**The Story of the Tribe of Dan and the Idolatry of Micah**
In those days, when there was no king in Israel, every man did what was right in his own eyes. The tribe of Dan, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, had not yet received their inheritance among the tribes. They sought a place to settle, for the land allotted to them was still occupied by the Canaanites, who were strong and well-fortified. The Danites, feeling the pressure of their circumstances, decided to send out five men from their clan to spy out the land and search for a place where they could establish themselves.
These five men, chosen for their courage and wisdom, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol, the cities of Dan. They traveled northward, passing through the hill country of Ephraim, until they came to the house of Micah, a man who lived in the mountains of Ephraim. Micah was known for his household shrine, where he kept an idol, a carved image overlaid with silver, and an ephod and teraphim—objects used for divination. Micah had also appointed one of his sons as a priest, though this was contrary to the law of Moses, which reserved the priesthood for the Levites.
The five Danite men, weary from their journey, stopped at Micah’s house and recognized the voice of the young Levite who served as Micah’s priest. They were intrigued and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What do you have here?” The Levite explained how Micah had hired him to be his priest and caretaker of the shrine. The Danites, seeing the idol and the sacred objects, were both fascinated and emboldened. They asked the Levite to inquire of God whether their journey would be successful.
The Levite, eager to please his new guests, assured them, “Go in peace. The Lord is watching over your journey.” Encouraged by this word, the five men continued their journey northward. They came to the city of Laish, a peaceful and unsuspecting people who lived in security, far from the Sidonians and without allies. The land was fertile and spacious, lacking nothing. The Danites saw an opportunity and said to one another, “This is the place! Let us take it, for the Lord has given it into our hands.”
The five spies returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, where their fellow Danites eagerly awaited their report. They described the land of Laish as a place of abundance and safety, and they urged their tribe to rise up and take it. “Why should we sit here and wait?” they said. “Let us go up and possess the land, for we have seen it, and it is very good. Do not delay! The Lord has given it into our hands.”
Six hundred armed men from the tribe of Dan set out from Zorah and Eshtaol, ready to conquer Laish. Along the way, they passed by Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim. The five spies who had visited Micah before said to their fellow warriors, “Do you know that in this house there is an ephod, teraphim, a carved image, and a molten image? Consider what you should do.” The Danites decided to take these sacred objects for themselves, believing they would bring them success in their mission.
They entered Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image. The young Levite, seeing the armed men, was afraid and asked, “What are you doing?” The Danites replied, “Be quiet! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us. Be a father and a priest to us. 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?” The Levite, seeing an opportunity for greater influence and honor, agreed to go with them.
Micah, returning home, discovered that his shrine had been plundered and his priest taken away. He gathered his neighbors and pursued the Danites, catching up to them as they camped near the city of Kiriath-jearim. Micah cried out, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away. What more do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’”
The Danites, unmoved by Micah’s plea, responded harshly, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry men fall upon you, and you lose your life and the lives of your household.” Micah, seeing that the Danites were too strong for him, turned back and returned home, defeated and humiliated.
The Danites continued their journey and came to Laish. They attacked the peaceful and unsuspecting people, killing them and burning their city to the ground. There was no one to deliver them, for they were far from Sidon and had no allies. The Danites rebuilt the city and named it Dan, after their ancestor. They set up the carved image they had taken from Micah’s house, and the young Levite served as their priest. This idolatry became a snare to the tribe of Dan and to all Israel, for they worshiped the image instead of the Lord their God.
Thus, in those days, when there was no king in Israel, the people did what was right in their own eyes, turning away from the Lord and following after idols. The story of the Danites serves as a warning against the dangers of self-reliance, idolatry, and disobedience to God’s commands. It reminds us that true security and blessing come only from faithfulness to the Lord, who alone is worthy of our worship and trust.
