16. And six hundred men from the descendants of Dan, armed with their weapons of war, were standing at the entrance of the gate.
17. And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and they entered there and took the carved divine image, ephod, teraphim, and the molten image. The priest was standing at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with the weapons of war.
18. When these went to Micah’s house, they took the divine carved image, ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image, and the priest asked them, “What are you doing?”
19. And they said to him, “Keep quiet! Put your hand on your mouth and come with us and be for us a father and a priest. Is it better being a priest for a house of one man or being a priest for a tribe and clan in Israel?”
20. The priest accepted the offer, and he took the ephod, teraphim, and molten image and went along with the people.
21. And they turned and went and put the little children, the livestock, and the valuable property in front of them.
22. When they were at a distance from the house, Micah and the men who were in the houses that were near the house of Micah cried out, and they overtook the descendants of Dan.
23. And they called to the descendants of Dan, who turned around to face them, and they said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you assembled together?”
24. He said, “You took away my gods that I had made, and the priest, and then you go away. What is now left for me? How can you say to me, ‘What is the matter?’ ”
25. And the descendants of Dan said to him, “You should not let your voice be heard among us, so that ill-tempered men will not attack you, and take your life and the lives of your household.”
26. And the descendants of Dan went their way. When Micah saw that they were stronger than him, he turned to return to his house.
27. And they took what Micah had made, and his priest, and they came to Laish, to a quiet and unsuspecting people, and they put them to the sword and burned the city with fire.
28. There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had had no dealings with anyone. It was in the valley that belonged to Beth-rehob, and they rebuilt the city and lived in it.
29. And they called the name of the city Dan, after Dan their ancestor, who was born to Israel; but the former name of the city was Laish.