17. And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up, and entering there, they took the carved image, and the shoulder garment, and the house idols, and the moulded image, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men who were armed for battle.
18. And these went into Miḵah’s house and took the idol, and the shoulder garment, and the house idols, and the moulded image. Then the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”
19. And they said to him, “Be silent, 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 to the household of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a clan in Yisra’ĕl?”
20. And the heart of the priest was glad. And he took the shoulder garment, and the house idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people.
21. And they turned and went, and put the little ones, and the livestock, and the valuables in front of them.
22. They had gone some distance from the house of Miḵah, when the men who were in the houses near Miḵah’s house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan,
23. and called out to the children of Dan. So they turned around and said to Miḵah, “What is the matter, that you have gathered such a company?”
24. And he said, “You have taken away my mighty ones which I made, and the priest, and you are leaving. Now what more do I have? What is this you say to me, ‘What is the matter?’ ”
25. And the children of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest men, bitter of being, fall upon you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household!”
26. And the children of Dan went their way. And when Miḵah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.
27. Then they took what Miḵah had made, and the priest who had belonged to him, and went to Layish, to a people who were at rest and unsuspecting, and smote them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.
28. And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Tsiḏon, and they had no word with anyone. And it was in the valley that belongs to Bĕyth Reḥoḇ. And they rebuilt the city and dwelt there.
29. And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Yisra’ĕl. But previously the name of the city was Layish.
30. And the children of Dan set up for themselves the carved image. And Yehonathan son of Gĕreshom, son of Menashsheh, and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day the land was taken into exile.