So 600 men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol,
English Standard Version (ESV)
These aren't just 600 men heading out; the text emphasizes they are "appointed with weapons of war," meaning they were equipped and ready for battle. This detail highlights that their mission wasn't merely an exploration, but a serious, armed undertaking to conquer new territory.
So 600 men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following the report from five spies who discovered a fertile but undefended territory, a large contingent of armed men from the tribe of Dan, originally from Zorah and Eshtaol, embarks on a migration to claim this new land. This military group, comprising 600 men, represents a significant portion of their community, setting out to establish a new home for themselves and their families.
Did you know that the Bible gives us specific numbers for significant events? This verse tells us exactly how many men set out on this particular journey.
This verse highlights a crucial detail: 600 armed men from the tribe of Dan embarked on this expedition.
Every journey starts somewhere. For these 600 Danites, the journey began in two specific towns, signaling a pivotal moment in their tribal history.
The verse anchors this migration in two specific locations: Zorah and Eshtaol.
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Understand the original words
shebet · Hebrew Noun
The covenant community of Israel, often referring to the descendants of Jacob/Israel, organized into twelve distinct groups. Each tribe had its own inheritance, identity, and role within the nation.
This verse describes the beginning of a significant migration by a portion of the Danite tribe. Driven by a lack of secure territory and influenced by the prevailing religious instability of the Judges period, these 600 men embarked on a journey that would lead them to establish a new settlement and a syncretic religious center in the north, ultimately contributing to the later schismatic worship in the divided kingdom.
c. 1400-1300 BC
Israelites Settle Canaan
Following the conquest of Canaan, the Israelite tribes began to settle in their allotted territories, though many areas, especially in the north, remained unconquered.
During the period of the Judges
Danites Seek Inheritance
The tribe of Dan, having been pushed by Amorites and Philistines from their western territory, had not yet fully secured an inheritance and sought new land.
Undated, early Judges period
Micah's Idolatrous Shrine
A man named Micah creates a shrine with graven and molten images, employing a Levite as his priest, reflecting the religious corruption and lack of centralized leadership in Israel.
Undated, early Judges period
Danite Spies Visit Micah's Shrine
Five Danite spies, searching for a suitable territory, pass by Micah's home and consult his Levite priest about their mission's success.
Undated, early Judges period— this verse
Danites Set Out for Laish
Encouraged by their spies' report of fertile land in the north, 600 armed Danite men, along with their families, depart from Zorah and Eshtaol to migrate and conquer the city of Laish.
Undated, early Judges period
Danites Steal Idols and Priest
On their journey, the Danites stop at Micah's home, steal his religious images and ephod, and persuade his Levite priest to join them, forming a new religious center.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following the reign of Solomon, the united kingdom of Israel split into two: the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom later established idolatrous worship centers.
This passage describes the initial sending out of spies to explore the land, paralleling the Danites' mission to find an inheritance, highlighting a shared theme of seeking new territory through reconnaissance.
Joshua 19:40-48This text details the inheritance allotted to the tribe of Dan, which was insufficient, providing the context and motivation for their later migration and quest for land described in Judges.
Judges 17:1-6This earlier passage introduces the theme of idolatry and religious corruption in Israel through Micah's personal shrine, which the Danites later exploit, showing the moral and spiritual decay that allowed their actions.
Judges 18:1-10This passage immediately precedes the verse in question and details the Danite spies' encounter with Micah's shrine and priest, setting the stage for the armed migration.
Genesis 49:16-17This prophetic blessing by Jacob on his son Dan foretells a 'serpent by the way' and a 'viper by the path,' which can be seen as foreshadowing the cunning and aggressive nature of the Danites' actions in seeking their inheritance.
clarkeJudges 18:11: "And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war."
Six hundred men - These were not the whole, for we find they had children, etc., Judges 18:21 ; but these appear to have been six hundred armed men.
pulpitJudges 18:11: "And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war."
Verse 11. - The family - meaning the tribe (see Judges 13:2, note, and cf. Joshua 7:17). Possibly a reason for the use of the word family here and in ver. 2, as applied to Dan, may be that there was only one family in the tribe of Dan, that of the Shuhamites (Numbers 26:42). Six hundred men. With their wives and sisters and children (see ver. 2…
These aren't just 600 men heading out; the text emphasizes they are "appointed with weapons of war," meaning they were equipped and ready for battle. This detail highlights that their mission wasn't merely an exploration, but a serious, armed undertaking to conquer new territory.
Following the report from five spies who discovered a fertile but undefended territory, a large contingent of armed men from the tribe of Dan, originally from Zorah and Eshtaol, embarks on a migration to claim this new land. This military group, comprising 600 men, represents a significant portion of their community, setting out to establish a new home for themselves and their families.
Following the report from five spies who discovered a fertile but undefended territory, a large contingent of armed men from the tribe of Dan, originally from Zorah and Eshtaol, embarks on a migration to claim this new land. This military group, comprising 600 men, represents a significant portion of their community, setting out to establish a new home for themselves and their families.
"So 600 men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol," — These aren't just 600 men heading out; the text emphasizes they are "appointed with weapons of war," meaning they were equipped and ready for battle. This detail highlights that their mission wasn't…
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Last reviewed October 2026