1. These things happened before kings ruled Israel.About this time, the tribe of Dan was looking for a place to live. The other tribes had land, but the people of Dan did not really have any to call their own.
2. The tribe chose five warriors to represent their clans and told them, “Go and find some land where we can live.”The warriors left the area of Zorah and Eshtaol and went into the hill country of Ephraim. One night they stayed at Micah's house,
3. because they heard the young Levite talking, and they knew from his accent that he was from the south. They asked him, “What are you doing here? Who brought you here?”
4. The Levite replied, “Micah hired me as his priest.” Then he told them how well Micah had treated him.
5. “Please talk to God for us,” the men said. “Ask God if we will be successful in what we are trying to do.”
6. “Don't worry,” answered the priest. “The Lord is pleased with what you are doing.”
15-18. The six hundred warriors left the road and went to the house on Micah's property where the young Levite priest lived. They stood at the gate and greeted the priest. Meanwhile, the five men who had been there before went into Micah's house and took the sacred priestly apron and the idols.“Hey!” the priest shouted. “What do you think you're doing?”
27-28. The tribe of Dan took Micah's priest and the things Micah had made, and headed for Laish, which was in a valley controlled by the town of Beth-Rehob. Laish was defenceless, because it had no walls and was too far from Sidon for the Sidonians to help defend it. The leaders of Laish had not even asked nearby towns to help them in case of an attack.The warriors from Dan made a surprise attack on Laish, killing everyone and burning it down. Then they rebuilt the town and settled there themselves.
30-31. Even though the place of worship was in Shiloh, the people of Dan set up the idol Micah had made. They worshipped the idol, and the Levite was their priest. His name was Jonathan, and he was a descendant of Gershom the son of Moses. His descendants served as priests for the tribe of Dan, until the people of Israel were taken away as prisoners by their enemies.