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Judges 16-18
New English Translation

Samson’s Downfall

16 Samson went to Gaza. There he saw a prostitute and slept with her.[a] 2 The Gazites were told,[b] “Samson has come here!” So they surrounded the town[c] and hid all night at the city gate, waiting for him to leave.[d] They relaxed[e] all night, thinking,[f] “He will not leave[g] until morning comes;[h] then we will kill him!” 3 Samson spent half the night with the prostitute; then he got up in the middle of the night and left.[i] He grabbed the doors of the city gate, as well as the two posts, and pulled them right off, bar and all.[j] He put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of a hill east of Hebron.[k]

4 After this Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the Sorek Valley. 5 The rulers of the Philistines went up to visit her and said to her, “Trick him! Find out what makes him so strong and how we can subdue him and humiliate[l] him. Each one of us will give you 1,100 silver pieces.”

6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me what makes you so strong and how you can be subdued and humiliated.”[m] 7 Samson said to her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh[n] bowstrings[o] that have not been dried, I will become weak and be just like any other man.” 8 So the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him up with them. 9 They hid[p] in the bedroom and then she said to him, “The Philistines are here,[q] Samson!” He snapped the bowstrings as easily as a thread of yarn snaps when it is put close to fire.[r] The secret of his strength was not discovered.[s]

10 Delilah said to Samson, “Look, you deceived[t] me and told me lies! Now tell me how you can be subdued.” 11 He said to her, “If they tie me tightly with brand new ropes that have never been used,[u] I will become weak and be just like any other man.” 12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are here,[v] Samson!” (The Philistines were hiding in the bedroom.)[w] But he tore the ropes[x] from his arms as if they were a piece of thread.

13 Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies. Tell me how you can be subdued.” He said to her, “If you weave the seven braids of my hair[y] into the fabric on the loom[z] and secure it with the pin, I will become weak and be like any other man.” 14 So she made him go to sleep, wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric on the loom, fastened it with the pin, and said to him, “The Philistines are here,[aa] Samson!”[ab] He woke up[ac] and tore away the pin of the loom and the fabric.

15 She said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you will not share your secret with me?[ad] Three times you have deceived me and have not told me what makes you so strong.” 16 She nagged him[ae] every day and pressured him until he was sick to death of it.[af] 17 Finally he told her his secret.[ag] He said to her, “My hair has never been cut,[ah] for I have been dedicated to God[ai] from the time I was conceived.[aj] If my head[ak] were shaved, my strength would leave me; I would become weak and be just like all other men.” 18 When Delilah saw that he had told her his secret,[al] she sent for[am] the rulers of the Philistines, saying, “Come up here again, for he has told me[an] his secret.”[ao] So the rulers of the Philistines went up to visit her, bringing the silver in their hands. 19 She made him go to sleep on her lap[ap] and then called a man in to shave off[aq] the seven braids of his hair.[ar] She made him vulnerable[as] and his strength left him. 20 She said, “The Philistines are here,[at] Samson!” He woke up[au] and thought,[av] “I will do as I did before[aw] and shake myself free.” But he did not realize that the Lord had left him. 21 The Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him in bronze chains. He became a grinder in the prison. 22 His hair[ax] began to grow back after it had been shaved off.

Samson’s Death and Burial

23 The rulers of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, “Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us.” 24 When the people saw him,[ay] they praised their god, saying, “Our god has handed our enemy over to us, the one who ruined our land and killed so many of us!”[az]

25 When they really started celebrating,[ba] they said, “Call for Samson so he can entertain us!” So they summoned Samson from the prison and he entertained them.[bb] They made him stand between two pillars. 26 Samson said to the young man who held his hand, “Position me so I can touch the pillars that support the temple.[bc] Then I can lean on them.” 27 Now the temple[bd] was filled with men and women, and all the rulers of the Philistines were there. There were 3,000 men and women on the roof watching Samson entertain. 28 Samson called to the Lord, “O Sovereign Lord,[be] remember me! Strengthen me just one more time, O God, so I can get swift revenge[bf] against the Philistines for my two eyes!” 29 Samson took hold of the two middle pillars that supported the temple[bg] and he leaned against them, with his right hand on one and his left hand on the other. 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He pushed hard,[bh] and the temple collapsed on the rulers and all the people in it. He killed many more people in his death than he had killed during his life.[bi] 31 His brothers and all his family[bj] went down and brought him back.[bk] They buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led[bl] Israel for twenty years.

Micah Makes His Own Religion

17 There was a man named Micah from the Ephraimite hill country. 2 He said to his mother, “You know[bm] the 1,100 pieces of silver which were stolen[bn] from you, about which I heard you pronounce a curse? Look here, I have the silver. I stole[bo] it, but now I am giving it back to you.”[bp] His mother said, “May the Lord reward[bq] you, my son!” 3 When he gave back to his mother the 1,100 pieces of silver, his mother said, “I solemnly dedicate[br] this silver to the Lord. It will be for my son’s benefit. We will use it to make a carved image and a metal image.”[bs] 4 When he gave the silver back to his mother, she[bt] took 200 pieces of silver[bu] to a silversmith, who made them into a carved image and a metal image. She then put them in Micah’s house.[bv] 5 Now this man Micah owned a shrine.[bw] He made an ephod[bx] and some personal idols and hired one of his sons to serve as a priest.[by] 6 In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.[bz]

Micah Hires a Professional

7 There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah. He was a Levite who had been temporarily residing among the tribe of Judah.[ca] 8 This man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to find another place to live. He came to the Ephraimite hill country and made his way to Micah’s house.[cb] 9 Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” He replied, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am looking for a new place to live.”[cc] 10 Micah said to him, “Stay with me. Become my adviser[cd] and priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, plus clothes and food.”[ce] 11 So the Levite agreed to stay with the man; the young man was like a son to Micah.[cf] 12 Micah paid[cg] the Levite; the young man became his priest and lived in Micah’s house. 13 Micah said, “Now I know the Lord will make me rich,[ch] because I have this Levite as my priest.”

The Tribe of Dan Finds an Inheritance

18 In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the Danite tribe was looking for a place[ci] to settle, because at that time they did not yet have a place to call their own among the tribes of Israel.[cj] 2 The Danites sent out from their whole tribe five representatives,[ck] capable men[cl] from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. They said to them, “Go, explore the land.” They came to the Ephraimite hill country and spent the night at Micah’s house.[cm] 3 As they approached[cn] Micah’s house, they recognized the accent[co] of the young Levite. So they stopped[cp] there and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?”[cq] 4 He told them what Micah had done for him, saying,[cr] “He hired me, and I became his priest.” 5 They said to him, “Seek a divine oracle for us,[cs] so we can know if we will be successful on our mission.”[ct] 6 The priest said to them, “Go with confidence.[cu] The Lord will be with you on your mission.”[cv]

7 So the five men journeyed on[cw] and arrived in Laish. They noticed that the people there[cx] were living securely, like the Sidonians do,[cy] undisturbed and unsuspecting. No conqueror was troubling them in any way.[cz] They lived far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.[da] 8 When the Danites returned to their tribe[db] in Zorah and Eshtaol, their kinsmen[dc] asked them, “How did it go?”[dd] 9 They said, “Come on, let’s attack them,[de] for[df] we saw their land and it is very good. You seem lethargic,[dg] but don’t hesitate[dh] to invade and conquer[di] the land. 10 When you invade,[dj] you will encounter[dk] unsuspecting people. The land is wide![dl] God is handing it over to you—a place that lacks nothing on earth!”[dm]

11 So 600 Danites, fully armed, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol.[dn] 12 They went up and camped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. (To this day that place is called Camp of Dan.[do] It is west[dp] of Kiriath Jearim.) 13 From there they traveled through the Ephraimite hill country and arrived at Micah’s house. 14 The five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish[dq] said to their kinsmen,[dr] “Do you realize that inside these houses are an ephod, some personal idols, a carved image, and a metal image? Decide now what you want to do.” 15 They stopped[ds] there, went inside the young Levite’s house (which belonged to Micah),[dt] and asked him how he was doing.[du] 16 Meanwhile the 600 Danites, fully armed, stood at the entrance to the gate.[dv] 17 The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole[dw] the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the 600 fully armed men.[dx] 18 When these men broke into Micah’s house and stole[dy] the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19 They said to him, “Shut up! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us! You can be our adviser[dz] and priest. Wouldn’t it be better to be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for just one man’s family?”[ea] 20 The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group.[eb]

21 They turned and went on their way, but they walked behind the children, the cattle, and their possessions.[ec] 22 After they had gone a good distance from Micah’s house, Micah’s neighbors[ed] gathered together and caught up with the Danites. 23 When they called out to the Danites, the Danites[ee] turned around and said to Micah, “Why have you gathered together?” 24 He said, “You stole my gods that I made, as well as this priest, and then went away. What do I have left? How can you have the audacity to say to me, ‘What do you want?’”[ef] 25 The Danites said to him, “Don’t say another word to us, or some very angry men[eg] will attack you, and you and your family will die.”[eh] 26 The Danites went on their way; when Micah realized[ei] they were too strong to resist,[ej] he turned around and went home.

27 Now the Danites[ek] took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and came to Laish, where the people were undisturbed and unsuspecting. They struck them down with the sword and burned the city.[el] 28 No one came to the rescue because the city[em] was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone.[en] The city[eo] was in a valley near Beth Rehob. The Danites[ep] rebuilt the city and occupied it. 29 They named it Dan after their ancestor, who was one of Israel’s sons.[eq] But the city’s name used to be Laish. 30 The Danites worshiped[er] the carved image. Jonathan, descendant[es] of Gershom, son of Moses,[et] and his descendants[eu] served as priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the exile. 31 They worshiped[ev] Micah’s carved image[ew] the whole time God’s authorized shrine[ex] was in Shiloh.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 16:1 tn Heb “approached her.” The idiom בּוֹא אֶל (boʾ ʾel, “to go to”) is a euphemism for sexual relations.
  2. Judges 16:2 tc Heb “To the Gazites, saying.” A verb is missing from the MT; some ancient Greek witnesses add “it was reported.”
  3. Judges 16:2 tn Heb “And they surrounded.” The rest of the verse suggests that “the town” is the object, not “the house.” Though the Gazites knew Samson was in the town, apparently they did not know exactly where he had gone. Otherwise, they could have just gone into or surrounded the house and would not have needed to post guards at the city gate.
  4. Judges 16:2 tn Heb “and they lay in wait for him all night in the city gate.”
  5. Judges 16:2 tn Heb “were silent.”
  6. Judges 16:2 tn Heb “saying.”
  7. Judges 16:2 tn The words “He will not leave” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  8. Judges 16:2 tn Heb “until the light of the morning.”
  9. Judges 16:3 tn Heb “And Samson lay until the middle of the night and arose in the middle of the night.”
  10. Judges 16:3 tn Heb “with the bar.”
  11. Judges 16:3 tn Heb “which is upon the face of Hebron.”
  12. Judges 16:5 tn Heb “subdue him in order to humiliate him.”
  13. Judges 16:6 tn Heb “how you can be subdued in order to be humiliated.”
  14. Judges 16:7 tn Or “moist.”
  15. Judges 16:7 tn The word refers to a bowstring, probably made from animal tendons. See Ps 11:2; Job 30:11.
  16. Judges 16:9 tn Heb “And the ones lying in wait were sitting for her.” The grammatically singular form וְהָאֹרֵב (vehaʾorev) is collective here, referring to the rulers as a group (so also in v. 16).
  17. Judges 16:9 tn Heb “are upon you.”
  18. Judges 16:9 tn Heb “when it smells fire.”
  19. Judges 16:9 tn Heb “His strength was not known.”
  20. Judges 16:10 tn See Gen 31:7; Exod 8:29 [8:25 HT]; Job 13:9; Isa 44:20; Jer 9:4 for other uses of this Hebrew word (II תָּלַל, talal), which also occurs in v. 13.
  21. Judges 16:11 tn Heb “with which no work has been done.”
  22. Judges 16:12 tn Heb “are upon you.”
  23. Judges 16:12 tn Heb “And the ones lying in wait were sitting in the bedroom.”
  24. Judges 16:12 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the ropes) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  25. Judges 16:13 tn Heb “head” (also in the following verse). By metonymy the head is mentioned in the Hebrew text in place of the hair on it.
  26. Judges 16:13 tn Heb “with the web.” For a discussion of how Delilah did this, see C. F. Burney, Judges, 381, and G. F. Moore, Judges (ICC), 353-54.
  27. Judges 16:14 tn Heb “are upon you.”
  28. Judges 16:14 tc The MT of vv. 13b-14a reads simply, “He said to her, ‘If you weave the seven braids of my head with the web.’ And she fastened with the pin and said to him.” The additional words in the translation, “and secure it with the pin, I will become weak and be like any other man.’ 16:14 So she made him go to sleep, wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric on the loom,” which without doubt represent the original text, are supplied from the ancient Greek version. (In both vv. 13b and 14a the Greek version has “to the wall” after “with the pin,” but this is an interpretive addition that reflects a misunderstanding of ancient weaving equipment. See G. F. Moore, Judges [ICC], 353-54.) The Hebrew textual tradition was accidentally shortened during the copying process. A scribe’s eye jumped from the first instance of “with the web” to the second, causing him to leave out inadvertently the intervening words.
  29. Judges 16:14 tn The Hebrew adds, “from his sleep.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  30. Judges 16:15 tn Heb “when your heart is not with me.”
  31. Judges 16:16 tn Heb “forced him with her words.”
  32. Judges 16:16 tn Heb “and his spirit was short [i.e., impatient] to the point of death.”
  33. Judges 16:17 tn Heb “all his heart.”
  34. Judges 16:17 tn Heb “a razor has not come upon my head.”
  35. Judges 16:17 tn Or “set apart to God.” Traditionally the Hebrew term נָזִיר (nazir) has been translated “Nazirite.” The word is derived from the verb נָזַר (nazar, “to dedicate; to consecrate; to set apart”).
  36. Judges 16:17 tn Heb “from the womb of my mother.”
  37. Judges 16:17 tn Heb “I.” The referent has been made more specific in the translation (“my head”).
  38. Judges 16:18 tn Heb “all his heart.”
  39. Judges 16:18 tn Heb “she sent and summoned.”
  40. Judges 16:18 tc The translation follows the Qere, לִי (li, “to me”) rather than the Kethib, לָהּ (lah, “to her”).
  41. Judges 16:18 tn Heb “all his heart.”
  42. Judges 16:19 tn Heb “on her knees.” The expression is probably euphemistic for sexual intercourse. See HALOT 160-61 s.v. בֶּרֶךְ.
  43. Judges 16:19 tn Heb “she called for a man and she shaved off.” The point seems to be that Delilah acted through the instrumentality of the man. See J. A. Soggin, Judges (OTL), 254.
  44. Judges 16:19 tn Heb “head.” By metonymy the hair of his head is meant.
  45. Judges 16:19 tn Heb “She began to humiliate him.” Rather than referring to some specific insulting action on Delilah’s part after Samson’s hair was shaved off, this statement probably means that she, through the devious actions just described, began the process of Samson’s humiliation which culminates in the following verses.
  46. Judges 16:20 tn Heb “are upon you.”
  47. Judges 16:20 tn The Hebrew adds, “from his sleep.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  48. Judges 16:20 tn Heb “and said.”
  49. Judges 16:20 tn Heb “I will go out as before.”
  50. Judges 16:22 tn Heb “the hair of his head.”
  51. Judges 16:24 tn Most interpret this as a reference to Samson, but this seems premature, since v. 25 suggests he was not yet standing before them. Consequently some prefer to see this statement as displaced and move it to v. 25 (see C. F. Burney, Judges, 387). It seems more likely that the pronoun refers to an image of Dagon.
  52. Judges 16:24 tn Heb “multiplied our dead.”
  53. Judges 16:25 tn Heb “When their heart was good.”
  54. Judges 16:25 tn Heb “before them.”
  55. Judges 16:26 tn Heb “the pillars upon which the house is founded.”
  56. Judges 16:27 tn Heb “house.”
  57. Judges 16:28 tn The Hebrew has אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה (ʾadonay yehovih, “Lord Yahweh”).
  58. Judges 16:28 tn Heb “so I can get revenge with one act of vengeance.”
  59. Judges 16:29 tn Heb “the pillars upon which the house was founded.”
  60. Judges 16:30 tn Heb “he stretched out with strength.”
  61. Judges 16:30 tn Heb “And the ones whom he killed in his death were many more than he killed in his life.”
  62. Judges 16:31 tn Heb “and all the house of his father.”
  63. Judges 16:31 tn Heb “and lifted him up and brought up.”
  64. Judges 16:31 tn Traditionally, “judged.”
  65. Judges 17:2 tn The words “You know” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  66. Judges 17:2 tn Heb “taken.”
  67. Judges 17:2 tn Heb “took.”
  68. Judges 17:2 tn In the Hebrew text the statement, “but now I am giving it back to you,” appears at the end of v. 3 and is spoken by the mother. But v. 4 indicates that she did not give the money back to her son. Unless the statement is spoken by the woman to the Lord, it appears to be misplaced and fits much better in v. 2. It may have been accidentally omitted from a manuscript, written in the margin, and then later inserted in the wrong place in another manuscript.
  69. Judges 17:2 tn Traditionally, “bless.”
  70. Judges 17:3 tn Heb “dedicating, I dedicate.” In this case the emphatic infinitive absolute lends a mood of solemnity to the statement.
  71. Judges 17:3 tn Heb “to the Lord from my hand for my son to make a carved image and cast metal image.” She cannot mean that she is now taking the money from her hand and giving it back to her son so he can make an image. Verses 4-6 indicate she took back the money and used a portion of it to hire a silversmith to make an idol for her son to use. The phrase “a carved image and cast metal image” is best taken as referring to two idols (see 18:17-18), even though the verb at the end of v. 4, וַיְהִי (vayehi, “and it was [in the house of Micah]”), is singular.
  72. Judges 17:4 tn Heb “his mother.” The pronoun (“she”) has been substituted for the noun (“mother”) in the translation because of English style.
  73. Judges 17:4 tn The Hebrew text has “and gave it.” The referent (the pieces of silver) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  74. Judges 17:4 tn Heb “and it was in Micah’s house.”
  75. Judges 17:5 tn Heb “house of God.”
  76. Judges 17:5 sn Here an ephod probably refers to a priestly garment (cf. Exod 28:4-6).
  77. Judges 17:5 tn Heb “and he filled the hand of one of his sons and he became his priest.”
  78. Judges 17:6 tn Heb “Each was doing what was right in his [own] eyes.”
  79. Judges 17:7 tn Heb “There was a young man from Bethlehem of Judah, from the tribe of Judah, and he was a Levite, and he was temporarily residing there.”
  80. Judges 17:8 tn Heb “He came to the Ephraimite hill country, to Micah’s house, making his way.”
  81. Judges 17:9 tn Heb “And I am going to reside in a place I can find.”
  82. Judges 17:10 tn Heb “father.” “Father” is here a title of honor that suggests the priest will give advice and protect the interests of the family, primarily by divining God’s will in matters, perhaps through the use of the ephod. (See R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 257; also Gen 45:8, where Joseph, who was a diviner and interpreter of dreams, is called Pharaoh’s “father,” and 2 Kgs 6:21; 13:14, where a prophet is referred to as a “father.” Note also 2 Kgs 8:9, where a king identifies himself as a prophet’s “son.” One of a prophet’s main functions was to communicate divine oracles. Cf. 2 Kgs 8:9ff.; 13:14-19).
  83. Judges 17:10 tn The Hebrew text expands with the phrase: “and the Levite went.” This only makes sense if taken with “to live” in the next verse. Apparently “the Levite went” and “the Levite agreed” are alternative readings which have been juxtaposed in the text.
  84. Judges 17:11 tn Heb “the young man became like one of his sons.”
  85. Judges 17:12 tn Heb “filled the hand of.”
  86. Judges 17:13 tn Heb “do good for me.”
  87. Judges 18:1 tn Heb “an inheritance.”
  88. Judges 18:1 tn Heb “because there had not fallen to them by that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel an inheritance.”
  89. Judges 18:2 tn Heb “The Danites sent from their tribe five men, from their borders.”
  90. Judges 18:2 tn Heb “men, sons of strength.”
  91. Judges 18:2 tn Heb “They came to the Ephraimite hill country, to Micah’s house, and spent the night there.”
  92. Judges 18:3 tn Or “When they were near.”
  93. Judges 18:3 tn Heb “voice.” This probably means that “his speech was Judahite [i.e., southern] like their own, not Israelite [i.e., northern]” (R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 263).
  94. Judges 18:3 tn Heb “turned aside.”
  95. Judges 18:3 tn Heb “What [is there] to you here?”
  96. Judges 18:4 tn Heb “He said to them, ‘Such and such Micah has done for me.’” Though the statement is introduced and presented, at least in part, as a direct quotation (note especially “for me”), the phrase “such and such” appears to be the narrator’s condensed version of what the Levite really said.
  97. Judges 18:5 tn Heb “Ask God.”
  98. Judges 18:5 tn Heb “so we can know if our way on which we are going will be successful.”
  99. Judges 18:6 tn Heb “in peace.”
  100. Judges 18:6 tn Heb “In front of the Lord is your way in which you are going.”
  101. Judges 18:7 tn Or “went.”
  102. Judges 18:7 tn Heb “who were in its midst.”
  103. Judges 18:7 tn Heb “according to the custom of the Sidonians.”
  104. Judges 18:7 tn Heb “and there was no one humiliating anything in the land, one taking possession [by] force.”
  105. Judges 18:7 tc Heb “and a thing there was not to them with men.” Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX and Symmachus read “Syria” here rather than the MT’s “men.” This reading presupposes a Hebrew Vorlage אֲרָם (ʾaram, “Aram,” i.e., Arameans) rather than the MT reading אָדָם (ʾadam). This reading is possibly to be preferred over the MT.
  106. Judges 18:8 tn Heb “They came to their brothers.”
  107. Judges 18:8 tn Heb “brothers.”
  108. Judges 18:8 tn Heb “What you?”
  109. Judges 18:9 tn Heb “Arise, and let us go up against them.”
  110. Judges 18:9 tc Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX adds “we entered and walked around in the land as far as Laish and.”
  111. Judges 18:9 tn Heb “But you are inactive.”
  112. Judges 18:9 tn Or “be lazy.”
  113. Judges 18:9 tn Heb “to go”; “to enter”; “to possess.”
  114. Judges 18:10 tn Heb “When you enter.”
  115. Judges 18:10 tn Heb “you will come to.”
  116. Judges 18:10 tn Heb “broad of hands,” an idiom meaning “wide on both sides.”
  117. Judges 18:10 tn Heb “a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.”
  118. Judges 18:11 tn Heb “They journeyed from there, from the tribe of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, 600 men, equipped with weapons of war.”
  119. Judges 18:12 tn Or “Mahaneh Dan”; the Hebrew term “Mahaneh” means “camp [of].” Many English versions retain the transliterated Hebrew expression, but cf. CEV “Dan’s Camp.”
  120. Judges 18:12 tn Heb “behind.”
  121. Judges 18:14 tc Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX lacks the phrase “of Laish.”
  122. Judges 18:14 tn Heb “brothers.”
  123. Judges 18:15 tn Heb “turned aside.”
  124. Judges 18:15 tn Heb “Micah’s house.”
  125. Judges 18:15 tn Heb “they asked him concerning peace.”
  126. Judges 18:16 tn Heb “And the 600 men, equipped with the weapons of war…from the sons of Dan.”
  127. Judges 18:17 tn Heb “went up, went in there, took.”
  128. Judges 18:17 tn Heb “600 men, equipped with the weapons of war.”
  129. Judges 18:18 tn Heb “These went into Micah’s house and took.”
  130. Judges 18:19 tn See the note on the word “adviser” in 17:10.
  131. Judges 18:19 tn Heb “Is it better for you to be priest for the house of one man or for you to be priest for a tribe, for a clan in Israel?”
  132. Judges 18:20 tn Heb “and went into the midst of the people.”
  133. Judges 18:21 tn Heb “They turned and went and put the children, the cattle, and the possessions in front of them.”
  134. Judges 18:22 tn Heb “the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house.”
  135. Judges 18:23 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Danites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  136. Judges 18:24 tn Heb “What is this you say to me, ‘What to you?’”
  137. Judges 18:25 tn Heb “bitter in spirit.” This phrase is used in 2 Sam 17:8 of David and his warriors, who are compared to a bear robbed of her cubs.
  138. Judges 18:25 tn Heb “and you will gather up your life and the life of your house.”
  139. Judges 18:26 tn Heb “saw.”
  140. Judges 18:26 tn Heb “they were stronger than he.”
  141. Judges 18:27 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Danites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  142. Judges 18:27 tn The Hebrew adds “with fire.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons, because it is redundant in English.
  143. Judges 18:28 tn Heb “it.” The Hebrew pronoun is feminine singular here, referring to the “city” (a grammatically feminine singular noun) mentioned in v. 27.
  144. Judges 18:28 tn Heb “and a thing there was not to them with men.”
  145. Judges 18:28 tn Heb “it.” The Hebrew pronoun is feminine singular here, referring to the “city” (a grammatically feminine singular noun) mentioned in v. 27.
  146. Judges 18:28 tn Heb “They”; the referent (the Danites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  147. Judges 18:29 tn Heb “They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who had been born to Israel.”
  148. Judges 18:30 tn Heb “erected for themselves.”
  149. Judges 18:30 tn Heb “son.”
  150. Judges 18:30 tc Several ancient textual witnesses, including some LXX mss and the Vulgate, support the reading “Moses” (מֹשֶׁה, mosheh) here. Many Hebrew mss have a nun (נ) suspended above the name between the first two letters (מנשׁה), suggesting the name Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, menasheh). This is probably a scribal attempt to protect Moses’ reputation. For discussion, see G. F. Moore, Judges (ICC), 401-2.
  151. Judges 18:30 tn Heb “sons.”
  152. Judges 18:31 tn Heb “they set up for themselves.”
  153. Judges 18:31 tn Heb “the carved image that Micah had made.”
  154. Judges 18:31 tn Heb “the house of God.”
Listen to Judges 16-18
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Judges 16-18
New International Version

Samson and Delilah

16 One day Samson(A) went to Gaza,(B) where he saw a prostitute.(C) He went in to spend the night with her. 2 The people of Gaza were told, “Samson is here!” So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate.(D) They made no move during the night, saying, “At dawn(E) we’ll kill him.”

3 But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.(F)

4 Some time later, he fell in love(G) with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah.(H) 5 The rulers of the Philistines(I) went to her and said, “See if you can lure(J) him into showing you the secret of his great strength(K) and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels[a] of silver.”(L)

6 So Delilah(M) said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”

7 Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”

8 Then the rulers of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him with them. 9 With men hidden in the room,(N) she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”(O) But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of string snaps when it comes close to a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.

10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have made a fool of me;(P) you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied.”

11 He said, “If anyone ties me securely with new ropes(Q) that have never been used, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”

12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them. Then, with men hidden in the room, she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”(R) But he snapped the ropes off his arms as if they were threads.

13 Delilah then said to Samson, “All this time you have been making a fool of me and lying to me. Tell me how you can be tied.”

He replied, “If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I’ll become as weak as any other man.” So while he was sleeping, Delilah took the seven braids of his head, wove them into the fabric 14 and[b] tightened it with the pin.

Again she called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”(S) He awoke from his sleep and pulled up the pin and the loom, with the fabric.

15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’(T) when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time(U) you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.(V)” 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.

17 So he told her everything.(W) “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite(X) dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”

18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines(Y), “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands.(Z) 19 After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him.[c] And his strength left him.(AA)

20 Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”(AB)

He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.(AC)

21 Then the Philistines(AD) seized him, gouged out his eyes(AE) and took him down to Gaza.(AF) Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain(AG) in the prison. 22 But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

The Death of Samson

23 Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon(AH) their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.”

24 When the people saw him, they praised their god,(AI) saying,

“Our god has delivered our enemy
    into our hands,(AJ)
the one who laid waste our land
    and multiplied our slain.”

25 While they were in high spirits,(AK) they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them.

When they stood him among the pillars, 26 Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.” 27 Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof(AL) were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform. 28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord,(AM) “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge(AN) on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

31 Then his brothers and his father’s whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah(AO) his father. He had led[d](AP) Israel twenty years.(AQ)

Micah’s Idols

17 Now a man named Micah(AR) from the hill country of Ephraim 2 said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels[e] of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have that silver with me; I took it.”

Then his mother said, “The Lord bless you,(AS) my son!”

3 When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver.(AT) I will give it back to you.”

4 So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels[f] of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol.(AU) And it was put in Micah’s house.

5 Now this man Micah had a shrine,(AV) and he made an ephod(AW) and some household gods(AX) and installed(AY) one of his sons as his priest.(AZ) 6 In those days Israel had no king;(BA) everyone did as they saw fit.(BB)

7 A young Levite(BC) from Bethlehem in Judah,(BD) who had been living within the clan of Judah, 8 left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way[g] he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

9 Micah asked him, “Where are you from?”

“I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,(BE)” he said, “and I’m looking for a place to stay.”

10 Then Micah said to him, “Live with me and be my father(BF) and priest,(BG) and I’ll give you ten shekels[h] of silver a year, your clothes and your food.” 11 So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him. 12 Then Micah installed(BH) the Levite, and the young man became his priest(BI) and lived in his house. 13 And Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.”(BJ)

The Danites Settle in Laish

18 In those days Israel had no king.(BK)

And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking a place of their own where they might settle, because they had not yet come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.(BL) 2 So the Danites(BM) sent five of their leading men(BN) from Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out(BO) the land and explore it. These men represented all the Danites. They told them, “Go, explore the land.”(BP)

So they entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah,(BQ) where they spent the night. 3 When they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite;(BR) so they turned in there and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”

4 He told them what Micah had done for him, and said, “He has hired me and I am his priest.(BS)”

5 Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God(BT) to learn whether our journey will be successful.”

6 The priest answered them, “Go in peace(BU). Your journey has the Lord’s approval.”

7 So the five men(BV) left and came to Laish,(BW) where they saw that the people were living in safety, like the Sidonians, at peace and secure.(BX) And since their land lacked nothing, they were prosperous.[i] Also, they lived a long way from the Sidonians(BY) and had no relationship with anyone else.[j]

8 When they returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their fellow Danites asked them, “How did you find things?”

9 They answered, “Come on, let’s attack them! We have seen the land, and it is very good. Aren’t you going to do something? Don’t hesitate to go there and take it over.(BZ) 10 When you get there, you will find an unsuspecting people and a spacious land that God has put into your hands, a land that lacks nothing(CA) whatever.(CB)”

11 Then six hundred men(CC) of the Danites,(CD) armed for battle, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol. 12 On their way they set up camp near Kiriath Jearim(CE) in Judah. This is why the place west of Kiriath Jearim is called Mahaneh Dan[k](CF) to this day. 13 From there they went on to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah’s house.(CG)

14 Then the five men who had spied out the land of Laish(CH) said to their fellow Danites, “Do you know that one of these houses has an ephod,(CI) some household gods and an image overlaid with silver?(CJ) Now you know what to do.” 15 So they turned in there and went to the house of the young Levite at Micah’s place and greeted him. 16 The six hundred Danites,(CK) armed for battle, stood at the entrance of the gate. 17 The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods(CL) while the priest and the six hundred armed men(CM) stood at the entrance of the gate.

18 When the five men went into Micah’s house and took(CN) the idol, the ephod and the household gods,(CO) the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 They answered him, “Be quiet!(CP) Don’t say a word. Come with us, and be our father and priest.(CQ) Isn’t it better that you serve a tribe and clan(CR) in Israel as priest rather than just one man’s household?” 20 The priest was very pleased. He took the ephod, the household gods and the idol and went along with the people. 21 Putting their little children, their livestock and their possessions in front of them, they turned away and left.

22 When they had gone some distance from Micah’s house, the men who lived near Micah were called together and overtook the Danites. 23 As they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you that you called out your men to fight?”

24 He replied, “You took(CS) the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, ‘What’s the matter with you?’”

25 The Danites answered, “Don’t argue with us, or some of the men may get angry and attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.” 26 So the Danites went their way, and Micah, seeing that they were too strong for him,(CT) turned around and went back home.

27 Then they took what Micah had made, and his priest, and went on to Laish, against a people at peace and secure.(CU) They attacked them with the sword and burned(CV) down their city.(CW) 28 There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon(CX) and had no relationship with anyone else. The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob.(CY)

The Danites rebuilt the city and settled there. 29 They named it Dan(CZ) after their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city used to be called Laish.(DA) 30 There the Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom,(DB) the son of Moses,[l] and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land. 31 They continued to use the idol Micah had made,(DC) all the time the house of God(DD) was in Shiloh.(DE)

Footnotes

  1. Judges 16:5 That is, about 28 pounds or about 13 kilograms
  2. Judges 16:14 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew replied, “I can if you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom.” 14 So she
  3. Judges 16:19 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and he began to weaken
  4. Judges 16:31 Traditionally judged
  5. Judges 17:2 That is, about 28 pounds or about 13 kilograms
  6. Judges 17:4 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
  7. Judges 17:8 Or To carry on his profession
  8. Judges 17:10 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams
  9. Judges 18:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
  10. Judges 18:7 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts with the Arameans
  11. Judges 18:12 Mahaneh Dan means Dan’s camp.
  12. Judges 18:30 Many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; many other Hebrew manuscripts and some other Septuagint manuscripts Manasseh
Listen to Judges 16-18
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Judges 16-18
King James Version

16 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.

2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.

3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

4 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

6 And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.

7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.

13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.

15 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.

16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.

21 But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.

22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.

25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.

27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.

28 And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.

30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

17 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.

3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.

12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

18 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.

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.

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?

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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.

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

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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

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King James Version (KJV)

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