The Danites Settle in Laish
In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of the Danites was looking for territory to occupy. For up to that time they had not come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. Jdg 1:34Jdg 17:6Jdg 19:1Jdg 21:25Jos 19:40-48 So the Danites sent out five men from their clans, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. “Go and explore the land,” they told them. Jdg 13:25Jos 2:1Jdg 18:11Jdg 18:8Num 13:17Gen 42:9Jdg 13:2Jdg 16:31
The men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night. And while they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?” Gen 27:22Mat 26:73Isa 22:16Jdg 12:6
“Micah has done this and that for me,” he replied, “and he has hired me to be his priest.” Ezk 13:19Jdg 17:10Jdg 17:12Jhn 10:12-131Ti 3:32Pe 2:14-152Pe 2:3Act 20:33
Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to determine whether we will have a successful journey.” 1Ki 22:5Act 8:10Isa 30:1Hos 4:122Ki 16:15Ezk 21:21Jdg 17:13Jdg 17:5
And the priest told them, “Go in peace. The LORD is watching over your journey.” 1Ki 22:61Ki 22:121Ki 22:151Th 3:11Deu 11:12Jer 23:21-22Jer 23:32Psa 33:18
So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, tranquil and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone. Jos 19:471Sa 3:13Jdg 18:27-281Ki 1:61Pe 2:14Rev 18:7Rom 13:3
When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers asked them, “What did you find?” Jdg 18:11Jdg 18:2Jdg 13:2Jdg 16:31
They answered, “Come on, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and it is very good. Why would you fail to act? Do not hesitate to go there and take possession of the land! Jos 2:23-24Num 13:30Jhn 6:27Jos 18:31Ki 22:231Ki 22:31Sa 4:92Pe 1:10-11 When you enter, you will come to an unsuspecting people and a spacious land, for God has delivered it into your hand. It is a place where nothing on earth is lacking.” Jdg 18:271Ti 6:17Jdg 18:7Deu 11:11-12Deu 2:29Deu 4:1Deu 8:7-9Exo 3:8
So six hundred Danites departed from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war. Jdg 18:16 They went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. That is why the place west of Kiriath-jearim is called Mahaneh-dan 1to this day. Jdg 13:251Ch 13:5-6Jos 15:601Sa 7:12Ch 1:4 And from there they traveled to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah’s house. Jdg 17:1Jdg 18:2-3Jdg 19:1Jos 24:30Jos 24:33
The Danites Take Micah’s Idols
Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do.” Jdg 17:5Jdg 18:3-4Pro 19:271Sa 14:28Isa 8:19-20
So they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and greeted him. Gen 43:27Jhn 14:271Sa 17:222Ki 4:26Gen 37:14Luk 10:4-6Mat 10:12-13
The six hundred Danites stood at the entrance of the gate, armed with their weapons of war. Jdg 18:11 And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men. Jdg 18:14Jdg 17:4-5Jdg 18:21Sa 4:111Sa 6:2-92Ki 19:18-19Exo 32:20Gen 31:19
When they entered Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”
“Be quiet,” they told him. “Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?” Jdg 17:10Job 21:5Job 29:9Mic 7:16Pro 30:322Ki 13:142Ki 6:212Ki 8:8-9
So the priest was glad and took the ephod, the household idols, and the graven image, and went with the people. Isa 56:112Pe 2:15-162Pe 2:3Act 20:33Ezk 13:19Hos 4:3Jdg 17:10Php 3:19 Putting their small children, their livestock, and their possessions in front of them, they turned and departed.
After they were some distance from Micah’s house, the men in the houses near Micah’s house mobilized and overtook the Danites. When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?” Gen 21:171Sa 11:52Ki 6:282Sa 14:5Isa 22:1Psa 114:5
He replied, “You took the gods I had made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’” Hab 2:18-19Isa 44:18-20Psa 115:8Act 19:26Ezk 23:5Jdg 17:13Jer 50:38Jer 51:17
The Danites said to him, “Do not raise your voice against us, or angry men will attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.” Job 27:21Sa 30:62Sa 17:8Job 3:5
So the Danites went on their way, and Micah turned to go back home, because he saw that they were too strong for him.
After they had taken Micah’s idols and his priest, they went to Laish, to a tranquil and unsuspecting people, and they struck them with their swords and burned down the city. Jos 19:47Jdg 18:7Jdg 18:10Deu 33:22Jos 11:11 There was no one to deliver them, because the city was far from Sidon and had no alliance with anyone; it was in a valley near Beth-rehob. 2Sa 10:6Jdg 18:7Num 13:21Psa 7:22Sa 14:6Dan 3:15-17Isa 23:12Isa 23:4
And the Danites rebuilt the city and lived there. They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish. Jos 19:471Ki 15:20Gen 14:141Ki 12:29-30Gen 30:6Jdg 20:12Sa 17:11Gen 32:28
The Danites set up idols for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, 2 and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. 1Sa 4:10-11Exo 2:221Sa 4:2-3Deu 31:29Jdg 13:1Jdg 17:3Jdg 17:5Psa 78:60-62
So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image, and it was there the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh. Jos 18:11Sa 1:3Jdg 19:181Sa 4:4Jdg 21:21Jer 7:12