17. the five men who had gone to spy on the land moved up, went inside, and took the sculpted image, the priestly vest, the divine images, and the molded image. The priest was standing at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed for battle
18. when these five entered Micah’s sanctuary and took the sculpted image, the priestly vest, the divine images, and the molded image.The priest said to them, "What are you doing?"
19. "Shut up!" they said to him. "Put your hand over your mouth! Come with us and be a father and a priest for us. Would you rather be a priest for one man’s household or a priest for a tribe and a clan in Israel?"
20. The priest was convinced, so he took the priestly vest, the divine images, and the sculpted image and went along with the people.
21. They headed back on their way, but they put the children, the livestock, and the prized possessions in front of them.
22. After they had gone a good distance away from Micah’s house, the men who were in the houses around Micah’s home were summoned for battle and caught up to the Danites.
23. They called out to the Danites, who turned around and said to Micah, "Why have you summoned men for battle?"
24. Micah replied, "You’ve taken my gods that I made, and the priest, and have gone off! What do I have left? How can you ask me what is wrong?"
25. But the Danites said to him, "Don’t raise your voice with us or else hotheaded men will attack you, and you and your household will lose your lives."
26. Then the Danites went on their way. When Micah realized that they were too strong for him, he turned around and went home.
27. The Danites took along the things that Micah had made, as well as the priest who had been with him, and came to Laish, to a people who were undisturbed and secure. They killed the people and burned down the city.
28. No one was there to rescue them because the city was far away from Sidon and had no dealings with anyone else. It was in the Beth-rehob Valley.They rebuilt the city and settled in it.
29. They renamed the city Dan, after their ancestor Dan who had been one of Israel’s sons; but in fact, the original name of the city was Laish.
30. The Danites set up the sculpted image for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom and grandson of Moses, and his sons became priests for the Danite tribe until the land went into exile.
31. They kept for themselves the sculpted image that Micah had made throughout the whole time that God’s sanctuary was in Shiloh.