5. Then they said to him, "Please ask God for advice. Try to find out whether we'll have success on our journey."
6. The priest answered them, "Go in peace. The Lord is pleased with your journey."
7. So the five men left. They came to Laish. There they saw that the people felt secure. They were living in safety. Like the people in Sidon, they weren't expecting anything bad to happen to them. Their land had everything they needed. Things were going very well for them. They lived a long way from the people of Sidon. And they didn't think they would ever need help from anyone else.
8. The men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol. Their people asked them, "What did you find out?"
9. They answered, "Come on! Let's attack them! We've seen that the land is very good. Aren't you going to do something? Don't wait any longer. Go there and take it over.
10. When you get there, you will find people who aren't expecting anything bad to happen to them. Their land has plenty of room. God has handed it over to you. It's a land that has everything you will ever need."
11. So 600 men from the tribe of Dan started out from Zorah and Eshtaol. They were prepared for battle.
12. On their way they set up camp. Their camp was near Kiriath Jearim in Judah. That's why the place is called Mahaneh Dan to this very day. It's west of Kiriath Jearim.
13. From there they went to the hill country of Ephraim. They came to Micah's house.
14. Then the five men who had looked over the land of Laish spoke to the other members of their tribe. They said, "Don't you know that one of these houses has a sacred linen apron in it? Some statues of family gods are there. It also has two statues of other gods in it. One of them is made out of wood or stone. The other is made out of silver. Now you know what to do."
15. So they turned off the road and stopped there. They went to the house of the young Levite. He was at Micah's place. They greeted the young man.
16. The 600 men from Dan stood at the entrance of the gate. They were prepared for battle.
17. The five men who had looked over the land went inside. They took the two statues. They also took the family gods and the linen apron. During that time, the priest stood at the entrance of the gate. The 600 men stood there with him. They were prepared for battle.
18. When those men went into Micah's house and took all of those things, the priest spoke to them. He asked, "What are you doing?"
19. They answered him, "Be quiet! Don't say a word. Come with us. Be our father and priest. You can serve a whole tribe and family group in Israel as our priest. Isn't that better than serving just one man's family?"