This is the point in the narrative where the three strands of the story in Judges 17:1–18:31 meet. Micah’s shrine is here, the spies earlier lodged here, and now the company of Danites shows up at the location in the hill country of Ephraim. It may sound surprising to see the Danites arriving here, but this is really no surprise at all. In all likelihood, the five spies are now acting as guides for the company of the Danites (also the start of Judges 18:14 seems to suggest this), and in effect are simply retracing their steps back to Laish. Further, the way the end of the verse reads—they…came to the house of Micah
—strongly suggests that this was an intentional destination.1
13 And they passed on from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.