Judges 18:17

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.

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 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?"