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Judges

Describes a time when Israel was ruled by judges and the cycle of turning away from God, facing trouble, and then returning to Him.

Chapter 18

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1 In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

*In those times, Israel didn't have a king. The Danite tribe wanted a place to live in during that period because they hadn't received all their land yet among the other Israeli tribes.

2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

*The Dan tribe sent five brave men from their coasts to explore and investigate the land. They went to Zorah and Eshtaol. When they reached Mount Ephraim and Micah's house, they stayed there.

3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?

*When they were near Micah's house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They went inside and asked him who brought him there, what he was doing, and what he had there.

4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.

*He told them, "Micah treats me this way and hired me. Now, I am his priest."

5 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

*They asked him to seek God's advice to find out if their path would lead to success.

6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.

*The priest told them, "Go in peace." The LORD will be with you as you go.

7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.

*Then, the five men left and went to a place called Laish. They saw the people living there were relaxed, similar to the Zidonians, peaceful and safe. There was no leader in the land to make them feel embarrassed or ashamed. The people of Laish were also far from the Zidonians and had no dealings with anyone else.

8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?

*They arrived at their relatives' place in Zorah and Eshtaol. Their relatives asked them, "What do you want to tell us?"

9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.

*They said, "Let's get up and fight them because we saw the land, and it's really good! Why are you waiting? Don't be lazy; go and take possession of the land."

10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.

*When you go, you will find a safe people and a big land. God has given this land to you. Here, you won't lack anything on Earth.

11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.

*From Zorah and Eshtaol, 600 armed men from the Danite family left.

12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim.

*So they climbed and set up camp in Kirjathjearim, in the area of Judah. They named this place Mahanehdan, which people still call it today. It's located behind Kirjathjearim.

13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

*So, they went from there to Mount Ephraim and arrived at Micah's house.

14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.

*Then, the five spies replied to their fellow people, "Do you know that inside these houses are items like an ephod, teraphim, a carved image, and a melted image? So, think about what we should do now.

15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.

*They went there and arrived at the young Levite's house, which belonged to Micah, and greeted him.

16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.

*The 600 men from the tribe of Dan, armed for battle, stood guard at the entrance to the city.

17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.

*The five spies entered the land and got the statue, the ephod, the teraphim, and the melted figure. The priest stood at the entrance with 600 armed men ready for battle.

18 And these went into Micah’s house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?

*They entered Micah's home and got the statue, the priestly garment, and the idols, along with the melted figure. The priest asked them, "What are you doing?"

19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?

*They told him, "Be quiet, cover your mouth, and come with us. Be our father and priest. Is it better for you to be a priest for just one man's household, or to be a priest for an entire tribe and family in Israel?"

20 And the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.

*The priest's heart was happy, so he grabbed the ephod, the figures, and the carved picture, then walked among the people.

21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.

*So, they went away, and they brought the young ones, animals, and cart with them.

22 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah’s house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.

*When far from Micah's home, men nearby gathered and caught up with the tribe of Dan.

23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?

*They called out to the people of Dan. They looked at Micah and asked, "Why are you here with so many people?"

24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?

*He said, "You took away my things I created, along with the priest, and you left. Now what more do I have? And what does it mean when you ask, 'What's wrong with you?'"

25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.

*The children of Dan told him, "Don't speak loudly around us, or else angry people might attack you, and you could die along with your family."

26 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.

*The Dan kids left, and when Micah realized they were too powerful, he turned around and went home.

27 And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

*They took what Micah made and his priest, then went to Laish where peaceful people lived. They attacked them with swords and burned the city with fire.

28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.

*There was no savior since Zidon was far away, and they didn't interact with anyone. This happened in a valley near Bethrehob. So, they constructed a city and lived in it.

29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.

*They named the city Dan, after their father Dan, who was born to Israel. But initially, the city was called Laish.

30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

*The Dan tribe put up an idol. Jonathan, from the family of Gershom and Manasseh, and his sons served as priests for the Dan tribe until the land was captured.

31 And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

*They put up Micah's carved idol, the one he made, while the God's house was in Shiloh.

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