1In those days there was no king in Israel; and the tribe of Dan was seeking a place to settle; for up to then, they had not come into their inheritance that was allotted to them among the tribes of Israel. 2And the descendants of Dan sent leading men of their clan from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to scout and survey the land. And they told them, “Go, search the land.” And when they came to the house of Micah in Mount Ephraim, they lodged there. 3For when they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; and so they turned in there, and said to him, “Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And why are you here?” 4And he told them what Micah had done for him, and said, “Micah has hired me, and I am his priest.” 5And they said to him, “Please inquire of God whether our mission shall be prosperous.” 6And the priest answered, “Go in peace; your journey has the LORD’s approval.” 7Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people who were there, how they dwelt without anxiety (carelessly), after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; and since the land lacked in nothing; and they were prosperous, were far from the Sidonians, and had no allies with anyone. 8And when they returned to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers asked, “What did you find?” 9And they replied, “Come; let us go attack them! We have seen the land, and it is very good. What are you waiting for? Let’s go, and take over the land. 10When you get there, you will find unsuspecting people living in a spacious land; for God has given it to you, a land that lacks nothing on the earth.”

11And then six hundred men, selected from the clan of Danites, went with weapons of war from Zorah and Eshtaol, 12And they camped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah; which is called “Mahaneh-dan” (meaning “City of Forests”) to this day: it is behind Kiriath-jearim. 13And they passed from there to Mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah. 14Then the five men who had scouted the country of Laish said to their brethren, “Do you know that in these houses there are an ephod, teraphim, carved and melted images? Now, therefore, consider what you must do.” 15And they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young Levite, to the house of Micah, and greeted him. 16And the six hundred men armed with weapons of war, all descendants of Dan, stood by the gate entrance. 17And the five scouts went in, and took the ephod, teraphim, and the carved and melted images; and the priest stood in the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed for war. 18Then said the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19And they said, “Be quiet! Put your hand over your mouth, come with us, and be our father and priest. Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or to be a priest to a tribe and clan of Israel?” 20And the priest was quite happy, and he took the ephod, teraphim, carved and melted images, and went with them. 21So they departed, putting their little children, possessions, and cattle in front of them.

22And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, Micah and his neighbors gathered and pursued the descendants of Dan. 23And they shouted when they overtook them. And the descendants of Dan turned and said to Micah, “Why have you pursued us with such a company?” 24And Micah said, “You have taken the gods which I made, and my priest. And what else do I have left? And how can you ask me, ‘Why do I pursue you?’” 25And the descendants of Dan told him, “Do not raise your voice to us, or some men among us may get angry and attack you, and you could lose your life, with the lives of your household.” 26And the Danites continued on their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he returned to his house.

27And they (the Danites) took the idols of Micah, and his priest, and went to Laish, where the people were living feeling safe and secure; and attacked them with the sword, and burned their city. 28And there was no one to save them, because their city was far from Sidon, and they had no allies among those living in the valley that lies near Beth-rehob. Then they rebuilt the city, and settled in it. 29And they named the city “Dan”, after the father of their tribe, who was born to Israel; though the city had been named “Laish.” 30And the descendants of Dan set up those carved images; and Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, and his sons served as priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of their captivity and exile from the land. 31And they continued to worship the carved image which Micah had made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.