Laish

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(lion). (1) A northern Danite city (Judg. 18:7-29⁷Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man. ⁸And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye? ⁹And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land. ¹⁰When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth. ¹¹And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war. ¹²And they went up, and pitched in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim. ¹³And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah. ¹⁴Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do. ¹⁵And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him. ¹⁶And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate. ¹⁷And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war. ¹⁸And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye? ¹⁹And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel? ²⁰And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people. ²¹So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them. ²²And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. ²³And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company? ²⁴And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee? ²⁵And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household. ²⁶And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house. ²⁷And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire. ²⁸And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein. ²⁹And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first. (Judges 18:7‑29); Isa. 10:30³⁰Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth. (Isaiah 10:30)). (2) Father of Phaltiel (1 Sam. 25:44⁴⁴But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim. (1 Samuel 25:44); 2 Sam. 3:15¹⁵And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. (2 Samuel 3:15)). Leshem (Josh. 19:47⁴⁷And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father. (Joshua 19:47)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

1. City in the far north of Palestine, conquered by the tribe of Dan (Judg. 18:7,14,27⁷Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man. (Judges 18:7)
¹⁴Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do. (Judges 18:14)
²⁷And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire. (Judges 18:27); Isa. 10:30³⁰Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth. (Isaiah 10:30)). Called LESHEM in Joshua 19:47⁴⁷And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father. (Joshua 19:47). Its name was afterward altered to DAN.

2. Father of Phalti or Phaltiel (1 Sam. 25:44⁴⁴But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim. (1 Samuel 25:44); 2 Sam. 3:15¹⁵And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. (2 Samuel 3:15)).

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:

3919 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Transliteration:

Layish

Phonic:

lah’-yish

Meaning:

the same as 3918; Laish, the name of two places in Palestine

KJV Usage:

Laish. Compare 3889

Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:

to knead (reading of some copies in 2 Sam. 3:15) : a lion

Potts’ Bible Proper Names:

A lion; crushing; destructive blows:― name of two places in Palestine, 1 Sam. 25:44. {Leo}