法蓮山區，來到米迦的家。
14偵察過拉億的五個人對其餘的人說：「你們知道嗎？這家有以弗得、一些家庭神像、一個雕刻的偶像和一個金屬鑄像。想一想我們該怎麼辦。」 15那五個人就進入米迦的家裡，到年輕的利未人房間向他問安， 16隨行的六百人帶著兵器留在門口。 17當時祭司也和那六百個帶兵器的人站在門口。那五個人進去拿走了雕刻的偶像、以弗得、家庭神像及金屬鑄像。 18祭司見那五人進入米迦家拿走雕刻的偶像、以弗得、家庭神像及金屬鑄像，就問他們：「你們在做什麼？」
19他們說：「安靜，別作聲，跟我們來，做我們的師父和祭司吧。做以色列一個支派、一個宗族的祭司難道不比做一家人的祭司更好嗎？」 20祭司聽了非常高興，就帶著以弗得、家庭神像及雕刻的偶像跟隨了他們。 21他們轉身離去，兒女、牲畜和財物在隊伍前面。
22他們離開米迦的家一段路後，米迦召集鄰居趕了上來， 23向他們大喊。但支派的人轉身問米迦：「你們召集這麼多人來做什麼？」 24米迦說：「你們帶走了我的神像和祭司，把我洗劫一空，還問我想做什麼！」 25但支派的人說：「別再多說了，不然我們當中性情暴躁的人會攻擊你們，使你全家喪命。」 26但支派的人繼續趕路。米迦見對方人多勢眾，就回家去了。
27但支派的人帶著米迦的神像和他的祭司來到拉億，那裡的人生活安寧，毫無防範。他們用刀殺掉當地的居民，放火燒了城。 28拉億離西頓很遠，當地的居民與外界沒有來往，以致孤立無援。這城位於伯·利合附近的山谷中，但支派的人重建該城，住在那裡。 29這座城原來叫拉億，他們用祖先以色列的兒子但的名字為該城重新命名。 30但支派的人把神像豎立起來，又指派摩西的孫子、革舜的兒子約拿單及其子孫做但支派的祭司，直到該地遭受擄掠為止。 31上帝的會幕設立在示羅期間，米迦的神像一直豎立在但。
