¹⁸ When the five men went into Micah’s house and took^(A) the idol, the ephod and the household gods,^(B) the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

¹⁹ They answered him, “Be quiet!^(C) Don’t say a word. Come with us, and be our father and priest.^(D) Isn’t it better that you serve a tribe and clan^(E) in Israel as priest rather than just one man’s household?” ²⁰ The priest was very pleased. He took the ephod, the household gods and the idol and went along with the people. ²¹ Putting their little children, their livestock and their possessions in front of them, they turned away and left.

²² When they had gone some distance from Micah’s house, the men who lived near Micah were called together and overtook the Danites. ²³ As they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you that you called out your men to fight?”

²⁴ He replied, “You took^(F) the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, ‘What’s the matter with you?’”

²⁵ The Danites answered, “Don’t argue with us, or some of the men may get angry and attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.” ²⁶ So the Danites went their way, and Micah, seeing that they were too strong for him,^(G) turned around and went back home.

²⁷ Then they took what Micah had made, and his priest, and went on to Laish, against a people at peace and secure.^(H) They attacked them with the sword and burned^(I) down their city.^{(J) 28} There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon^(K) and had no relationship with anyone else. The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob.^(L)

The Danites rebuilt the city and settled there. ²⁹ They named it Dan^(M) after their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city used to be called Laish.^{(N) 30} There the Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom,^(O) the son of Moses,^[a] and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land. ³¹ They continued to use the idol Micah had made,^(P) all the time the house of God^(Q) was in Shiloh.^(R)