The five men chosen aren't just any spies; they're explicitly called "men of valor" or "sons of force," highlighting their courage and capability. This detail emphasizes that the Danites were sending their absolute best, entrusted with a critical mission to find a new home for their people.
So the people of Dan sent five able men from the whole number of their tribe, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to explore it. And they said to them, “Go and explore the land.” And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The tribe of Dan, feeling landlocked and needing a new home, sends five brave men to scout the territory. These scouts travel north and happen upon the home of a man named Micah, where they decide to spend the night, unaware of the illicit religious shrine Micah has established there.
The tribe of Dan was in a tough spot, squeezed out of their allotted land. So, they sent out their best to find a new place to live.
The tribe of Dan faced significant pressure. Their allotted inheritance wasn't fully secured, likely due to Philistine and Amorite presence. This text highlights their strategic move:
Strategic Selection
Their mission was twofold: to "spy out the land" and "explore it." This implies a thorough reconnaissance, looking for a place that was not only unoccupied but also suitable for settlement.
Their journey north took an unexpected turn. Instead of finding empty land, they stumbled upon a peculiar religious setup.
The five spies were headed towards the north, likely seeking unoccupied territory away from the pressures on their western borders. Their route, however, led them directly into the story unfolding in chapter 17.
An Unforeseen Encounter
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This passage highlights a period of religious and political instability in Israel, where the tribe of Dan, facing pressure from other nations and unable to secure their inheritance, resorts to questionable religious practices and aggressive expansion.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Settle in Canaan
Following Joshua's conquest, the tribes of Israel are allotted territories but struggle to fully dispossess the Canaanites, leading to ongoing conflict and pressure.
c. 1380 BC
Micah's Private Shrine Established
A man named Micah creates a personal shrine with a graven image, molten image, and an ephod, eventually hiring a wandering Levite to serve as his priest.
c. 1380 BC— this verse
Danites Seek New Territory
The tribe of Dan, having failed to secure their allotted coastal territory from the Philistines and Amorites, is looking for a new place to live.
c. 1380 BC
Danites Spy Mission Begins
Five men from Zorah and Eshtaol are sent by the Danites to scout the land for a suitable settlement, leading them to Micah's home.
c. 1380 BC
Danite Migration Northward
The five spies discover the unsuspecting city of Laish, leading to a mass migration of 600 armed Danites who conquer and settle the area, taking Micah's religious artifacts and priest with them.
c. 1380 BC
Danite Idolatrous Worship Established
The captured images and Levite priest are set up in Laish (renamed Dan), becoming a center of idolatrous worship for the tribe of Dan until the captivity of the land.
This verse parallels the Danites' mission to find an inheritance with the earlier description of the tribes of Israel sending men to survey the promised land after its initial conquest.
Judges 1:34This passage describes the Amorites pressing the Danites into the hill country, providing the context and motivation for the Danites' later search for new territory detailed in Judges 18.
Judges 17:1This verse sets the stage by stating the pervasive religious and political anarchy of the time ('no king in Israel,' 'everyone did what was right in his own eyes'), which directly influences the actions of the Danites and Micah.
Judges 18:11-12This passage shows the same five Danite men arriving at Micah's house again, this time with a larger group of armed men, highlighting the progression from their initial reconnaissance to their full migration.
Proverbs 14:12This proverb warns that 'there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death,' which serves as a timeless caution against the Danites' self-serving mission, driven by their own perceived needs rather than God's will.
bensonJudges 18:2: "And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there."
Jdg 18:2-5 . They lodged there — Not in the same house, but near it. They knew the voice of the young man — Having been acquainted with him before he came to live with Micah. Ask counsel, we pray thee,…
clarkeJudges 18:2: "And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there."
Five men - men of valor - The Hebrew word חיל chayil has been applied to personal prowess, to mental energy, and to earthly possessions. They sent those in whose courage, judgment, and prudence, they c…
The five men chosen aren't just any spies; they're explicitly called "men of valor" or "sons of force," highlighting their courage and capability. This detail emphasizes that the Danites were sending their absolute best, entrusted with a critical mission to find a new home for their people.
The tribe of Dan, feeling landlocked and needing a new home, sends five brave men to scout the territory. These scouts travel north and happen upon the home of a man named Micah, where they decide to spend the night, unaware of the illicit religious shrine Micah has established there.
The tribe of Dan, feeling landlocked and needing a new home, sends five brave men to scout the territory. These scouts travel north and happen upon the home of a man named Micah, where they decide to spend the night, unaware of the illicit religious shrine Micah has established there.
"So the people of Dan sent five able men from the whole number of their tribe, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to explore it. And they said to them, “Go and explore the land.” And they came to the hill country of Ephrai…" — The five men chosen aren't just any spies; they're explicitly called "men of valor" or "sons of force," highlighting their courage and capability. This detail emphasizes that the Danites were sending…
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Last reviewed October 2026
