Judges 18 2

Judges 18:2 kjv

And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valor, 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.

Judges 18:2 nkjv

So the children of Dan sent five men of their family from their territory, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it. They said to them, "Go, search the land." So they went to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

Judges 18:2 niv

So the Danites sent five of their leading men from Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out the land and explore it. These men represented all the Danites. They told them, "Go, explore the land." So they entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night.

Judges 18:2 esv

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.

Judges 18:2 nlt

So the men of Dan chose from their clans five capable warriors from the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol to scout out a land for them to settle in. When these warriors arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, they came to Micah's house and spent the night there.

Judges 18 verses

Judges 18 2 Meaning

The tribe of Dan, facing constant pressure and confinement in their originally allotted territory around Zorah and Eshtaol, dispatched a small group of five capable men. Their mission was to conduct a thorough reconnaissance of distant lands to identify a new, suitable dwelling place for their tribe. In the course of their journey, these scouts ventured into the hill country of Ephraim and sought lodging for the night at the house of a man named Micah.

Judges 18 2 Context

Judges chapter 18 directly follows and intricately links with chapter 17, forming a narrative sequence that exemplifies the moral and spiritual deterioration of Israel during the period when "there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." This particular chapter details the migration of the tribe of Dan. Although Dan had been allocated a specific territory in the tribal inheritance (Josh 19:40-48), they failed to dispossess the local inhabitants, notably the Philistines and Amorites, pushing them into a restricted hill country region (Jdg 1:34). Faced with this untenable situation and seeking territorial security, the Danites decided to abandon their inheritance and find a new home. Verse 2 initiates this search by describing their pragmatic decision to dispatch scouts to survey new lands, ultimately leading these scouts to the house of Micah, thereby intertwining the territorial desperation of Dan with the religious syncretism introduced in Judges 17. Their expedition is motivated by a human desire for comfort and safety, undertaken independently of divine instruction or consultation.

Judges 18 2 Word analysis

• "So" (וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ - vayishl’ḥu): This linking conjunction points back to Dan's earlier plight (Jdg 1:34) and their decision to seek new territory, showing the consequence of their unsettled status.
• "the Danites" (בְּנֵי־דָן - b’ney-dan): Literally "sons of Dan," representing the entire tribal entity or its leaders acting on behalf of the tribe, indicating a communal, strategic decision stemming from their shared desperation.
• "sent" (וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ - vayishl’ḥu): The Hebrew verb "shalakh" signifies a deliberate, official dispatch, underscoring the purposeful nature of their mission.
• "five mighty men" (חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים - chamishah anashim): "Five men." While anashim broadly means "men," the context of espionage and reconnaissance implies they were specifically chosen for their capability, strength, or trustworthiness, capable of carrying out a challenging mission. The number itself is small for a tribe, signifying a scouting party.
• "from their clan" (מִקְּצֵהֶם - miqqəṣēhem): Literally "from their end" or "from among their numbers," meaning these men were selected from within their collective body, acting as chosen representatives.
• "from Zorah and Eshtaol" (מִצָּרְעָה וּמֵאֶשְׁתָּאֹל - mitstsore'ah umee'eshta'ol): Two specific, historically associated towns within Dan's original and constrained tribal territory (Josh 19:41). This pinpoints the geographical starting point and the very areas where Dan faced intense pressure from local inhabitants.
• "to explore the land thoroughly" (לְתָוּר אֶת־הָאָרֶץ - lətawvar 'et-ha'arets): The verb "tur" implies a careful survey, observing details, terrain, and inhabitants. It indicates a mission of geographical assessment.
• "and to spy it out" (וּלְחָקְרָהּ - uləḥaqərah): The verb "khaqar" denotes a deeper, more detailed investigation or searching out of secrets. This emphasizes the strategic nature of their mission, not just surveying but looking for vulnerabilities or opportunities. The combined phrasing signifies an intensive and comprehensive intelligence-gathering operation.
• "They said to them, 'Go, explore the land!'" (וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם לְכוּ תּוּרוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ - vayyo’mru alehem ləḵu turu 'et-ha'arets): A direct, explicit command from Danite leaders to the scouts, reiterating the clarity and singularity of their primary objective.
• "So they went" (וַיֵּלְכוּ - vayyeləḵu): Simple declarative phrase indicating the scouts’ immediate compliance and initiation of their journey.
• "and came to the hill country of Ephraim" (וַיָּבֹאוּ הַר אֶפְרָיִם - vayyavo’u har 'Ephrayim): A key geographical marker, indicating the scouts traveled significant distance north from their home and entered territory largely populated by another Israelite tribe, suggesting they were not seeking empty land but a more readily acquirable one within Israel.
• "to the house of Micah" (עַד־בֵּית מִיכָה - 'ad-beyt Mikhah): A precise narrative link, immediately connecting the Danite journey with the previously described events of Micah’s idol-filled shrine and his unauthorized Levite priest in Judges 17, setting up a fateful encounter.
• "and lodged there" (וַיָּלִינוּ שָׁם - vayyalinu sham): Implies an overnight stay. This seemingly minor detail is crucial as it creates the necessary duration for interaction and dialogue with Micah and his priest, which directly shapes the subsequent actions of the Danite spies.

Judges 18 2 Bonus section

The narrative of Judges 18 begins a segment often described by scholars as illustrating the "depths of Israel's depravity." The Danites' actions are not necessarily portrayed as righteous; rather, they serve as a historical example of the consequences when the people of God abandon reliance on His covenant promises and take matters into their own hands. The journey from Zorah and Eshtaol, towns connected to the great Samson (Jdg 13:2, 25), highlights how even areas touched by powerful divine work could experience decay. The fact that they lodged at Micah's house suggests a broader issue of hospitality among Israelites, but it also becomes the vehicle for discovering and perpetuating the spiritual defilement. The detailed scouting mission indicates a form of human foresight, but without the underpinning of divine counsel, it leads to outcomes that are self-serving rather than glorifying God or fulfilling His law.

Judges 18 2 Commentary

Judges 18:2 serves as the launchpad for a significant episode in the life of the tribe of Dan, revealing both their human plight and their flawed spiritual response. Driven by the pressing reality of their inability to secure their divinely allotted inheritance, the Danites undertook a self-initiated quest for a new territory. The selection of "five mighty men" and the clear command "to explore the land thoroughly and to spy it out" highlight a human-centered, pragmatic approach to their challenges, relying on their own resources and reconnaissance rather than seeking the LORD's explicit guidance or empowerment as Israel's ancestors had done. This reliance on human strategy over divine dependence sets the stage for a trajectory of further deviation from God's commands. Their arrival at "the house of Micah" in Ephraim is more than a geographical stopping point; it represents the accidental convergence of their material desperation with Israel's widespread spiritual apostasy already exemplified by Micah's syncretistic worship. This unexpected encounter becomes a critical turning point, leading the Danites from a mere land-seeking mission to entanglement in idolatry and, ultimately, their own establishment of a rival, unlawful religious center. The verse subtly underscores the pervasive spiritual anarchy of the Judges period, where a tribe's pressing material need directly intersects with the existing corruption within the nation, illustrating how personal desperation can lead to compounding spiritual error when detached from obedience to God's will.