‘ And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. Now the name of the city was previously Luz '
Scouts were sent out to weigh up the situation and bring back information that would aid in the attack. The fact that Yahweh was with them did not excuse them from sensible behaviour.
“Now the name of the city was previously Luz.” Bethel was the name given to the area by Jacob and later applied to the city by Israel. But the Canaanites called it Luz (Genesis 28:19; Genesis 35:6; Genesis 48:3).