The Danites Search for New Territory
February 27, 2019
Commentary
The passage begins with two things that were lacking in those days. There was no king in Israel, and there was no inheritance for the tribe of Dan (v. 1). In truth, Dan had been given an inheritance along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (Joshua 19:40-46), but they had failed to take it from the Amorites who lived there (Judges 1:34-36). They had been forced to dwell in the hill country, not daring to face their enemies down on the plains. Their failure to drive out the Amorites wasn’t due to lack of power but to lack of faith. Remember that Samson, the strongest man, came from Dan (Judges 13-16). When we ignore our problems, they can only get worse.
The two remaining cities of Dan, Zorah and Eshtaol, decided to send a small team of five men to find a new homeland for the Danites (v. 2). This is a call back to the 12 spies Moses sent to spy out the land (Numbers 13). The Territory of Ephraim was located to the west of Dan. The five spies spent an evening in the house of Micah (from chapter 17). The Five were very surprised to find a Levite in such a place. They took the opportunity to inquire of the Lord, whether their mission would succeed (vv. 3-5). The Levite assured them that they would be successful (v. 6). The five spies eventually found the city of Laish, far to the north, beyond the land the Lord had given to Israel (v. 7). The people of Laish were wealthy and unsuspecting, isolated from their allies in Sidon. The spies returned to Dan with the good news, and soon a war band of 600 men were assembled to attack and occupy Laish (vv. 8-11). “The Lord has given us this land,” they said.
Application
The failure of the tribe of Dan to drive out the Ammorites was not due to lack of power but to lack of faith. This is a warning to me that I should never decide to do something different than what God instructs me to do even though there seems to be easier solutions to the problem.
Judges 18:1– 11 (NET)
1 In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the Danite tribe was looking for a place to settle, because at that time they did not yet have a place to call their own among the tribes of Israel. 2 The Danites sent out from their whole tribe five representatives, capable men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. They said to them, “Go, explore the land.” They came to the Ephraimite hill country and spent the night at Micah’s house. 3 As they approached Micah’s house, they recognized the accent of the young Levite. So they stopped there and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?” 4 He told them what Micah had done for him, saying, “He hired me, and I became his priest.” 5 They said to him, “Seek a divine oracle for us, so we can know if we will be successful on our mission.” 6 The priest said to them, “Go with confidence. The Lord will be with you on your mission.”
7 So the five men journeyed on and arrived in Laish. They noticed that the people there were living securely, like the Sidonians do, undisturbed and unsuspecting. No conqueror was troubling them in any way. They lived far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone. 8 When the Danites returned to their tribe in Zorah and Eshtaol, their kinsmen asked them, “How did it go?” 9 They said, “Come on, let’s attack them, for we saw their land and it is very good. You seem lethargic, but don’t hesitate to invade and conquer the land. 10 When you invade, you will encounter unsuspecting people. The land is wide! God is handing it over to you—a place that lacks nothing on earth!”
11 So 600 Danites, fully armed, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol.