Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 85
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J u dges
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the land assigned to them when the land was divided among the tribes
of Israel. So the men of Dan chose from their clans five capable warriors
from the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol to scout out a land for them to
settle in.
When these warriors arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, they came
to Micah’s house and spent the night there. While at Micah’s house, they
recognized the young Levite’s accent, so they went over and asked him,
“Who brought you here, and what are you doing in this place? Why are
you here?” He told them about his agreement with Micah and that he had
been hired as Micah’s personal priest.
Then they said, “Ask God whether or not our journey will be successful.”
“Go in peace,” the priest replied. “For the Lord is watching over your
journey.”
So the five men went on to the town of Laish, where they noticed the
people living carefree lives, like the Sidonians; they were peaceful and
secure. The people were also wealthy because their land was very fertile.
And they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby.
When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked
them, “What did you find?”
The men replied, “Come on, let’s attack them! We have seen the land,
and it is very good. What are you waiting for? Don’t hesitate to go and take
possession of it. When you get there, you will find the people living carefree lives. God has given us a spacious and fertile land, lacking in nothing!”
So 600 men from the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out
from Zorah and Eshtaol. They camped at a place west of Kiriath-jearim in
Judah, which is called Mahaneh-dan to this day. Then they went on from
there into the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.
The five men who had scouted out the land around Laish explained
to the others, “These buildings contain a sacred ephod, as well as some
household idols, a carved image, and a cast idol. What do you think you
should do?” Then the five men turned off the road and went over to
Micah’s house, where the young Levite lived, and greeted him kindly. As
the 600 armed warriors from the tribe of Dan stood at the entrance of the
gate, the five scouts entered the shrine and removed the carved image, the
sacred ephod, the household idols, and the cast idol. Meanwhile, the priest
was standing at the gate with the 600 armed warriors.
When the priest saw the men carrying all the sacred objects out of
Micah’s shrine, he said, “What are you doing?”
“Be quiet and come with us,” they said. “Be a father and priest to all of
us. Isn’t it better to be a priest for an entire tribe and clan of Israel than for
the household of just one man?”
The young priest was quite happy to go with them, so he took along the