1
In
those days there was
no king of
Israel; and in
those days the
tribe of the
Danites was
seeking an
inheritance for themselves to
live in, for
until that
day an
inheritance had not been
allotted to them as a
possession among the
tribes of
Israel.
~yim'Y;b.W lea'r.fIy.B .$,l,m !yea ~eh'h ~yim'Y;B ? t,b,v'l h'l]x;n w{l -v,Q;b.m yin'D;h j,bev ~eh'h ? yej.biv -.kw{t.B a.Wh;h ~w{Y;h -d;[ w{L h'l.p'n -a{l yiK ? h'l]x;n.B lea'r.fIy
2
So the
sons of
Dan sent from their
family five men out of their
whole number,
valiant men from
Zorah and
Eshtaol, to
spy out the
land and to
search it; and they
said to them,
"Go,
search the
land." And they
came to the
hill country of
Ephraim, to the
house of
Micah, and
lodged there.
~yiv'n]a h'Vim]x ~'T.x;P.viMim !'d -yen.b .Wx.l.viY;w ? l{a'T.v,aem.W h'[.r'Cim lIy;x -yen.B ~yiv'n]a ~'tw{c.qim ? ~,hel]a .Wr.ma{Y;w H'r.q'x.l.W #,r'a'h -t,a leG;r.l ? ~Iy;r.p,a -r;h .Wa{b'Y;w #,r'a'h -t,a .Wr.qix .Wk.l ? ~'v .Wnyil'Y;w h'kyim tyeB -d;[
3
When they were
near the
house of
Micah, they
recognized the
voice of the
young man, the
Levite; and they
turned aside there and
said to him,
"Who brought you
here? And
what are you
doing in
this place? And
what do you have
here?"
lw{q -t,a .WryiKih h'Meh.w h'kyim tyeB -mi[ h'Meh ? '$]ayib/h -yim w{l .Wr.ma{Y;w ~'v .Wr.Ws'Y;w yiweL;h r;[;N;h ? h{p '$.L -h;m.W h,z'B h,f{[ h'T;a -h'm.W ~{l]h
4
He
said to them,
"Thus and
so has
Micah done to me, and he has
hired me and I
have become his
priest."
h'kyim yil h'f'[ h,z'k.w h{z'K ~,hel]a r,ma{Y;w ? !eh{k.l w{l -yih/a'w yiner.K.fiY;w
5
They
said to him,
"Inquire of
God,
please, that we may
know whether our
way on
which we are
going will be
prosperous."
h'[.den.w ~yih{laeb a'n -l;a.v w{l .Wr.ma{Y;w ? 'hy,l'[ ~yik.l{h .Wn.x;n]a r,v]a .WneK.r;D ;xyil.c;t]h
6
The
priest said to them,
"Go in
peace; your
way in
which you are
going has the
LORD'S approval."
h'wh.y x;k{n ~w{l'v.l .Wk.l !eh{K;h ~,h'l r,ma{Y;w ? H'b -.Wk.leT r,v]a ~,k.K.r;D
7
Then the
five men departed and
came to
Laish and
saw the
people who were in it
living in
security, after the
manner of the
Sidonians,
quiet and
secure; for
there was
no ruler * humiliating them for
anything in the
land, and they were
far from the
Sidonians and
had no dealings with
anyone.
.Wa.riY;w h'v.y'l .Wa{b'Y;w ~yiv'n]a'h t,vem]x .Wk.leY;w ? x;j,b'l -t,b,vw{y H'B.riq.B -r,v]a ~'['h -t,a ? ~yil.k;m -nyea.w ;xej{b.W jeq{v ~yin{dic j;P.vim.K ? ~yin{diCim h'Meh ~yiq{x.r.W r,c,[ verw{y #,r'a'B r'b'D ? ~'d'a -mi[ ~,h'l -nyea r'b'd.w
8
When they
came back to their
brothers at
Zorah and
Eshtaol, their
brothers said to them,
"What do you report?"
.Wr.ma{Y;w l{a'T.v,a.w h'[.r'c ~,hyex]a -l,a .Wa{b'Y;w ? ~,T;a h'm ~,hyex]a ~,h'l
9
They
said,
"Arise, and let us
go up
against them; for we have
seen the
land, and
behold, it is
very good. And will you
sit still? Do not
delay to
go, to
enter, to
possess the
land.
.Wnyia'r yiK ~,hyel][ h,l][;n.w h'm.Wq .Wr.ma{Y;w ? ~yiv.x;m ~,T;a.w d{a.m h'bw{j heNih.w #,r'a'h -t,a ? #,r'a'h -t,a t,v,r'l a{b'l t,k,l'l .Wl.c'[eT -l;a
10
"When you
enter, you will
come to a
secure people with a
spacious * land; for
God has
given it into your
hand, a
place where * there is
no lack of
anything * that is on the
earth."
t;b]x;r #,r'a'h.w ;xej{B ~;[ -l,a .Wa{b'T ~,k]a{b.K ? ~w{q'm ~,k.d,y.B ~yih{l/a H'n't.n -yiK ~Iy;d'y ? #,r'a'B r,v]a r'b'D -l'K rw{s.x;m ~'v -nyea r,v]a
11
Then from the
family of the
Danites, from
Zorah and from
Eshtaol,
six hundred men armed with
weapons of
war set out.
l{a'T.v,aem.W h'[.r'Cim yin'D;h t;x;P.viMim ~'Vim .W[.siY;w ? h'm'x.lim yel.K r.Wg'x vyia tw{aem -vev
12
They
went up and
camped at
Kiriath-jearim in
Judah.
Therefore * they
called that
place Mahaneh-dan to
this day;
behold, it is
west of
Kiriath-jearim.
h'd.WhyiB ~yir'[.y t;y.riq.B .Wn]x;Y;w .Wl][;Y;w ? !'d -hen]x;m a.Wh;h ~w{q'M;l .Wa.r'q !eK -l;[ ? ~yir'[.y t;y.riq yer]x;a heNih h,Z;h ~w{Y;h d;[
13
They
passed from
there to the
hill country of
Ephraim and
came to the
house of
Micah.
tyeB -d;[ .Wa{b'Y;w ~Iy'r.p,a -r;h ~'Vim .Wr.b;[;Y;w ? h'kyim
14
Then the
five men who
went to
spy out the
country of
Laish said to their
kinsmen, "Do you
know that
there are in
these houses an
ephod and
household idols and a
graven image and a
molten image?
Now therefore,
consider what you should
do."
#,r'a'h -t,a leG;r.l ~yik.l{h;h ~yiv'n]a'h t,vem]x .Wn][;Y;w ? yiK ~,T.[;d.y;h ~,hyex]a -l,a .Wr.ma{Y;w vIy;l ? l,s,p.W ~yip'r.t.W dw{pea h,Lea'h ~yiT'B;B vey ? .Wf][;T -h;m .W[.D h'T;[.w h'keS;m.W
15
They
turned aside there and
came to the
house of the
young man, the
Levite, to the
house of
Micah, and
asked him of his
welfare.
r;[;N;h -tyeB -l,a .Wa{b'Y;w h'M'v .Wr.Ws'Y;w ? ~w{l'v.l w{l -.Wl]a.viY;w h'kyim tyeB yiweL;h
16
The
six hundred men armed with their
weapons of
war,
who were of the
sons of
Dan,
stood by the
entrance of the
gate.
~'T.m;x.lim yel.K ~yir.Wg]x vyia tw{aem -vev.w ? !'d -yen.Bim r,v]a r;['V;h x;t,P ~yib'Cin
17
Now the
five men who
went to
spy out the
land went up and
entered there, and
took the
graven image and the
ephod and
household idols and the
molten image, while the
priest stood by the
entrance of the
gate with the
six hundred men armed with
weapons of
war.
#,r'a'h -t,a leG;r.l ~yik.l{h;h ~yiv'n]a'h t,vem]x .Wl][;Y;w ? dw{pea'h -t,a.w l,s,P;h -t,a .Wx.q'l h'M'v .Wa'B ? b'Cin !eh{K;h.w h'keS;M;h -t,a.w ~yip'r.T;h -t,a.w ? yel.K r.Wg'x,h vyia'h tw{aem -vev.w r;[;V;h x;t,P ? h'm'x.liM;h
18
When
these went into
Micah's house and
took the
graven image, the
ephod and
household idols and the
molten image, the
priest said to them,
"What are you
doing?"
l,s,P -t,a .Wx.qiY;w h'kyim tyeB .Wa'B h,Lea.w ? r,ma{Y;w h'keS;M;h -t,a.w ~yip'r.T;h -t,a.w dw{pea'h ? ~yif{[ ~,T;a h'm !eh{K;h ~,hyel]a
19
They
said to him, "Be
silent,
put your
hand over your
mouth and
come with us, and be to us a
father and a
priest. Is it
better for you to be a
priest to the
house of
one man,
or to be
priest to a
tribe and a
family in
Israel?"
'$yiP -l;[ '$.d'y -myif ver]x;h w{l .Wr.ma{Y;w ? bw{j]h !eh{k.l.W b'a.l .Wn'l -hey.h,w .Wn'Mi[ .$el.w ? '$.tw{y/h w{a d'x,a vyia tyeb.l !eh{k '$.tw{y/h ? lea'r.fIy.B h'x'P.vim.l.W j,bev.l !eh{k
20
The
priest's heart was
glad, and he
took the
ephod and
household idols and the
graven image and
went among the
people.
~yip'r.T;h -t,a.w dw{pea'h -t,a x;QiY;w !eh{K;h bel b;jyiY;w ? ~'['h b,r,q.B a{b'Y;w l,s'P;h -t,a.w
21
Then they
turned and
departed, and
put the
little ones and the
livestock and the
valuables in
front of them.
h,n.qiM;h -t,a.w @;J;h -t,a .Wmyif'Y;w .WkeleY;w .Wn.piY;w ? ~,hyen.pil h'D.Wb.K;h -t,a.w
22
When they had
gone some distance from the
house of
Micah, the
men who were in the
houses near Micah's house assembled and
overtook the
sons of
Dan.
r,v]a ~yiv'n]a'h.w h'kyim tyeBim .Wqyix.rih h'Meh ? .WqyiB.d;Y;w .Wq][.zin h'kyim tyeB -mi[ r,v]a ~yiT'B;B ? !'d -yen.B -t,a
23
They
cried to the
sons of
Dan, who
turned around and
said to
Micah,
"What is the matter with you, that you have
assembled together?"
~,hyen.P .WBeS;Y;w !'d -yen.B -l,a .Wa.r.qiY;w ? 'T.q'[.zin yiK '$.L -h;m h'kyim.l .Wr.ma{Y;w
24
He
said, "You have
taken away my
gods which I
made, and the
priest, and have
gone away, and
what do I have
besides? So
how * can you
say to me,
'What is the matter with you?' "
~,T.x;q.l yityif'[ -r,v]a y;h{l/a -t,a r,ma{Y;w ? h,Z -h;m.W dw{[ yiL -h;m.W .Wk.leT;w !eh{K;h -t,a.w ? .$'L -h;m y;lea .Wr.ma{T
25
The
sons of
Dan said to him, "Do not let your
voice be
heard among us,
or else fierce * men will
fall upon you and you will
lose your
life, with the
lives of your
household."
'$.lw{q [;m.v;T -l;a !'d -yen.B wy'lea .Wr.ma{Y;w ? v,p,n yer'm ~yiv'n]a ~,k'b .W[.G.pIy -n,P .Wn'Mi[ ? '$,tyeB v,p,n.w '$.v.p;n h'T.p;s'a.w
26
So the
sons of
Dan went on their
way; and when
Micah saw that they were
too strong for him, he
turned and
went back to his
house.
~yiq'z]x -yiK h'kyim a.r;Y;w ~'K.r;d.l !'d -yen.b .Wk.leY;w ? w{tyeB -l,a b'v'Y;w !,piY;w .WN,Mim h'Meh
27
Then they
took what Micah had
made and the
priest who had belonged to him, and
came to
Laish, to a
people quiet and
secure, and
struck them with the
edge of the
sword; and they
burned the
city with
fire.
!eh{K;h -t,a.w h'kyim h'f'[ -r,v]a tea .Wx.q'l h'Meh.w ? ~;[ -l;[ vIy;l -l;[ .Wa{b'Y;w w{l -h'y'h r,v]a ? ryi['h -t,a.w b,r'x -yip.l ~'tw{a .WK;Y;w ;xej{b.W jeq{v ? vea'b .Wp.r'f
28
And
there was
no one to
deliver them,
because it was
far from
Sidon and they
had no dealings with
anyone, and it was in the
valley which is near
Beth-rehob. And they
rebuilt the
city and
lived in it.
!w{dyiCim ayih -h'qw{x.r yiK lyiC;m !yea.w ? q,me['B ayih.w ~'d'a -mi[ ~,h'l -nyea r'b'd.w ? .Wb.veY;w ryi['h -t,a .Wn.biY;w bw{x.r -tyeb.l r,v]a ? H'b
29
They
called the
name of the
city Dan, after the
name of
Dan their
father who was
born in
Israel;
however, the
name of the
city formerly was
Laish.
~,hyib]a !'D ~ev.B !'D ryi['h -mev .Wa.r.qiY;w ? ryi['h -mev vIy;l ~'l.Wa.w lea'r.fIy.l d;L.Wy r,v]a ? h'n{vair'l
30
The
sons of
Dan set 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.
!'t'nw{hyiw l,s'P;h -t,a !'d -yen.B ~,h'l .Wmyiq'Y;w ? .Wy'h wy'n'b.W a.Wh ]h,V;n.m -n,B ~{v.reG -n,B ? #,r'a'h tw{l.G ~w{y -d;[ yin'D;h j,bev.l ~yin]h{k
31
So they
set up for themselves
Micah's graven image which he had
made,
all the
time that the
house of
God was at
Shiloh.
h'f'[ r,v]a h'kyim l,s,P -t,a ~,h'l .Wmyif'Y;w ? h{liv.B ~yih{l/a'h -tyeB tw{y/h yem.y -l'K