1
In those days
there was no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Dan sought a possession for themselves to dwell in, for unto that day
their lot had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel for an inheritance.
2
And the sons of Dan sent five men from their family of their borders, 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. These came unto Mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, and they lodged there.
3
When they
were near the house of Micah, they recognized
the accent of the voice of the young man the Levite, and they turned in there and said unto him, Who brought thee here? And what doest thou in this
place? And what hast thou here?
4
And he said unto them, Thus and thus Micah has done with me and has hired me that I may be his priest.
5
And they said unto him, Ask counsel now, therefore, of God, that we may know whether he shall prosper our journey which we do.
6
And the priest replied unto them, Go in peace. Your journey which ye do
is before the LORD.
7
Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw that the people that dwelt there were secure, idle, and confident after the manner of the Zidonians; and there was no one in that land that might hinder them in any way from possessing that
land; furthermore they
were far from the Zidonians and had no business with anyone.
8
And they retuned unto their brethren in Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said unto them, What
say ye?
9
And they said, Arise, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good; and
are ye to remain still? Do not be slothful to go
and to enter to possess the land.