Judges 18
18
The Tribe of Dan Finds an Inheritance
1 In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the Danite tribe was looking for a place#tn Heb “an inheritance.” to settle, because at that time they did not yet have a place to call their own among the tribes of Israel.#tn Heb “because there had not fallen to them by that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel an inheritance.” 2 The Danites sent out from their whole tribe five representatives,#tn Heb “The Danites sent from their tribe five men, from their borders.” capable men#tn Heb “men, sons of strength.” from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. They said to them, “Go, explore the land.” They came to the Ephraimite hill country and spent the night at Micah’s house.#tn Heb “They came to the Ephraimite hill country, to Micah’s house, and spent the night there.” 3 As they approached#tn Or “When they were near.” Micah’s house, they recognized the accent#tn Heb “voice.” This probably means that “his speech was Judahite [i.e., southern] like their own, not Israelite [i.e., northern]” (R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 263). of the young Levite. So they stopped#tn Heb “turned aside.” there and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?”#tn Heb “What [is there] to you here?” 4 He told them what Micah had done for him, saying,#tn Heb “He said to them, ‘Such and such Micah has done for me.’” Though the statement is introduced and presented, at least in part, as a direct quotation (note especially “for me”), the phrase “such and such” appears to be the narrator’s condensed version of what the Levite really said. “He hired me and I became his priest.” 5 They said to him, “Seek a divine oracle for us,#tn Heb “Ask God.” so we can know if we will be successful on our mission.”#tn Heb “so we can know if our way on which we are going will be successful.” 6 The priest said to them, “Go with confidence.#tn Heb “in peace.” The Lord will be with you on your mission.”#tn Heb “In front of the Lord is your way in which you are going.”
7 So the five men journeyed on#tn Or “went.” and arrived in Laish. They noticed that the people there#tn Heb “who were in its midst.” were living securely, like the Sidonians do,#tn Heb “according to the custom of the Sidonians.” undisturbed and unsuspecting. No conqueror was troubling them in any way.#tn Heb “and there was no one humiliating anything in the land, one taking possession [by] force.” They lived far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.#tc Heb “and a thing there was not to them with men.” Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX and Symmachus read “Syria” here rather than the MT’s “men.” This reading presupposes a Hebrew Vorlage אֲרָם (’aram, “Aram,” i.e., Arameans) rather than the MT reading אָדָם (’adam). This reading is possibly to be preferred over the MT. 8 When the Danites returned to their tribe#tn Heb “They came to their brothers.” in Zorah and Eshtaol, their kinsmen#tn Heb “brothers.” asked them, “How did it go?”#tn Heb “What you?” 9 They said, “Come on, let’s attack them,#tn Heb “Arise, and let us go up against them.” for#tc Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX adds “we entered and walked around in the land as far as Laish and.” we saw their land and it is very good. You seem lethargic,#tn Heb “But you are inactive.” but don’t hesitate#tn Or “be lazy.” to invade and conquer#tn Heb “to go”; “to enter”; “to possess.” the land. 10 When you invade,#tn Heb “When you enter.” you will encounter#tn Heb “you will come to.” unsuspecting people. The land is wide!#tn Heb “broad of hands,” an idiom meaning “wide on both sides.” God is handing it over to you – a place that lacks nothing on earth!”#tn Heb “a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.”
11 So six hundred Danites, fully armed, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol.#tn Heb “They journeyed from there, from the tribe of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, six hundred men, equipped with weapons of war.” 12 They went up and camped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. (To this day that place is called Camp of Dan.#tn Or “Mahaneh Dan”; the Hebrew term “Mahaneh” means “camp [of].” Many English versions retain the transliterated Hebrew expression, but cf. CEV “Dan’s Camp.” It is west#tn Heb “behind.” of Kiriath Jearim.) 13 From there they traveled through the Ephraimite hill country and arrived at Micah’s house. 14 The five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish#tc Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX lacks the phrase “of Laish.” said to their kinsmen,#tn Heb “brothers.” “Do you realize that inside these houses are an ephod, some personal idols, a carved image, and a metal image? Decide now what you want to do.” 15 They stopped#tn Heb “turned aside.” there, went inside the young Levite’s house (which belonged to Micah),#tn Heb “Micah’s house.” and asked him how he was doing.#tn Heb “they asked him concerning peace.” 16 Meanwhile the six hundred Danites, fully armed, stood at the entrance to the gate.#tn Heb “And the six hundred men, equipped with the weapons of war…from the sons of Dan.” 17 The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole#tn Heb “went up, went in there, took.” the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred fully armed men.#tn Heb “six hundred men, equipped with the weapons of war.” 18 When these men broke into Micah’s house and stole#tn Heb “These went into Micah’s house and took.” the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19 They said to him, “Shut up! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us! You can be our adviser#tn See the note on the word “adviser” in 17:10. and priest. Wouldn’t it be better to be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for just one man’s family?”#tn Heb “Is it better for you to be priest for the house of one man or for you to be priest for a tribe, for a clan in Israel?” 20 The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group.#tn Heb “and went into the midst of the people.”
21 They turned and went on their way, but they walked behind the children, the cattle, and their possessions.#tn Heb “They turned and went and put the children, the cattle, and the possessions in front of them.” 22 After they had gone a good distance from Micah’s house, Micah’s neighbors#tn Heb “the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house.” gathered together and caught up with the Danites. 23 When they called out to the Danites, the Danites#tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Danites) has been specified in the translation for clarity. turned around and said to Micah, “Why have you gathered together?” 24 He said, “You stole my gods that I made, as well as this priest, and then went away. What do I have left? How can you have the audacity to say to me, ‘What do you want?’”#tn Heb “What is this you say to me, ‘What to you?’” 25 The Danites said to him, “Don’t say another word to us, or some very angry men#tn Heb “bitter in spirit.” This phrase is used in 2 Sam 17:8 of David and his warriors, who are compared to a bear robbed of her cubs. will attack you, and you and your family will die.”#tn Heb “and you will gather up your life and the life of your house.” 26 The Danites went on their way; when Micah realized#tn Heb “saw.” they were too strong to resist,#tn Heb “they were stronger than he.” he turned around and went home.
27 Now the Danites#tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Danites) has been specified in the translation for clarity. took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and came to Laish, where the people were undisturbed and unsuspecting. They struck them down with the sword and burned the city.#tn The Hebrew adds “with fire.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons, because it is redundant in English. 28 No one came to the rescue because the city#tn Heb “it.” The Hebrew pronoun is feminine singular here, referring to the “city” (a grammatically feminine singular noun) mentioned in v. 27. was far from Sidon#map For location see Map1-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3. and they had no dealings with anyone.#tn Heb “and a thing there was not to them with men.” The city#tn Heb “it.” The Hebrew pronoun is feminine singular here, referring to the “city” (a grammatically feminine singular noun) mentioned in v. 27. was in a valley near Beth Rehob. The Danites#tn Heb “They”; the referent (the Danites) has been specified in the translation for clarity. rebuilt the city and occupied it. 29 They named it Dan after their ancestor, who was one of Israel’s sons.#tn Heb “They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who had been born to Israel.” But the city’s name used to be Laish. 30 The Danites worshiped#tn Heb “erected for themselves.” the carved image. Jonathan, descendant#tn Heb “son.” of Gershom, son of Moses,#tc Several ancient textual witnesses, including some LXX mss and the Vulgate, support the reading “Moses” (מֹשֶׁה, mosheh) here. Many Hebrew mss have a nun (נ) suspended above the name between the first two letters (מנשׁה), suggesting the name Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, mÿnasheh). This is probably a scribal attempt to protect Moses’ reputation. For discussion, see G. F. Moore, Judges (ICC), 401-2. and his descendants#tn Heb “sons.” served as priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the exile. 31 They worshiped#tn Heb “they set up for themselves.” Micah’s carved image#tn Heb “the carved image that Micah had made.” the whole time God’s authorized shrine#tn Heb “the house of God.” was in Shiloh.
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Judges 18
18
1In those dayes there was no King in Israel, and at the same time the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for vnto that time all their inheritance had not fallen vnto them among the tribes of Israel. 2Therefore the children of Dan sent of their familie, fiue men out of their coastes, euen men expert in warre, out of Zorah and Eshtaol, to viewe the lande and search it out, and saide vnto them, Goe, and search out the lande. Then they came to mount Ephraim to the house of Michah and lodged there. 3When they were in the house of Michah, they knewe the voyce of the yong man the Leuite: and being turned in thither, they saide vnto him, Who brought thee hither? or what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou to doe here? 4And he answered them, Thus and thus dealeth Michah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his Priest. 5Againe they said vnto him, Aske counsell nowe of God, that we may knowe whether the way which we goe, shalbe prosperous. 6And the Priest sayde vnto them, Goe in peace: for the Lord guideth your way which ye goe. 7Then the fiue men departed and came to Laish, and sawe the people that were therein, which dwelt carelesse, after the maner of the Zidonians, quiet and sure, because no man made any trouble in the lande, or vsurped any dominion: also they were farre from the Zidonians, and had no businesse with other men. 8So they came againe vnto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren saide vnto them, What haue ye done? 9And they answered, Arise, that we may goe vp against them: for we haue seene the lande, and surely it is very good, and doe ye sit stil? be not slouthfull to goe and enter to possesse the lande: 10(If ye will goe, ye shall come vnto a carelesse people, and the countrey is large) for God hath giuen it into your hande. It is a place which doeth lacke nothing that is in the worlde. 11Then there departed thence of the familie of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, sixe hundreth men appointed with instruments of warre. 12And they went vp, and pitched in Kiriath-iearim in Iudah: wherefore they called that place, Mahaneh-Dan vnto this day: and it is behinde Kiriath-iearim. 13And they went thence vnto mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Michah. 14Then answered the fiue men, that went to spie out the countrey of Laish, and said vnto their brethren, Knowe ye not, that there is in these houses an Ephod, and Teraphim, and a grauen and a molten image? Nowe therefore consider what ye haue to doe. 15And they turned thitherward and came to the house of the yong man the Leuite, euen vnto the house of Michah, and saluted him peaceably. 16And the six hundreth men appointed with their weapons of warre, which were of the children of Dan, stoode by the entring of the gate. 17Then the fiue men that went to spie out the land, went in thither, and tooke the grauen image and the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the molten image: and the Priest stoode in the entring of the gate with the sixe hundreth men, that were appointed with weapons of warre, 18And the other went into Michahs house and fet the grauen image, the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the molten image. Then saide the Priest vnto them, What doe ye? 19And they answered him, Holde thy peace: lay thine hande vpon thy mouth, and come with vs to be our father and Priest. Whether is it better that thou shouldest be a Priest vnto ye house of one man, or that thou shouldest be a Priest vnto a tribe and to a familie in Israel? 20And the Priestes heart was glad, and hee tooke the Ephod and the Teraphim, and the grauen image, and went among the people. 21And they turned and departed, and put the children, and the cattell, and the substance before them. 22When they were farre off from the house of Michah, the men that were in the houses neere to Michahs house, gathered together, and pursued after the children of Dan, 23And cryed vnto the children of Dan: who turned their faces, and said vnto Michah, What ayleth thee, that thou makest an outcrie? 24And hee saide, Yee haue taken away my gods, which I made, and the Priest, and go your wayes: and what haue I more? howe then say ye vnto me, what ayleth thee? 25And the children of Dan sayde vnto him, Let not thy voyce be heard among vs, least angrie fellowes runne vpon thee, and thou lose thy life with the liues of thine housholde. 26So the children of Dan went their wayes: and when Michah saw that they were too strong for him, hee turned, and went backe vnto his house. 27And they tooke the things which Michah had made, and the Priest which he had, and came vnto Laish, vnto a quiet people and without mistrust, and smote them with the edge of the sworde, and burnt the citie with fire: 28And there was none to helpe, because Laish was farre from Zidon, and they had no businesse with other men: also it was in the valley that lyeth by Beth-rehob. After, they built the citie, and dwelt therein, 29And called the name of the citie Dan, after the name of Dan their father which was borne vnto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the beginning. 30Then the children of Dan set them vp the grauen image: and Ionathan the sonne of Gershom, the sonne of Manasseh and his sonnes were the Priestes in the tribe of the Danites vntil the day of the captiuitie of the lande. 31So they set them vp the grauen image, which Michah had made, all the while the house of God was in Shiloh.
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