[7] Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B;

[13] Three sections of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) — Judges 17–18, Judges 19–21, Ruth 1–4 — form a trilogy with a link to the city Bethlehem of Judah and characterized by the repetitive unique statement:[14] as in the following chart:[15] Chapters 17–18 record a Danite founding narrative that gives insight into Israelite early religious lives, and the ideology of war as background to the establishment of Dan as a city.

[5] Reading the entire section in the light of Deuteronomy 12:1–13:1, there are several thematic elements and concerns in common, although Judges 17:1–18:31 usually portrays them antithetically.

[16] This chapter starts with the report of a Danite clan in search of a new homeland, sending out a reconnaissance mission (verse 2; cf.

[5] The conquest of Laish by the Danites is reported using the language of biblical "ban" in Deuteronomy and Joshua ("putting to the sword and burning") but here the intention is quite different (cf.

[5] The use of the word pesel ("idol" or "graven image") in verses 30–31 as in Judges 17:3, 4; 18:14, indicates the disapproval of the idolatry of the Danites (and Micah), as there is clear comparison to the 'God's house' which was then in the sanctuary at Shiloh.