Judges 18:14-27

14The five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their kinsmen, “Do you realize that inside these houses are an ephod, some personal idols, a carved image, and a metal image? Decide now what you want to do.”

15They stopped there, went inside the young Levite’s house (which belonged to Micah), and asked him how he was doing.

16Meanwhile the six hundred Danites, fully armed, stood at the entrance to the gate.

17The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred fully armed men.

18When these men broke into Micah’s house and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

19They said to him, “Shut up! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us! You can be our adviser and priest. Wouldn’t it be better to be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for just one man’s family?”

20The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group.

21They turned and went on their way, but they walked behind the children, the cattle, and their possessions.

22After they had gone a good distance from Micah’s house, Micah’s neighbors gathered together and caught up with the Danites.

23When they called out to the Danites, the Danites turned around and said to Micah, “Why have you gathered together?”

24He said, “You stole my gods that I made, as well as this priest, and then went away. What do I have left? How can you have the audacity to say to me, ‘What do you want?’”

25The Danites said to him, “Don’t say another word to us, or some very angry men will attack you, and you and your family will die.”

26The Danites went on their way; when Micah realized they were too strong to resist, he turned around and went home.

27Now the Danites took what Micah had made, as well as his priest, and came to Laish, where the people were undisturbed and unsuspecting. They struck them down with the sword and burned the city.