1 在那些日子， 以色列中没有王。那时， 但支派还在寻找可居住的地业， 因为直到那一天， 在以色列的众支派中， 但支派仍没有得着地业。 2 于是但人从琐拉和以实陶， 差派他们家族中的五个勇士， 去窥探查察那地， 对他们说： "你们去查察那地吧。"他们来到以法莲山地， 进了米迦的家， 就在那里住宿。 3 他们在米迦的家附近， 认出那青年利未人的口音来， 就过去他那里问他： "谁带你到这里来？你在这里作什么？你在这里有什么？" 4 他回答他们： "米迦如此这般待我； 他雇了我， 我就作了他的祭司。" 5 他们对他说： "请你求问 神， 使我们知道我们要走的道路是否顺利。" 6 祭司对他们说： "你们平安地去吧， 你们要走的道路是蒙耶和华悦纳的。" 7 于是那五个人离开了， 来到拉亿， 看见那里的人民安然居住， 好像西顿人一样， 生活平静安稳； 在那地又没有人掌权， 使他们受屈辱； 他们离西顿人也很远， 也没有与别人来往。 8 他们回到琐拉和以实陶自己的族人那里去； 族人问他们： "你们有什么话说？" 9 他们回答： "起来， 我们上去攻击他们吧。因为我们已经看过那地， 见那地十分美好， 你们还静坐不动吗？不可再迟延， 要赶快去取得那地。 10 你们到了那里的时候， 你们必遇见安然居住的人民； 那地的两边宽阔， 神已经把那地交在你们手里； 那地百物俱全， 一无所缺。" 11 于是但人的家族中有六百人， 带着兵器从那里出发， 就是从琐拉和以实陶出发。 12 他们上去， 在犹大的基列．耶琳安营； 因此人把那地方叫作玛哈尼．但（"玛哈尼．但"意即"但的军营"）， 直到现在； 这地方是在基列．耶琳的西边。 13 他们从那里经过， 往以法莲山地去， 来到米迦的家。 14 从前去窥探拉亿地的五个人， 对他们的族人说： "这些屋子里有以弗得、神像、雕像和铸像， 你们知道吗？现在你们要考虑一下应该怎样行。" 15 于是他们五人转身， 进入米迦的家， 来到那青年利未人的屋里， 向他问安。 16 那六百但人， 带着兵器， 都站在门口。 17 从前去窥探那地的五个人上前， 进入里面， 把雕像、以弗得、神像和铸像都拿去了； 祭司和带着兵器的六百人都站在门口。 18 当那五个人进了米迦的家， 拿走雕像、以弗得、神像和铸像的时候， 祭司就问他们： "你们作什么呢？" 19 他们回答他： "不要出声， 用手掩着你的嘴， 跟我们走吧， 好作我们的师父和祭司。你作一家的祭司好呢？还是作以色列中一个支派一个家族的祭司好呢？" 20 祭司心里高兴， 就拿着以弗得、神像和雕像， 来到众人中间。 21 他们就转身离去， 把妇孺和牲畜， 以及财物， 都放在前面。 22 他们离开米迦的家很远的时候， 在米迦的家附近各家的人， 都被召集出来， 去追赶但人。 23 他们呼叫但人； 但人转过脸来， 问米迦： "你召集了这么多人出来作什么？" 24 米迦回答： "你们把我所做的神像和我的祭司都带走了， 我还有什么呢？你们怎么还问我： ‘你作什么’呢？" 25 但人对米迦说： "不要再让我们听见你的声音， 恐怕有暴躁的人攻击你们， 以致你和你全家尽都丧失性命。" 26 但人继续走他们的路； 米迦见他们比自己强， 就转身回自己的家去了。 27 但人把米迦所做的神像和他的祭司都带走， 他们来到拉亿， 去到平静安居的人民那里， 就用刀剑击杀了他们， 又用火烧了那城。 28 没有人搭救， 因为离西顿很远， 他们又与别人没有来往。这城位于靠近伯．利合的山谷中。但人重建那城， 住在其中。 29 按着他们的祖宗， 以色列所生的儿子但的名字， 给那城起名叫但； 其实那城原先的名字叫拉亿。 30 但人就为自己把那雕像立起来； 摩西的孙子、革顺的儿子约拿单和他的子孙， 都作了但支派的祭司， 直到那地遭受掳掠的日子。 31 神的殿在示罗有多少日子， 但人为自己设立米迦所做的雕像也有多少日子。

1 In those days there is no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danite is seeking for itself an inheritance to inhabit, for [that] hath not fallen to it unto that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel by inheritance.2 And the sons of Dan send, out of their family, five men of them, men, sons of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to traverse the land, and to search it, and they say unto them, `Go, search the land;` and they come into the hill-country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, and lodge there.3 They [are] with the household of Micah, and they have discerned the voice of the young man, the Levite, and turn aside there, and say to him, `Who hath brought thee hither? and what art thou doing in this [place?] and what to thee here?`4 And he saith unto them, `Thus and thus hath Micah done to me; and he hireth me, and I am to him for a priest.`5 And they say to him, `Ask, we pray thee, at God, and we know whether our way is prosperous on which we are going.`6 And the priest saith to them, `Go in peace; over-against Jehovah [is] your way in which ye go.`7 And the five men go, and come in to Laish, and see the people which [is] in its midst, dwelling confidently, according to the custom of Zidonians, quiet and confident; and there is none putting to shame in the land in [any] thing, possessing restraint, and they [are] far off from the Zidonians, and have no word with [any] man.8 And they come in unto their brethren, at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren say to them, `What -- ye?`9 And they say, `Rise, and we go up against them, for we have seen the land, and lo, very good; and ye are keeping silent! be not slothful to go -- to enter to possess the land.10 When ye go, ye come in unto a people confident, and the land [is] large on both hands, for God hath given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything which [is] in the land.`11 And there journey thence, of the family of the Danite, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.12 And they go up and encamp in Kirjath-Jearim, in Judah, therefore they have called that place, `Camp of Dan,` till this day; lo, behind Kirjath-Jearim.13 And they pass over thence [to] the hill-country of Ephraim, and come in unto the house of Micah.14 And the five men, those going to traverse the land of Laish, answer and say unto their brethren, `Have ye known that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and graven image, and molten image? and now, know what ye do.`15 And they turn aside thither, and come in unto the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, and ask of him of welfare, --16 (and the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who [are] of the sons of Dan, are standing at the opening of the gate), --17 yea, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up -- they have come in thither -- they have taken the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image -- and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are girded with weapons of war --18 yea, these have entered the house of Micah, and take the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest saith unto them, `What are ye doing?`19 and they say to him, `Keep silent, lay thy hand on thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us for a father and for a priest: is it better thy being a priest to the house of one man, or thy being priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?`20 And the heart of the priest is glad, and he taketh the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and goeth into the midst of the people,21 and they turn and go, and put the infants, and the cattle, and the baggage, before them.22 They have been far off from the house of Micah -- and the men who [are] in the houses which [are] near the house of Micah have been called together, and overtake the sons of Dan,23 and call unto the sons of Dan, and they turn round their faces, and say to Micah, `What -- to thee that thou hast been called together?`24 And he saith, `My gods which I made ye have taken, and the priest, and ye go; and what to me more? and what [is] this ye say unto me, What -- to thee!`25 And the sons of Dan say unto him, `Let not thy voice be heard with us, lest men bitter in soul fall upon you, and thou hast gathered thy life, and the life of thy household;`26 and the sons of Dan go on their way, and Micah seeth that they are stronger than he, and turneth, and goeth back unto his house.27 And they have taken that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and come in against Laish, against a people quiet and confident, and smite them by the mouth of the sword, and the city have burnt with fire,28 and there is no deliverer, for it [is] far off from Zidon, and they have no word with [any] man, and it [is] in the valley which [is] by Beth-Rehob; and they build the city, and dwell in it,29 and call the name of the city Dan, by the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; and yet Laish [is] the name of the city at the first.30 And the sons of Dan raise up for themselves the graven image, and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, he and his sons have been priests to the tribe of the Danite, till the day of the removal of [the people] of the land.31 And they appoint for them the graven image of Micah, which he had made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.