Judges 18

Danites Take the Levite and the Idol

1 In a those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days b the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for itself to dwell in; for until that day their inheritance among the tribes of Israel had not fallen to them. 2 So the children of Dan sent five men of their family from their territory, men of valor from c Zorah and Eshtaol, d to spy out the land and search it. They said to them, "Go, search the land." So they went to the mountains of Ephraim, to the e house of Micah, and lodged there. 3 While they were at the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They turned aside and said to him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What do you have here?" 4 He said to them, "Thus and so Micah did for me. He has f hired me, and I have become his priest." 5 So they said to him, "Please g inquire h of God, that we may know whether the journey on which we go will be prosperous." 6 And the priest said to them, i "Go in peace. 1 The presence of the LORD be with you on your way."

7 So the five men departed and went to j Laish. They saw the people who were there, k how they dwelt safely, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. There were no rulers in the land who might put them to shame for anything. They were far from the l Sidonians, and they had no ties 2 with anyone. 8 Then the spies came back to their brethren at m Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, "What is your report?" 9 So they said, n "Arise, let us go up against them. For we have seen the land, and indeed it is very good. Would you o do nothing? Do not hesitate to go, and enter to possess the land. 10 "When you go, you will come to a p secure people and a large land. For God has given it into your hands, q a place where there is no lack of anything that is on the earth."

11 And six hundred men of the family of the Danites went from there, from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war. 12 Then they went up and encamped in r Kirjath Jearim in Judah. (Therefore they call that place s Mahaneh Dan 3 4 to this day. There it is, west of Kirjath Jearim.) 13 And they passed from there to the mountains of Ephraim, and came to t the house of Micah.

14 u Then the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brethren, "Do you know that v there are in these houses an ephod, household idols, a carved image, and a molded image? Now therefore, consider what you should do." 15 So they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young Levite man - to the house of Micah - and greeted him. 16 The w six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate. 17 Then x the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up. Entering there, they took y the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image. The priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men who were armed with weapons of war. 18 When these went into Micah's house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image, the priest said to them, "What are you doing?" 19 And they said to him, "Be quiet, z put your hand over your mouth, and come with us; a be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest to the household of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?" 20 So the priest's heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people.

21 Then they turned and departed, and put the little ones, the livestock, and the goods in front of them. 22 When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah's house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan. 23 And they called out to the children of Dan. So they turned around and said to Micah, b "What ails you, that you have gathered such a company?" 24 So he said, "You have c taken away my 5 gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away. Now what more do I have? How can you say to me, 'What ails you?' " 25 And the children of Dan said to him, "Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest 6 angry men fall upon you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household!" 26 Then the children of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

27 So they took the things Micah had made, and the priest who had belonged to him, and went to Laish, to a people quiet and secure; d and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire. 28 There was no deliverer, because it was e far from Sidon, and they had no ties with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs f to Beth Rehob. So they rebuilt the city and dwelt there. 29 And g they called the name of the city h Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel. However, the name of the city formerly was Laish. 30 Then the children of Dan set up for themselves the carved image; and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of 7 Manasseh, and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan i until the day of the captivity of the land. 31 So they set up for themselves Micah's carved image which he made, j all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

  1. Cross References
    Judges 17:6
    In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
    Judges 19:1
    And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote mountains of Ephraim. He took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
    Judges 21:25
    In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 19:40 - 48
    The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.
  3. Cross References
    Judges 13:25
    And the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
  4. Cross References
    Numbers 13:17
    Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, "Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains.
    Joshua 2:1
    Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.
  5. Cross References
    Judges 17:1
    Now there was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
  6. Cross References
    Judges 17:10
    Micah said to him, "Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance." So the Levite went in.
    Judges 17:12
    So Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and lived in the house of Micah.
  7. Cross References
    1 Kings 22:5
    Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire for the word of the LORD today.
    Isaiah 30:1
    Woe to the rebellious children," says the LORD, "Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin.
    Hosea 4:12
    My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, And their staff informs them. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, And they have played the harlot against their God.
  8. Cross References
    Judges 1:1
    Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, "Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?
    Judges 17:5
    The man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
    Judges 18:14
    Then the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brethren, "Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, household idols, a carved image, and a molded image? Now therefore, consider what you should do.
  9. Cross References
    1 Kings 22:6
    Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?" So they said, "Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.
  10. Cross References
    Joshua 19:47
    And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
  11. Cross References
    Judges 18:27 - 29
    So they took the things Micah had made, and the priest who had belonged to him, and went to Laish, to a people quiet and secure; and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.
  12. Cross References
    Judges 10:12
    Also the Sidonians and Amalekites and Maonites oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand.
  13. Cross References
    Judges 18:2
    So the children of Dan sent five men of their family from their territory, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it. They said to them, "Go, search the land." So they went to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
  14. Cross References
    Numbers 13:30
    Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.
    Joshua 2:23
    So the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them.
    Joshua 2:24
    And they said to Joshua, "Truly the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.
  15. Cross References
    1 Kings 22:3
    And the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?
  16. Cross References
    Judges 18:7
    So the five men departed and went to Laish. They saw the people who were there, how they dwelt safely, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. There were no rulers in the land who might put them to shame for anything. They were far from the Sidonians, and they had no ties with anyone.
    Judges 18:27
    So they took the things Micah had made, and the priest who had belonged to him, and went to Laish, to a people quiet and secure; and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.
  17. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 8:9
    A land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper.
  18. Cross References
    Joshua 15:60
    Kirjath Baal (which is Kirjath Jearim) and Rabbah: two cities with their villages.
  19. Cross References
    Judges 13:25
    And the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
  20. Cross References
    Judges 18:2
    So the children of Dan sent five men of their family from their territory, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it. They said to them, "Go, search the land." So they went to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
  21. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:28
    Then one of the people said, "Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed is the man who eats food this day.' " And the people were faint.
  22. Cross References
    Judges 17:5
    The man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
  23. Cross References
    Judges 18:11
    And six hundred men of the family of the Danites went from there, from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war.
  24. Cross References
    Judges 18:2
    So the children of Dan sent five men of their family from their territory, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it. They said to them, "Go, search the land." So they went to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
    Judges 18:14
    Then the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brethren, "Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, household idols, a carved image, and a molded image? Now therefore, consider what you should do.
  25. Cross References
    Judges 17:4
    Thus he returned the silver to his mother. Then his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the silversmith, and he made it into a carved image and a molded image; and they were in the house of Micah.
    Judges 17:5
    The man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
  26. Cross References
    Job 21:5
    Look at me and be astonished; Put your hand over your mouth.
    Job 29:9
    The princes refrained from talking, And put their hand on their mouth.
    Job 40:4
    Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth.
    Micah 7:16
    The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; They shall put their hand over their mouth; Their ears shall be deaf.
  27. Cross References
    Judges 17:10
    Micah said to him, "Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance." So the Levite went in.
  28. Cross References
    2 Kings 6:28
    Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you?" And she answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.
  29. Cross References
    Genesis 31:30
    "And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father's house, but why did you steal my gods?"
    Judges 17:5
    The man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
  30. Cross References
    Joshua 19:47
    And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
  31. Cross References
    Judges 18:7
    So the five men departed and went to Laish. They saw the people who were there, how they dwelt safely, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. There were no rulers in the land who might put them to shame for anything. They were far from the Sidonians, and they had no ties with anyone.
  32. Cross References
    Numbers 13:21
    So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath.
    2 Samuel 10:6
    When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, the people of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand foot soldiers; and from the king of Maacah one thousand men, and from Ish-Tob twelve thousand men.
  33. Cross References
    Joshua 19:47
    And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
  34. Cross References
    Judges 20:1
    So all the children of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, as well as from the land of Gilead, and the congregation gathered together as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.
    1 Kings 12:29
    And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.
    1 Kings 12:30
    Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.
    1 Kings 15:20
    So BenHadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maachah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
  35. Cross References
    2 Kings 15:29
    In the days of Pekah king of Israel, TiglathPile'ser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
  36. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 12:1 - 32
    These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth.
    Joshua 18:1
    Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them.
    Joshua 18:8
    Then the men arose to go away; and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, "Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.
    Judges 19:18
    So he said to him, "We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah toward the remote mountains of Ephraim; I am from there. I went to Bethlehem in Judah; now I am going to the house of the LORD. But there is no one who will take me into his house.
    Judges 21:12
    So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins who had not known a man intimately; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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