14
Then the five men who had spied out the land of Laish said to their fellow Danites, “Do you know that one of these houses has an ephod, some household gods and an image overlaid with silver? Now you know what to do.”
15
So they turned in there and went to the house of the young Levite at Micah’s place and greeted him.
16
The six hundred Danites, armed for battle, stood at the entrance of the gate.
17
The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods while the priest and the six hundred armed men stood at the entrance of the gate.
18
When the five men went into Micah’s house and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”
19
They answered him, “Be quiet! Don’t say a word. Come with us, and be our father and priest. Isn’t it better that you serve a tribe and clan in Israel as priest rather than just one man’s household?”
20
The priest was very pleased. He took the ephod, the household gods and the idol and went along with the people.
21
Putting their little children, their livestock and their possessions in front of them, they turned away and left.
22
When they had gone some distance from Micah’s house, the men who lived near Micah were called together and overtook the Danites.
23
As they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you that you called out your men to fight?”
24
He replied, “You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, ‘What’s the matter with you?’ ”
25
The Danites answered, “Don’t argue with us, or some of the men may get angry and attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.”
26
So the Danites went their way, and Micah, seeing that they were too strong for him, turned around and went back home.