careless and secure in the fertile valley which they inhabited. Their magistrates, if they had the power, did not interfere with the people in whatever course of conduct they chose to pursue; and there is reason to believe that it was, to a great extent, of that licentious kind which is always the case where men are left to act without the restraints of law and religion. They had no intercourse with the nations around them, depending on their own efforts for the conveniences and luxuries of life; while their great distance from their parent-stock, the Sidonians, placed them beyond the reach of protection from that quarter, should they be in need of it.

Having obtained this, and the other necessary information, the spies returned with all possible despatch to their brethren who had sent them, and made known the result of their inquiries. They were bold and decided in their counsel. "Arise," said they, addressing the Danites, "that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good: and are ye still?" Can ye fail to be aroused to activity? "Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land. When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth."

The Danites were roused to engage in the en

terprise. A portion of the tribe, including six hundred men of war, who were well armed for battle, started immediately on the expedition, and the spies accompanied them. Their course brought them to the place of Micah's residence, and they halted near his house.

It was an occasion which the spies were tempt ed to embrace, for the accomplishment of an object that they had already conferred about, and in which they felt a deep interest. They had consulted, as we have seen, the priest of Micah, and obtained a reply to their inquiry of an encouraging kind, the prediction contained in which, as they interpreted it, they hoped yet to see receive its complete fulfillment. Being superstitious themselves, with a strong leaning to idolatry, as was the case, also, with their countrymen, they were ready to do that which would give a new impulse to their own feelings and those of their comrades, in the enterprise which was before them. They resolved, if possible, to carry along with them both the priest and the furniture of his sanctuary, that he might officiate among them as he had been doing in the service of Micah.

"Do ye know," they said to their brethren, "that there is in these houses an ephod, and te raphim, and a graven image, and a molten image! now, therefore, consider what ye have to do."

This information and the suggestion accompa

nying it, were enough for their purpose. Leading the way, the rest following, they soon came to the gate of Micah's residence. Here they were met by the young Levite, whom they accosted with the usual friendly salutations, and, leaving him with the six hundred armed men, they entered the house. No time was lost in gaining access to the sanctuary, which they spoiled of its sacred articles, carrying them out to the party at the gate. On being asked by the priest what all this meant, they commanded him to make no resistance or noise, informing him that their design was to have him accompany them to the place of their destination, and be to them "a father and a priest." "Is it better," said they," for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?"

The Levite was eager to accept the proposal. He seems to have been an aspiring young man, anxious to promote his own interests and advancement in the world, with little or no regard to the means he might employ to accomplish his ends. New hopes now inspired his ambition; and bearing the ephod and other articles, he took his station in the centre of the band, as the place of the greatest security should Micah and his friends attempt an attack. It may have been done, too, in imitation of the order in which the Israelites

marched through the wilderness,—the ark and the priests being in the middle of the procession. The whole party were soon on their way; having arrayed the children, the cattle and the baggage in front, the rear being the part exposed to danger, should pursuit be made. They had advanced some considerable distance, when they were overtaken by Micah and a collection of his neighbors and friends, who began to reproach them for what they had been doing. "What aileth thee," was the reply of the Danites, "that thou comest with such a company?"

Ye have taken away my gods which I made," said Micah, "and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?"

The answer was such as might have been expected, "Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household."

The threat had its effect. Micah saw that their force was powerful enough to carry it easily into execution, and turning back with his party, went again to his home.

The Danites, exulting in the success of their roject, kept on their course, and came, at length, to Laish. They found the people unsuspicious of danger, and without the means of defence, and rushing unexpectedly upon the city, destroyed it

with fire, putting the inhabitants to death. They soon, however, rebuilt it, and gave it the name of Dan. It afterwards became remarkable as one of the extremities of the promised land at the northern limit, as Beersheba was at the southern; so that the whole extent of the Jewish territory, in that direction, was usually described by the expression, "From Dan to Beersheba."

The graven image which they brought with them, was set up by the Danites in their newlyestablished city, and the young Levite continued to be their priest. His descendants officiated in that capacity after him, during the whole time that the true tabernacle and altar were standing at Shiloh, and probably until the captivity of the ten tribes by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria.

Thus was idolatry first introduced among the Israelites. The tribe and city of Dan must bear the reproach of giving rise to it. From them it was spread, from time to time, throughout nearly the whole nation, and drew down upon this disobedient and covenant-breaking people the severest judgments of the Almighty.

We wonder at such infatuation. The worshipping of idols, the workmanship of men's hands, seems to us the height of folly. It is a sin into which we think we can never be so brutish as to fall. But in what consists the sin of idolatry? It is in having other gods before the true Jehovah.