2. So the Danites sent from the whole number of their tribe five brave men from Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out the land and to explore it, and they said to them, Go, explore the land. They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
3. When they went by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite, and they turned aside there and said to him, Who brought you here? And what do you do in this place? And what have you here?
4. And he said to them, Thus and thus Micah deals with me and has hired me, and I am his priest.
5. And they said to him, Ask counsel, we pray you, of God that we may know whether our journey will be successful.
6. And the priest said to them, Go in peace. The way in which you go is before (under the eye of) the Lord.
7. Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they dwelt securely after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and feeling safe; and there was no magistrate in the land, who might put them to shame in anything or injure them; and they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.
8. The five men came back to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, What do you say?
9. They said, Arise, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very fertile. And will you do nothing? Do not be slow to go and enter in and possess the land.
10. When you go, you will come to people [feeling] safe and secure. The land is broad [widely extended on all sides]; and God has given it into your hands–a place where there is no want of anything that is in the earth.
11. And there went from there of the tribe of the Danites, out of Zorah and Eshtaol, 600 men armed with weapons of war.
12. And they went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan [camp of Dan] to this day; it is west of Kiriath-jearim.
13. And they passed from there to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah's house.
14. Then the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish said to their brethren, Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, teraphim, a graven image, and a molten image? Now therefore, consider what you have to do.
15. And they turned in that direction and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and saluted him.
16. Now the 600 Danites with their weapons of war stood at Micah's gate.