The Danites Take Micah’s Idols

14 Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do.”

15 So they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and greeted him.

16 The six hundred Danites stood at the entrance of the gate, armed with their weapons of war. 17 And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.

18 When they entered Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19 “Be quiet,” they told him. “Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?”

20 So the priest was glad and took the ephod, the household idols, and the graven image, and went with the people. 21 Putting their small children, their livestock, and their possessions in front of them, they turned and departed.

22 After they were some distance from Micah’s house, the men in the houses near Micah’s house mobilized and overtook the Danites. 23 When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?”

24 He replied, “You took the gods I had made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’ ”

25 The Danites said to him, “Do not raise your voice against us, or angry men will attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.”

26 So the Danites went on their way, and Micah turned to go back home, because he saw that they were too strong for him.

27 After they had taken Micah’s idols and his priest, they went to Laish, to a tranquil and unsuspecting people, and they struck them with their swords and burned down the city. 28 There was no one to deliver them, because the city was far from Sidon and had no alliance with anyone; it was in a valley near Beth-rehob.

And the Danites rebuilt the city and lived there. 29 They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish.

30 The Danites set up idols for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses,[fn] and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

31 So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image, and it was there the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh.