“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.”
Context:The book of Judges is set in the period after Joshua’s death when the Israelites were settled in the Promised Land. It describes a time of repeated cycles of disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. The verse in question is part of the narrative that illustrates the lawlessness and lack of centralized leadership during this period.
The tribe of Dan:The verse mentions the tribe of Dan. During the division of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel, Dan received an inheritance in the southwestern part of the territory, near the Philistine cities (Joshua 19:40-48). However, they struggled to fully possess their allotted inheritance, and in subsequent chapters, we see them seeking to expand their territory elsewhere.
Sending spies:In this verse, the children of Dan sent five men to spy out the land. This act of sending spies echoes the time when Moses sent twelve spies to explore the Promised Land (Numbers 13). However, in this case, the motive was different. The tribe of Dan sought to find an alternative land to settle in, rather than focusing on their designated territory. This indicates their dissatisfaction and desire for more land.
Searching Mount Ephraim:The spies sent by the Danites came to Mount Ephraim, which was located in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim. It’s interesting to note that Mount Ephraim was within the land that had already been allocated to the Israelites. Instead of fully possessing their own inheritance, the Danites were searching for additional land.
Micah’s house:The spies from Dan lodged in the house of Micah, an Ephraimite. In the previous chapters of Judges, we read about Micah, who had set up his own private shrine and made a graven image and an ephod. The presence of these idols in Micah’s house indicates the spiritual decline and the lack of centralized worship among the Israelites during that time.
Overall, Judges 18:2 highlights the disobedience and restlessness of the tribe of Dan. Rather than fully occupying the land allotted to them, they sought to explore and possess additional territory. This episode foreshadows the events that follow, where the Danites eventually depart and conquer a new region for themselves (Judges 18:27-29), further contributing to the disunity and chaos in Israel during the period of the judges.
