Judges 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.
Original Language Analysis
וַיִּשְׁלְח֣וּ
sent
H7971
וַיִּשְׁלְח֣וּ
sent
Strong's:
H7971
Word #:
1 of 30
to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
בְּנֵי
And the children
H1121
בְּנֵי
And the children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
2 of 30
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
דָ֣ן׀
of Dan
H1835
דָ֣ן׀
of Dan
Strong's:
H1835
Word #:
3 of 30
dan, one of the sons of jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory; likewise a place in palestine colonized by them
מִֽמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּ֡ם
of their family
H4940
מִֽמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּ֡ם
of their family
Strong's:
H4940
Word #:
4 of 30
a family, i.e., circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people
אֲנָשִׁ֣ים
H376
אֲנָשִׁ֣ים
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
6 of 30
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
אֲנָשִׁ֨ים
H376
אֲנָשִׁ֨ים
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
8 of 30
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
בְּנֵי
And the children
H1121
בְּנֵי
And the children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
9 of 30
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
חַ֜יִל
of valour
H2428
חַ֜יִל
of valour
Strong's:
H2428
Word #:
10 of 30
probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength
לְרַגֵּ֤ל
to spy
H7270
לְרַגֵּ֤ל
to spy
Strong's:
H7270
Word #:
13 of 30
to walk along; but only in specifically, applications, to reconnoiter, to be a tale-bearer (i.e., slander); to lead about
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
14 of 30
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
חִקְר֣וּ
and to search
H2713
חִקְר֣וּ
and to search
Strong's:
H2713
Word #:
16 of 30
properly, to penetrate; hence, to examine intimately
לְכ֖וּ
H1980
לְכ֖וּ
Strong's:
H1980
Word #:
19 of 30
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
חִקְר֣וּ
and to search
H2713
חִקְר֣וּ
and to search
Strong's:
H2713
Word #:
20 of 30
properly, to penetrate; hence, to examine intimately
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
21 of 30
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ
who when they came
H935
וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ
who when they came
Strong's:
H935
Word #:
23 of 30
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
הַר
to mount
H2022
הַר
to mount
Strong's:
H2022
Word #:
24 of 30
a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙
Ephraim
H669
אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙
Ephraim
Strong's:
H669
Word #:
25 of 30
ephrajim, a son of joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
עַד
H5704
עַד
Strong's:
H5704
Word #:
26 of 30
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
בֵּ֣ית
to the house
H1004
בֵּ֣ית
to the house
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
27 of 30
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
Cross References
Judges 13:25And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.Joshua 2:1And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.Numbers 13:17And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:Judges 18:11And 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.Judges 18:8And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?
Historical Context
Zorah and Eshtaol were Danite towns in the Shephelah (lowlands) bordering Philistine territory (Joshua 19:41). This was prime agricultural land, but Philistine military superiority (iron weapons, chariots) and Amorite resistance made conquest difficult. Rather than persevere, Dan sought conquest elsewhere. The five-man reconnaissance mission mirrors the twelve spies Moses sent (Numbers 13:3-16), though with only five representing Dan's diminished faith. Archaeological evidence confirms Philistine expansion into the coastal plain during this period (c. 1200-1100 BC), creating pressure on Israelite settlement.
Questions for Reflection
- How do we sometimes abandon God's clear assignments when they become difficult, seeking easier alternatives?
- What does Dan's response to opposition teach about the difference between faith-filled perseverance and pragmatic compromise?
- How can we discern whether obstacles indicate we should change course or persevere in faith?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
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. The tribe of Dan faced a crisis: Amorite pressure prevented them from possessing their allotted territory (Judges 1:34-35). Rather than seeking God's help to defeat their enemies, they sent spies to find easier conquest elsewhere. The phrase "men of valour" (anashim benei chayil, אֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי־חַיִל) typically commends military prowess, yet their mission reveals faithlessness—courage misdirected toward abandoning God's assignment.
The Hebrew verbs "spy out" (leragel, לְרַגֵּל) and "search" (lachkor, לַחְקֹר) echo the reconnaissance mission in Numbers 13-14 that ended in unbelief and judgment. Like their ancestors at Kadesh-barnea, Dan looked at circumstances rather than God's promises. The parallelism is deliberate: both involved sending spies, both faced strong enemies, both chose unbelief over faith. God had given Dan their inheritance; their responsibility was to trust Him for victory, not seek alternatives. From a Reformed perspective, this illustrates the danger of pragmatism over obedience—choosing what seems achievable by human strength rather than what God has commanded.