Judges 18:17

17 while the five who had spied out the land went in and took the idol overlaid with silver, the vest and the household gods. The cohen had stayed with the 600 soldiers by the gate.

Judges 18:17 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 18:17

And the five men that went out to spy the land went up and
came thither
They first came to Micah's house, and saluted the young man, and after that salutation told him there was such a number of their brethren at the gate of the city, very probably, who would be glad to see him; and the young man being desirous also of seeing them, and paying his respects to them, went with them thither, and after they had introduced him, left him discoursing with them, and then returned to his apartment:

and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the
molten image;
and brought them away with them; and from hence it appears plainly that there were two images, the one graven, and the other molten, since they are so manifestly distinguished, and the ephod and teraphim are spoken of between them:

and the priest stood in the entering of the gate, with the six hundred
men that were appointed with the weapons of war;
who kept him in talk, while the five men went and stole the above things.

Judges 18:17 In-Context

15 They turned off the road and went to the house of the young Levi, that is, to Mikhah's house, and asked how he was doing.

16 The 600 soldiers from Dan stayed at the gate,

17 while the five who had spied out the land went in and took the idol overlaid with silver, the vest and the household gods. The cohen had stayed with the 600 soldiers by the gate.

18 But when they went into Mikhah's house and took the silver-covered image, the vest and the household gods, the cohen asked them, "What are you doing?"

19 They replied, "Be quiet, keep your mouth shut, and come with us. Be a father and a cohen for us. Which is better? To be a cohen in the house of one man or to be cohen to a whole tribe and family in Isra'el?"