In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was looking for an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day, their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.

They said to him, "Hold your peace, lay your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?"

The children of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the exile from the land.

The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What wickedness is this that has happened among you?

They said, "LORD God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?"

The children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, "There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

They said, "There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel.

The children of Israel departed there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.