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那时以色列没有王。但支派的人正在寻找可以居住的地方，因为他们在以色列各支派中还没有得到属于自己的土地。 2但支派的人从琐拉和以实陶派本族的五名勇士去打探、察看那个地方，并吩咐说：“你们去察看那个地方。”他们到了以法莲山区，在米迦家里借宿。 3他们到了米迦家，听出那利未青年的口音，就转身进去问他：“谁带你来这里的？你在这里做什么？你为什么在这里？” 4那青年便把米迦聘他做祭司的事告诉了他们。 5他们说：“请你求问上帝，看看我们是否一路顺利。” 6祭司说：“你们安心去吧，耶和华会一路眷顾你们。”
7五人启程来到拉亿，发现当地人像西顿人一样无忧无虑，生活安宁，毫无防范，繁荣富足。他们离西顿很远，与外界没有来往。
8五人回到琐拉和以实陶后，族人问他们：“你们有什么发现吗？” 9他们回答说：“我们前去攻取那地方吧！我们已经打探清楚了，那地方非常好。你们还等什么？要赶快去占领那地方。 10你们到了那里，会看见当地的居民毫无防范，那里地大物博，一无所缺。上帝已经把那地方赐给我们了。”
11但支派便从琐拉和以实陶派出六百个带兵器的人。 12他们来到犹大的基列·耶琳的西边安营。因此，那地方至今仍叫玛哈尼·但18:12 “玛哈尼·但”意思是“但的军营”。。 13然后，他们去以法莲山区，来到米迦的家。
14侦察过拉亿的五个人对其余的人说：“你们知道吗？这家有以弗得、一些家庭神像、一个雕刻的偶像和一个金属铸像。想一想我们该怎么办。” 15那五个人就进入米迦的家里，到年轻的利未人房间向他问安， 16随行的六百人带着兵器留在门口。 17当时祭司也和那六百个带兵器的人站在门口。那五个人进去拿走了雕刻的偶像、以弗得、家庭神像及金属铸像。 18祭司见那五人进入米迦家拿走雕刻的偶像、以弗得、家庭神像及金属铸像，就问他们：“你们在做什么？”
19他们说：“安静，别作声，跟我们来，做我们的师父和祭司吧。做以色列一个支派、一个宗族的祭司难道不比做一家人的祭司更好吗？” 20祭司听了非常高兴，就带着以弗得、家庭神像及雕刻的偶像跟随了他们。 21他们转身离去，儿女、牲畜和财物在队伍前面。
22他们离开米迦的家一段路后，米迦召集邻居赶了上来， 23向他们大喊。但支派的人转身问米迦：“你们召集这么多人来做什么？” 24米迦说：“你们带走了我的神像和祭司，把我洗劫一空，还问我想做什么！” 25但支派的人说：“别再多说了，不然我们当中性情暴躁的人会攻击你们，使你全家丧命。” 26但支派的人继续赶路。米迦见对方人多势众，就回家去了。
27但支派的人带着米迦的神像和他的祭司来到拉亿，那里的人生活安宁，毫无防范。他们用刀杀掉当地的居民，放火烧了城。 28拉亿离西顿很远，当地的居民与外界没有来往，以致孤立无援。这城位于伯·利合附近的山谷中，但支派的人重建该城，住在那里。 29这座城原来叫拉亿，他们用祖先以色列的儿子但的名字为该城重新命名。 30但支派的人把神像竖立起来，又指派摩西的孙子、革舜的儿子约拿单及其子孙做但支派的祭司，直到该地遭受掳掠为止。 31上帝的会幕设立在示罗期间，米迦的神像一直竖立在但。
