Why is there no one to rescue Lais when the Danites attack?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The chapter says Lais is far from Sidon and has no society or business with any man. The six hundred Danites strike the quiet, secure people with the sword, burn the city, then rebuild and dwell there.

Chapter breakdown

There is no king in Israel. Dan seeks an inheritance to dwell in because it has not received its lot among the other tribes up to that day. Challoner separately says the tribe had a portion assigned in Josue 19:40 but, through its own sloth, possessed only a small part; he refers to Judges 1:34. The Danites send five of the most valiant men of their own stock and family from Saraa and Esthaol to view the land diligently. They reach mount Ephraim and rest at Michas’s house. Recognizing the young Levite’s voice, they lodge with him and ask who brought him there, what he is doing and why he came. He replies that Michas has done such and such for him and hired him as priest. They ask him to consult the Lord about whether their journey will prosper and take effect. He tells them to go in peace, saying the Lord looks on their way and journey.

The five reach Lais and see people dwelling without fear, secure and at ease according to the Sidonians’ custom. Nobody opposes them, they are very rich, and they live apart and far from Sidon and all men. The spies return to their brethren at Saraa and Esthaol, who ask what they have done. They urge them to arise and go, saying they have seen an exceedingly rich and fruitful land. They tell them not to neglect it or lose time, because there will be no difficulty going in and possessing it. They describe the spacious country and secure people, say the Lord will deliver it to them, and report no want of anything that grows on earth.

Six hundred armed men of Dan’s own kin leave Saraa and Esthaol and camp at Cariathiarim in Juda. The place behind Cariathiarim is called the Camp of Dan to this day. They pass to mount Ephraim and Michas’s house. The five former spies tell their brethren that these houses contain an ephod, theraphim and a graven and molten god, and tell them to consider what they are pleased to do. They turn aside to the young Levite’s house, which is Michas’s house, greet him with words of peace, and the six hundred armed men stand at the door.

The men who enter the young man’s house set about taking the graven god, ephod, theraphim and molten god while the priest stands at the door and the six hundred valiant armed men wait not far off. As they take the objects, the priest asks what they are doing. They tell him to hold his peace, put his finger on his mouth and come with them as father and priest. They ask whether it is better to be priest in one man’s house or in a tribe and family in Israel. He agrees when he hears this, takes the ephod, idols and graven god, and departs with them.

They continue their journey, putting children, cattle and all valuables in front. When they are some distance from Michas’s house, the men from the houses there gather and follow them, shouting after them. The Danites look back and ask Michas why he cries. He says they have taken the gods he made and his priest, all that he has, and asks why they ask what ails him. They tell him to say no more, lest enraged men come upon him and he perish with all his house. The Danites go on. Michas sees they are stronger than he is and returns home.

Taking the things Michas made and his priest, the six hundred come to Lais, to a quiet and secure people. They strike them with the sword and burn the city. No one rescues them because they are far from Sidon and have no society or business with any man. Lais lies in the land of Rohob. The Danites rebuild it and dwell there, naming it Dan after their father, the son of Israel; it was previously called Lais.

They set up the graven idol. Jonathan, son of Gersam, son of Moses, and his sons are priests in the tribe of Dan until the day of their captivity. The idol that Michas made remains with them all the time the house of God is in Silo. In those days there is no king in Israel.

The story inside

Dan’s search begins with five scouts, a stay at Michas’s house and a request for the Levite’s assurance. Their observation of Lais produces a report urging immediate possession. Six hundred then march from the same towns, camp behind Cariathiarim and reach the house. The scouts point out its religious objects, take them and draw the priest into the journey by offering service to a tribe and family. Michas and his neighbors pursue, but the threat and the Danites’ greater strength lead him home. The six hundred attack Lais; its distance and lack of dealings leave it without rescue. They rebuild it as Dan and set up the idol. The ending names Jonathan’s priestly line and separately gives the durations of the priests and Michas’s idol.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The search has both a Scripture statement and a separate note. Scripture says Dan has not received its lot, while Challoner refers to an assigned portion and the small part possessed through sloth. Keeping both allows the reader to see the distinction without adding a new geographical explanation.
2
The priest’s move follows a recorded offer and response. The men silence his question, contrast one household with a tribe and family, and he agrees and takes the named objects. His motives beyond that agreement are not supplied.
3
Lais’s lack of rescue is explained in the account. Its distance from Sidon and lack of society or business precede the rebuilding and new name. The closing priestly ancestry and two duration statements are retained without importing a later worship story.

Test your recall

What do the five scouts report about Lais, how do the Danites obtain Michas’s priest, and why do both Michas’s pursuit and Lais’s hope of rescue fail?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 27170–27201
Judges Chapter 18 The expedition of the men of Dan against Lais: in their way they rob Michas of his priest and his gods. 18:1. In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for unto that day they had not received their lot among the other tribes. Not received, etc.... They had their portions assigned them, Jos. 19.40. But, through their own sloth, possessed as yet but a small part of it. See Judges 1.34. 18:2. So the children of Dan sent five most valiant men, of their stock and family, from Saraa and Esthaol, to spy out the land, and to view it diligently: and they said to them: Go, and view the land. They went on their way, and when they came to mount Ephraim, they went into the house of Michas, and rested there: 18:3. And knowing the voice of the young man the Levite, and lodging with him, they said to him: Who brought thee hither? what dost thou here? why wouldst thou come hither? 18:4. He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest. 18:5. Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have effect. 18:6. He answered them: Go in peace: the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.
Lines 27203–27218
18:7. So the five men going on came to Lais: and they saw how the people dwelt therein without any fear, according to the custom of the Sidonians, secure and easy, having no man at all to oppose them, being very rich, and living separated, at a distance from Sidon and from all men. 18:8. And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done: to whom they answered: 18:9. Arise, and let us go up to them: for we have seen the land which is exceeding rich and fruitful: neglect not, lose no time: let us go and possess it, there will be no difficulty. 18:10. We shall come to a people that is secure, into a spacious country, and the Lord will deliver the place to us, in which there is no want of any thing that groweth on the earth.
Lines 27220–27239
18:11. There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war. 18:12. And going up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim. 18:13. From thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas, 18:14. The five men, that before had been sent to view the land of Lais, said to the rest of their brethren: You know that in these houses there is an ephod and theraphim, and a graven and a molten god: see what you are pleased to do. 18:15. And when they had turned a little aside, they went into the house of the young man the Levite, who was in the house of Michas: and they saluted him with words of peace. 18:16. And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.
Lines 27241–27256
18:17. But they that were gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting not far off. 18:18. So they that were gone in took away the graven thing, the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god, And the priest said to them: What are you doing? 18:19. And they said to him: Hold thy peace, and put thy finger on thy mouth, and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family in Israel? 18:20. When he heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.
Lines 27258–27275
18:21. And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle, and all that was valuable, 18:22. And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them, 18:23. And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry? 18:24. And he answered: You have taken away my gods which I have made me, and the priest, and all that I have, and do you say: What aileth thee? 18:25. And the children of Dan said to him: See thou say no more to us, lest men enraged come upon thee, and thou perish with all thy house. 18:26. And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.
Lines 27277–27288
18:27. And the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we spoke of before, and came to Lais, to a people that was quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword: and the city they burnt with fire, 18:28. There being no man at all who brought them any succour, because they dwelt far from Sidon, and had no society or business with any man. And the city was in the land of Rohob: and they rebuilt it, and dwelt therein, 18:29. Calling the name of the city Dan, after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.
Lines 27290–27297
18:30. And they set up to themselves the graven idol, and Jonathan the son of Gersam, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests in the tribe of Dan, until the day of their captivity. 18:31. And the idol of Michas remained with them all the time that the house of God was in Silo. In those days there was no king in Israel.