בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֵין מֶלֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וּבַיָּמִים הָהֵם שֵׁבֶט הַדָּנִי מְבַקֶּשׁ לוֹ נַחֲלָה לָשֶׁבֶת כִּי לֹא נָפְלָה לּוֹ עַד הַיּוֹם הַהוּא בְּתוֹךְ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנַחֲלָה

In those days there was no king in Israel. There was no authoritative government, and people did as they pleased. This observation, which was already cited above (17:6), is repeated here to explain the ensuing events. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for it to settle, as up to that day no inheritance had fallen to, or been conquered by them, among the tribes of Israel.

וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ בְנֵי דָן מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּם חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים מִקְצוֹתָם אֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי חַיִל מִצָּרְעָה וּמֵאֶשְׁתָּאֹל לְרַגֵּל אֶת הָאָרֶץ וּלְחָקְרָהּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם לְכוּ חִקְרוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וַיָּבֹאוּ הַר אֶפְרַיִם עַד בֵּית מִיכָה וַיָּלִינוּ שָׁם

The children of Dan sent five men from their family, from their leaders, men of valor from Tzora and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to investigate it. They, the children of Dan, said to them: Go, investigate the land; perhaps you will find a place for us to settle. They came to the highlands of Ephraim, to the house of Mikha, and they stayed the night there.

הֵמָּה עִם בֵּית מִיכָה וְהֵמָּה הִכִּירוּ אֶת קוֹל הַנַּעַר הַלֵּוִי וַיָּסוּרוּ שָׁם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ מִי הֱבִיאֲךָ הֲלֹם וּמָה אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה בָּזֶה וּמַה לְּךָ פֹה

They were near the house of Mikha, and they recognized the voice of the Levite lad. They recognized him by his voice; presumably they had spent time among the people of Judah as laborers or guests. Alternatively, the young man had wandered through the land of Dan on his travels. They went over there and said to him: Who brought you here, what are you doing here, and what is there for you to do here, in this unfamiliar place?

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם כָּזֹה וְכָזֶה עָשָׂה לִי מִיכָה וַיִּשְׂכְּרֵנִי וָאֱהִי לוֹ לְכֹהֵן

He said to them: Mikha did this and that for me; he took me in and he hired me, and I have become his priest.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ שְׁאַל נָא בֵאלֹהִים וְנֵדְעָה הֲתַצְלִיחַ דַּרְכֵּנוּ אֲשֶׁר אֲנַחְנוּ הֹלְכִים עָלֶיהָ

They said to him: If you are a priest and have all the necessary means, please inquire of God, that we may know whether our way upon which we are going will be successful.

וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הַכֹּהֵן לְכוּ לְשָׁלוֹם נֹכַח ה' דַּרְכְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכוּ בָהּ

The priest said to them, speaking as an advisor and a miracle worker: Go in peace before the Lord on your way upon which you are going. You are destined to succeed in your endeavor.

וַיֵּלְכוּ חֲמֵשֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁים וַיָּבֹאוּ לָיְשָׁה וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבָּהּ יוֹשֶׁבֶת לָבֶטַח כְּמִשְׁפַּט צִדֹנִים שֹׁקֵט וּבֹטֵחַ וְאֵין מַכְלִים דָּבָר בָּאָרֶץ יוֹרֵשׁ עֶצֶר וּרְחֹקִים הֵמָּה מִצִּדֹנִים וְדָבָר אֵין לָהֶם עִם אָדָם

The five men went a long way, and they came to Layish, today called Tel Dan, in the northern Hula Valley. And they saw the people in it, in the city, living in security, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. The men of Sidon were not warriors, but were primarily merchants. They did not attack other nations and were not typically the target of invasions. There was no one abasing them in the land for any matter; there was no hereditary dynasty, and they were geographically removed from their people, far from the Sidonians. Layish was at the northeast edge of the Land of Israel, whereas Sidon was at the northwest corner. And they had no matter with any person. This was a serene, secure, and thriving city.

וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל אֲחֵיהֶם צָרְעָה וְאֶשְׁתָּאֹל וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהֶם אֲחֵיהֶם מָה אַתֶּם

After they had observed the site and were favorably impressed, they came back to their brethren, to Tzora and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them: What of you?

וַיֹּאמְרוּ קוּמָה וְנַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי רָאִינוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה טוֹבָה מְאֹד וְאַתֶּם מַחְשִׁים ! אַל תֵּעָצְלוּ לָלֶכֶת לָבֹא לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת הָאָרֶץ

They said: Rise and we will go up against them, the residents of Layish, for we have seen the land; behold, it is very good, and yet you delay taking action? Do not be dilatory in going to come and take possession of the land.

כְּבֹאֲכֶם תָּבֹאוּ אֶל עַם בֹּטֵחַ וְהָאָרֶץ רַחֲבַת יָדַיִם כִּי נְתָנָהּ אֱלֹהִים בְּיֶדְכֶם מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֵין שָׁם מַחְסוֹר כָּל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ

When you come there, you will come to a secure people who are not concerned about, and not accustomed to war, and the land is spacious; for we know that God has delivered it into your hand. It is a place in which there is no lack of anything that is on earth.

וַיִּסְעוּ מִשָּׁם מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת הַדָּנִי מִצָּרְעָה וּמֵאֶשְׁתָּאֹל שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ חָגוּר כְּלֵי מִלְחָמָה

The rest of the tribe was convinced. The family of Dan traveled from there, from Tzora and from Eshtaol, six hundred men, girded with weapons of war, in order to conquer Layish.

וַיַּעֲלוּ וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּקִרְיַת יְעָרִים בִּיהוּדָה עַל כֵּן קָרְאוּ לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מַחֲנֵה דָן עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הִנֵּה אַחֲרֵי קִרְיַת יְעָרִים

They went up and encamped in Kiryat Ye’arim, in Judah, before their journey northward. Therefore, they call that place Mahaneh Dan to this day; behold, it is located behind Kiryat Ye’arim.

וַיַּעַבְרוּ מִשָּׁם הַר אֶפְרָיִם וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד בֵּית מִיכָה

From there they passed to the highlands of Ephraim, and they came to the house of Mikha.

וַיַּעֲנוּ חֲמֵשֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁים הַהֹלְכִים לְרַגֵּל אֶת הָאָרֶץ לַיִשׁ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל אֲחֵיהֶם הַיְדַעְתֶּם כִּי יֵשׁ בּבָּתִּים הָאֵלֶּה אֵפוֹד וּתְרָפִים וּפֶסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה וְעַתָּה דְּעוּ מַה תַּעֲשׂוּ

The five men, who had gone to spy out the land of Layish spoke out and said to their brethren: Did you know that in one of these houses there is an ephod, and teraphim, and an idol, and a cast image? These are items that could be useful for our purposes. Now, know what you should do.

וַיָּסוּרוּ שָׁמָּה וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל בֵּית הַנַּעַר הַלֵּוִי בֵית מִיכָה וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ לוֹ לְשָׁלוֹם

They turned aside there and came to the house of the Levite lad, which was the house of Mikha, and they greeted him. His acquaintances, as it were, went inside.

וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ חֲגוּרִים כְּלֵי מִלְחַמְתָּם נִצָּבִים פֶּתַח הַשָּׁעַר אֲשֶׁר מִבְּנֵי דָן

Six hundred men, girded with their weapons of war, were standing at the entrance of the gate, who were the battalion from the children of Dan.

וַיַּעֲלוּ חֲמֵשֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁים הַהֹלְכִים לְרַגֵּל אֶת הָאָרֶץ בָּאוּ שָׁמָּה לָקְחוּ אֶת הַפֶּסֶל וְאֶת הָאֵפוֹד וְאֶת הַתְּרָפִים וְאֶת הַמַּסֵּכָה וְהַכֹּהֵן נִצָּב פֶּתַח הַשַּׁעַר וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת הָאִישׁ הֶחָגוּר כְּלֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה

The five men who had gone to spy out the land went up; they entered there and took for themselves the idol, the ephod, the teraphim, and the cast image. The priest was standing at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girded with weapons of war.

וְאֵלֶּה בָּאוּ בֵּית מִיכָה וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת פֶּסֶל הָאֵפוֹד וְאֶת הַתְּרָפִים וְאֶת הַמַּסֵּכָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם הַכֹּהֵן מָה אַתֶּם עֹשִׂים

When these went into Mikha’s house and took the idol of the ephod, and the teraphim, and the cast image, the entire contents of his shrine, the priest said to them: What are you doing?

וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ הַחֲרֵשׁ! שִׂים יָדְךָ עַל פִּיךָ וְלֵךְ עִמָּנוּ וֶהְיֵה לָנוּ לְאָב וּלְכֹהֵן הֲטוֹב הֱיוֹתְךָ כֹהֵן לְבֵית אִישׁ אֶחָד אוֹ הֱיוֹתְךָ כֹהֵן לְשֵׁבֶט וּלְמִשְׁפָּחָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל!

They said to him: Why are you shouting? Be silent; place your hand over your mouth, and go with us, and you will be for all of us a spiritual father and a priest. Is it preferable for you to be a priest for the house of one man, or to be a priest for a tribe and a family in Israel? You can continue with your service, and you will even receive a promotion: Instead of working for a private individual, you will be the priest for an entire tribe.

וַיִּיטַב לֵב הַכֹּהֵן וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָאֵפוֹד וְאֶת הַתְּרָפִים וְאֶת הַפָּסֶל וַיָּבֹא בְּקֶרֶב הָעָם

The priest’s heart was gladdened, he was happy to accept their offer, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the idol, and he went in the midst of the people traveling northward.

וַיִּפְנוּ וַיֵּלֵכוּ וַיָּשִׂימוּ אֶת הַטַּף וְאֶת הַמִּקְנֶה וְאֶת הַכְּבוּדָּה לִפְנֵיהֶם

They turned and they went, and they placed the children, and the livestock, and the property before them. This verse provides details omitted earlier: The six hundred warriors had brought with them their entire families, animals, and any belongings they wished to keep, as they intended to move to the north and settle there.

הֵמָּה הִרְחִיקוּ מִבֵּית מִיכָה וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בַּבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר עִם בֵּית מִיכָה נִזְעֲקוּ וַיַּדְבִּיקוּ אֶת בְּנֵי דָן

They went a distance from the house of Mikha, and the men who were in the houses near Mikha’s house, the spiritual center that Mikha built, mobilized and pursued them, and they overtook the children of Dan.

וַיִּקְרְאוּ אֶל בְּנֵי דָן וַיַּסֵּבּוּ פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לְמִיכָה מַה לְּךָ כִּי נִזְעָקְתָּ

They called to the children of Dan. They, the children of Dan, turned around and saw the group led by Mikha protesting angrily, and they said to Mikha: What is it with you that you mobilized? Alternatively, they said: What is all this shouting?

וַיֹּאמֶר אֶת אֱלֹהַי אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְקַחְתֶּם וְאֶת הַכֹּהֵן וַתֵּלְכוּ וּמַה לִּי עוֹד וּמַה זֶּה תֹּאמְרוּ אֵלַי מַה לָּךְ

He, Mikha, said: You have taken My god that I made and the priest, and you went. What else do I have? What do I have left, after you have taken my most valuable assets? And what is this that you say to me: What is it with you?

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו בְּנֵי דָן אַל תַּשְׁמַע קוֹלְךָ עִמָּנוּ פֶּן יִפְגְּעוּ בָכֶם אֲנָשִׁים מָרֵי נֶפֶשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּה נַפְשְׁךָ וְנֶפֶשׁ בֵּיתֶךָ

The children of Dan said to him: Do not sound your voice among us. It is in your best interest to lower your voice, lest embittered men harm you. We are fair people, but there are also some hot-headed thugs among us, and if you cause an uproar, you will lose your life and the lives of your household, as they will kill you.

וַיֵּלְכוּ בְנֵי דָן לְדַרְכָּם וַיַּרְא מִיכָה כִּי חֲזָקִים הֵמָּה מִמֶּנּוּ וַיִּפֶן וַיָּשָׁב אֶל בֵּיתוֹ

The children of Dan went on their way. Mikha saw that they were stronger than he, and there was nothing he could do, so he turned around and despondently returned to his house. Since there was no organized government, he had no recourse to issue a complaint.

וְהֵמָּה לָקְחוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה מִיכָה וְאֶת הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה לוֹ וַיָּבֹאוּ עַל לַיִשׁ עַל עַם שֹׁקֵט וּבֹטֵחַ וַיַּכּוּ אוֹתָם לְפִי חָרֶב וְאֶת הָעִיר שָׂרְפוּ בָאֵשׁ

They took that which Mikha had made, the idol and household idols, and the priest who was his, and they came upon Layish, which was not fortified, and fell upon a people quiet and secure, not prepared for war, and they smote them by the sword, and the city they burned with fire.

וְאֵין מַצִּיל כִּי רְחוֹקָה הִיא מִצִּידוֹן וְדָבָר אֵין לָהֶם עִם אָדָם וְהִיא בָּעֵמֶק אֲשֶׁר לְבֵית רְחוֹב וַיִּבְנוּ אֶת הָעִיר וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בָהּ

There was no deliverer for Layish, because it was distant from Sidon, and they had no matter with any person. The city was isolated, and although it was inhabited by Sidonians, they were not in contact with Sidon or with anyone else. It was in the valley that is near Beit Rehov. They, the children of Dan, subsequently rebuilt the city and they settled in it.

וַיִּקְרְאוּ שֵׁם הָעִיר דָּן בְּשֵׁם דָּן אֲבִיהֶם אֲשֶׁר יוּלַּד לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוּלָם לַיִשׁ שֵׁם הָעִיר לָרִאשֹׁנָה

They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their forefather, the forefather of the tribe, who was born to Israel, Jacob. The city retained the new name in perpetuity; however, Layish was the original name of the city.

וַיָּקִימוּ לָהֶם בְּנֵי דָן אֶת הַפָּסֶל וִיהוֹנָתָן בֶּן גֵּרְשֹׁם בֶּן מְשֶּׁה הוּא וּבָנָיו הָיוּ כֹהֲנִים לְשֵׁבֶט הַדָּנִי עַד יוֹם גְּלוֹת הָאָרֶץ

The children of Dan established the idol for themselves in their new location, and venerated it. And the young Levite, who is only now identified as Yehonatan, son of Gershom, son of Menashe, he and his sons were priests for the tribe of the Danites for hundreds of years, until the day of the exile of Israel from the land by the Assyrians.

וַיָּשִׂימוּ לָהֶם אֶת פֶּסֶל מִיכָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה כָּל יְמֵי הֱיוֹת בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים בְּשִׁלֹה

They established for themselves in Dan Mikha’s idol that he made, all the days that the House of God, the Tabernacle, was in Shilo.