Judges 18:20-1964 bbe — Then the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod and the family gods and the pictured image and went with the pe…

“The priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the engraved image, and went in the midst of the people. So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the livestock and the goods before them. When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. They cried to the children of Dan. They turned their faces, and said to Micah, "What ails you, that you come with such a company?" He said, "You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away, and what more do I have? How then do you say to me, 'What ails you?'" The children of Dan said to him, "Don't let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall on you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household." The children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house. They took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and struck them with the edge of the sword; and they burnt the city with fire. There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with any man; and it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. They built the city, and lived therein. They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel: however the name of the city was Laish at the first. The children of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land. So they set them up Micah's engraved image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.”

“The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group. They turned and went on their way, but they walked behind the children, the cattle, and their possessions. After they had gone a good distance from Micah’s house, Micah’s neighbors gathered together and caught up with the Danites. When they called out to the Danites, the Danites turned around and said to Micah,“Why have you gathered together?” He said,“You stole my gods that I made, as well as this priest, and then went away. What do I have left? How can you have the audacity to say to me,‘What do you want?’” The Danites said to him,“Don’t say another word to us, or some very angry men will attack you, and you and your family will die.” The Danites went on their way; when Micah realized they were too strong to resist, he turned around and went home. Now the Danites took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and came to Laish, where the people were undisturbed and unsuspecting. They struck them down with the sword and burned the city. No one came to the rescue because the city was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone. The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob. The Danites rebuilt the city and occupied it. They named it Dan after their ancestor, who was one of Israel’s sons. But the city’s name used to be Laish. The Danites worshiped the carved image. Jonathan, descendant of Gershom, son of Moses, and his descendants served as priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the exile. They worshiped Micah’s carved image the whole time God’s authorized shrine was in Shiloh.”