11. So 600 men from the tribe of Dan left Zorah and Eshtaol, ready for battle.
12. They went up and made camp west of Kiriath Jearim in Judah. That is why the place is still called Camp of Dan.
13. They went on from there and came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim.
14. Then the five men who had gone to explore the country round Laish said to their companions, “Did you know that here in one of these houses there is a wooden idol covered with silver? There are also other idols and an ephod. What do you think we should do?”
15. So they went into Micah's house, where the young Levite lived, and asked the Levite how he was getting on.
16. Meanwhile the 600 soldiers from Dan, ready for battle, were standing at the gate.
17. The five spies went straight on into the house and took the wooden idol covered with silver, the other idols, and the ephod, while the priest stayed at the gate with the 600 armed men.
18. When the men went into Micah's house and took the sacred objects, the priest asked them, “What are you doing?”
19. They said, “Keep quiet. Don't say a word. Come with us and be our priest and adviser. Wouldn't you rather be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for the family of one man?”
20. This made the priest very happy, so he took the sacred objects and went along with them.
21. They turned round and started off, with their children, their livestock, and their belongings going ahead.
22. They had travelled a good distance from the house when Micah called his neighbours out for battle. They caught up with the men from Dan
23. and shouted at them. The men from Dan turned round and asked Micah, “What's the matter? Why all this mob?”
24. Micah answered, “What do you mean, ‘What's the matter?’ You take my priest and the gods that I made, and walk off! What have I got left?”