The Judges & Ruth

But they that were gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting not far off.

So they that were gone in took away the graven thing, the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god, And the priest said to them: What are you doing?

And they said to him: Hold thy peace, and put thy finger on thy mouth, and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family in Israel?

When he heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.

And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle, and all that was valuable,

And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them,

And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?

And he answered: You have taken away my gods which I have made me, and the priest, and all that I have, and do you say: What aileth thee?

And the children of Dan said to him: See thou say no more to us, lest men enraged come upon thee, and thou perish with all thy house.

And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.

And the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we spoke of before, and came to Lais, to a people that was quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword: and the city they burnt with fire,

There being no man at all who brought them any succour, because they dwelt far from Sidon, and had no society or business with any man. And the city was in the land of Rohob: and they rebuilt it, and dwelt therein,

Calling the name of the city Dan, after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.

And they set up to themselves the graven idol, and Jonathan the son of Gersam, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests in the tribe of Dan, until the day of their captivity.

And the idol of Michas remained with them all the time that the house of God was in Silo. In those days there was no king in Israel.

There was a certain Levite, who dwelt on the side of mount Ephraim, who took a wife of Bethlehem Juda:

And she left him, and returned to her father's house in Bethlehem, and abode with him four months.

And her husband followed her, willing to be reconciled with her, and to speak kindly to her, and to bring her back with him, having with him a servant and two asses: and she received him, and brought him into her father's house. And when his father in law had heard this, and had seen him, he met him with joy,

And embraced the man. And the son in law tarried in the house of his father in law three days, eating with him and drinking familiarly.

But on the fourth day, arising early in the morning, he desired to depart. But his father in law kept him, and said to him: Taste first a little bread, and strengthen thy stomach, and so thou shalt depart.

And they sat down together, and ate and drank. And the father of the young woman said to his son in law: I beseech thee to stay here to day, and let us make merry together.

But he rising up, began to be for departing. And nevertheless his father in law earnestly pressed him, and made him stay with him.

But when morning was come, the Levite prepared to go on his journey. And his father in law said to him again: I beseech thee to take a little meat, and strengthening thyself, till the day be farther advanced, afterwards thou mayest depart. And they ate together.

And the young man arose to set forward with his wife and servant. And his father in law spoke to him again: Consider that the day is declining, and draweth toward evening: tarry with me to day also, and spend the day in mirth, and to morrow thou shalt depart, that thou mayest go into thy house.

His son in law would not consent to his words: but forthwith went forward, and came over against Jebus, which by another name is called Jerusalem, leading with him two asses loaden, and his concubine.