rd

Judges 18

2 The children of Dan send men to searche the land. 21 Then come the six hundreth and take the gods, and the Priest of Micháh awaie. 27 They destroy Laísh. 28 Thei buyld it again, 30 And set up idolatrie.
1.In those dayes there was no aKing in Israél, and at the same time the tribe of Dan soght them an inheritance to dwel in: for unto that time all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israél.
2.Therefore the children of Dan sent of their familie, five men out of their coastes, even men expert in warre, out of Zoráh and Eshtaól, to vewe the land and searche it out, and said unto them, bGo, and searche out the land. Then thei came to mount Ephráim to the house of Micháh and lodged there.
3.When thei were in the house of Micháh, thei knewe the cvoyce of the yong man the Levite: and being turned in thether, thei said unto him, Who broght thee hether? or what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou to do here?
4.And he answered them, Thus and thus dealeth Micháh with me, and hathe hired me, and I am his Priest.
5.Againe thei said unto him, Aske counsel now of god, that we may knowe whether the way which we go, shal be prosperous.
6.And the Priest said unto them, dGo in peace: for the Lord guideth your way which ye go.
7.Then the five men departed and came to Laísh, and sawe the people that were therein, which dwelt careles, after the maner of the Zidonians, quiet & sure, because no man ^made any trouble in the land, or usurped any dominion: also they were far from the Zidonians, and had no busines with other men.
8.¶ So thei came againe unto their brethren to Zoráh & Eshtaól: and their brethren said unto them, What have ye done?
9.And thei answered, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have sene the land, and surely it is very good, and edo ye sit stil? be not slouthful to go and enter to possesse the land.
10.(If ye wil go, ye shal come unto a careles people, and the countrey is large) for God hathe given it into your hand. It is a place which doeth lacke nothing that is in the worlde.
11.¶ Then there departed thence of the familie of the Danites, from Zoráh and from Eshtaól, six hundreth men appointed with instruments of warre.
12.And thei went up, and pitched in Kiriáth jearím in Judáh: wherefore they called that place, ^Mahaneh-Dan unto this day: and it is behinde Kiriáth jearím.
13.And thei went thence unto mount Ephráim, and came to the house of Micháh.
14.Then answered the five men, that went to spie out the countrey of Laísh, and said unto their brethren, fKnowe ye not, that there is in these houses an Ephód, and Teraphím, and a graven and a molten image? Now therefore consider what ye have to do.
15.And thei turned thetherwarde and came to the house of the yong man the Levite, even unto the house of Micháh, and saluted him peaceably.
16.And the six hundreth men appointed with their weapons of warre, which were of the children of Dan, stode by the entring of the gate.
17.Then the five men that went to spie out the land, went in thether, and toke the ggraven image and the Ephód, and the Teraphím, & the molten image: & the Priest stode in the entring of the gate with the six hundreth men, that were appointed with weapons of warre,
18.And the other went into Micháhs house and fet the graven image, the Ephód, and the Teraphím, and the molten image. Then said the Priest unto them, What do ye?
19.And thei answered him, Holde thy peace: laye thine hand upon thy mouth, and come with us to be our father and Priest. Whether is it better that thou shuldest be a Priest unto the house of one man, or that thou shuldest be a Priest unto a tribe and to a familie in Israél?
20.And the Priests heart was glad, and he toke the Ephód and the Teraphím, & the graven image, and went among the hpeople.
21.And they turned and departed, and put the children and the cattel, and the substance ibefore them.
22.¶ When thei were farre of from the house of Micháh, the men that were in the houses nere to Micháhs house, gathered together, and pursued after the children of Dan,
23.And cryed unto the children of Dan: who turned their faces, and said unto Micháh, What ayleth thee, that thou makest an outcrye?
24.And he said, Ye have taken away my kgods, which I made, and the Priest, and go your waies: and what have I more? how then say ye unto me, What aileth thee?
25.And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voyce be heard among us, lest ^angry fellowes runne upon thee, and thou lose thy life with the lives of thine housholde.
26.So the children of Dan went their waies: and when Micháh sawe that they were to strong for him, he turned, and went backe unto his house.
27.And thei toke the lthings which Micháh had made, and the Priest which he had, and came unto Laísh, unto a quiet people and without mistrust, and smote them with the edge of the sworde, and burnt the citie with fire:
28.And there was none to ^helpe, because mLaísh was farre from Zidón, and they had no busines with other men: also it was in the valley that lyeth by Beth-rehób. After, they buylt the citie, and dwelt therein,
29.*And called the name of the citie Dan, after the name of Dan their father which was borne unto Israél: howbeit the name of the citie was Laísh at the beginning.
30.Then the children of Dan set them up the ngraven image: and Jonathan the son of Gershóm, the sonne of Manasséh and his sonnes were the Priests in the tribe of the Danites until the day of the ocaptivitie of the land.
31.So they set them up the graven image, which Micháh had made, all the while the house of God was in Shilóh.

Notes

1-a.
Meaning no ordinary Magistrate, to punish vice according to God’s word.
2-b.
For the portion which Joshua gave them, was not sufficient for all their tribe.
3-c.
They knew him by his speech that he was a stranger there. 1 Geneva Bible 1560
6-d.
Thus God grants the idolaters sometimes their requests to their destruction that delight in errors.
7-^.
Ebr., made them ashamed.
9-e.
Lose you this good occasion through your slothfulness?
12-^.
Or, the tents of Dan.
14-f.
Because they before had had good success, they would that their brethren should be encouraged by hearing the same tidings.
17-g.
So superstition blinded them, that they thought God’s power was in these idols, and that they should have good success by them, though by violence and robbery they did take them away.
20-h.
With the six hundred men.
21-i.
Suspecting them that did pursue them. 6
24-k.
This declares what opinion the idolaters have of their idols.
25-^.
Ebr., who have their hearts bitter.
27-l.
Meaning, the idols, as verse 18.
28-^.
Or, deliver them.
28-m.
Which after was called Cesarea Philippi.
29-*.
Josh. 19.47.
30-n.
Thus instead of giving glory to God, they attributed the victory to their idols, and honoured them therefore.
30-o.
That is, till the Ark was taken, 1 Sam. 5.1.