Judges 18:16-31

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

¹⁶ While the six hundred men of the Danites, armed with their weapons of war, stood by the entrance of the gate,^{(A) 17} the five men who had gone to spy out the land proceeded to enter and take the idol of cast metal, the ephod, and the teraphim.^[a] The priest was standing by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war.^{(B) 18} When the men went into Micah’s house and took the idol of cast metal, the ephod, and the teraphim, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” ¹⁹ They said to him, “Keep quiet! Put your hand over your mouth, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one person or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?”^{(C) 20} Then the priest accepted the offer. He took the ephod, the teraphim, and the idol and went along with the people.

²¹ So they resumed their journey, putting the little ones, the livestock, and the goods in front of them. ²² When they were some distance from the home of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house were called out, and they overtook the Danites. ²³ They shouted to the Danites, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter that you come with such a company?” ²⁴ He replied, “You take my gods that I made and the priest and go away, and what have I left? How then can you ask me, ‘What is the matter?’ ”^{(D) 25} And the Danites said to him, “You had better not let your voice be heard among us, or else hot-tempered fellows will attack you, and you will lose your life and the lives of your household.” ²⁶ Then the Danites went their way. When Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home.

The Danites Settle in Laish

²⁷ The Danites, having taken what Micah had made and the priest who belonged to him, came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, put them to the sword, and burned down the city.^{(E) 28} There was no deliverer because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with Aram.^[b] It was in the valley that belongs to Beth-rehob. They rebuilt the city and lived in it.^{(F) 29} They named the city Dan after their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel, but the name of the city was formerly Laish.^{(G) 30} Then the Danites set up the idol for themselves. Jonathan son of Gershom son of Moses^[c] and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the time the land went into captivity.^{(H) 31} So they maintained as their own Micah’s idol that he had made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.^(I)