The priest acts without delay, taking the idols from the five men who had just stolen them. This is in effect his consecrating himself into his new office. And then he went along with the people,
joining the migrants as an honorary Danite
1 and cutting himself off from Micah. This truly is nothing short of an act of complete betrayal, but not at all surprising, given what we know of the priest’s character.2
20 And the priest’s heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.