Thematic Bible: The spies of laish


Thematic Bible



The five men who had gone to spy on the country around Laish said to their companions: Did you know that here in one of these houses there is a wooden idol covered with silver? There are also other idols and an ephod. Consider what you should do. They went into Micah's house, where the young Levite lived. They greeted the Levite. The six hundred soldiers from the tribe of Dan, ready for battle, stood at the gate. read more.
The five spies went straight into the house. They took the wooden idol covered with silver, the other idols, and the ephod. The priest stayed at the gate with the six hundred armed men. The men went into Micah's house and took the sacred objects. The priest asked them: What are you doing? They told him: Be quiet. Do not say a word. Come with us and be our priest and adviser. Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or to be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel? This filled the priest with joy. He took the sacred objects and went along with them. They turned around and started off, with their children, their livestock, and their belongings going ahead. They traveled a good way from the house when Micah gathered his neighbors for battle. They caught up with the Danites. They shouted at them. The Danites turned around and asked Micah, What is the problem? Why have you gathered such a company? Micah answered: What do you mean? You take my priest and the gods that I made, and walk off! What do I have left? The Danites responded: Do not say anymore or these men will get angry and attack you. You and your whole family would die. The Danites went on their way. Micah saw that they were too strong for him, so he went back home. They took the things Micah made and the priest who belonged to him and attacked Laish. Laish was a town of peaceful, quiet people in the same valley as Bethrehob. They killed the inhabitants and burned the town.