The mission of these spies recalls the original conquest under Joshua, when ten spies were sent to explore the Promised Land (Numbers 13:1–14:45). Yet our text presents a parody of the original conquest. The original spies were authorized by the Lord; he initiated, he commanded the whole enterprise. The Danite endeavour originated entirely with man.1 Further, the Israelites were in holy war; the Danites were not. Also, Israel was on its way into the heart of the Promised Land to claim their inheritance. The Danites, however, were withdrawing from their inheritance. There is also no promise of blessing here like there was during the conquest. And finally, and most scandalously, as will be seen, the Danites finish their northward journey by setting up Micah’s idol in Dan, while Israel had previously established the tabernacle at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1).2 The story of the Danite migration looks like the world upside down!
2 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.