1. In those days Israel didn't have a king. And in those days the tribe of Dan was looking for a place where they could settle down. They hadn't been able to take over their own share of land among the tribes of Israel.
2. So the people of Dan sent out five warriors from Zorah and Eshtaol. They told them to look the land over and check it out. Those men did it for all of their family groups. The people of Dan told the men, "Go. Check out the land." So they entered the hill country of Ephraim. They went to the house of Micah. That's where they spent the night.
3. When they came near Micah's house, they recognized a voice. It was the voice of the young Levite. So they turned off the road and stopped there. They asked him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?"
4. The Levite told them what Micah had done for him. He said, "He has hired me. I'm his priest."
5. Then they said to him, "Please ask God for advice. Try to find out whether we'll have success on our journey."
6. The priest answered them, "Go in peace. The Lord is pleased with your journey."
7. So the five men left. They came to Laish. There they saw that the people felt secure. They were living in safety. Like the people in Sidon, they weren't expecting anything bad to happen to them. Their land had everything they needed. Things were going very well for them. They lived a long way from the people of Sidon. And they didn't think they would ever need help from anyone else.
8. The men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol. Their people asked them, "What did you find out?"