During the days of the judges, the tribe of Dan “was seeking an inheritance for themselves to live in” (Judges 18:1). Five men were sent to spy out the land and find a place they could take as their possession. As they searched the land, they found a suitable target – the city of Laish.
“Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were in it living in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no ruler humiliating them for anything in the land, and they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone” (Judges 18:7).
“Then they…came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and struck them with the edge of the sword; and they burned the city with fire. And there was no one to deliver them, because it was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone, and it was in the valley which is near Beth-rehob. And they rebuilt the city and lived in it. They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born in Israel; however, the name of the city formerly was Laish” (Judges 18:27-29).
