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Texts -- Judges 18:1-30 (NET)

Context
The Tribe of Dan Finds an Inheritance
18:1 In those days Israel had no king . And in those days the Danite tribe was looking for a place to settle , because at that time they did not yet have a place to call their own among the tribes of Israel . 18:2 The Danites sent out from their whole tribe five representatives , capable men from Zorah and Eshtaol , to spy out the land and explore it. They said to them, “Go , explore the land .” They came to the Ephraimite hill country and spent the night at Micah’s house . 18:3 As they approached Micah’s house , they recognized the accent of the young Levite . So they stopped there and said to him, “Who brought you here ? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here ?” 18:4 He told them what Micah had done for him, saying, “He hired me and I became his priest .” 18:5 They said to him, “Seek a divine oracle for us, so we can know if we will be successful on our mission .” 18:6 The priest said to them, “Go with confidence . The Lord will be with you on your mission.” 18:7 So the five men journeyed on and arrived in Laish . They noticed that the people there were living securely , like the Sidonians do, undisturbed and unsuspecting . No conqueror was troubling them in any way. They lived far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone . 18:8 When the Danites returned to their tribe in Zorah and Eshtaol , their kinsmen asked them, “How did it go?” 18:9 They said , “Come on , let’s attack them, for we saw their land and it is very good . You seem lethargic , but don’t hesitate to invade and conquer the land . 18:10 When you invade , you will encounter unsuspecting people . The land is wide ! God is handing it over to you– a place that lacks nothing on earth !” 18:11 So six hundred Danites , fully armed , set out from Zorah and Eshtaol . 18:12 They went up and camped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah . (To this day that place is called Camp of Dan . It is west of Kiriath Jearim .) 18:13 From there they traveled through the Ephraimite hill country and arrived at Micah’s house . 18:14 The five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their kinsmen , “Do you realize that inside these houses are an ephod , some personal idols , a carved image , and a metal image ? Decide now what you want to do .” 18:15 They stopped there , went inside the young Levite’s house (which belonged to Micah ), and asked him how he was doing. 18:16 Meanwhile the six hundred Danites , fully armed , stood at the entrance to the gate . 18:17 The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole the carved image , the ephod , the personal idols , and the metal image , while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred fully armed men . 18:18 When these men broke into Micah’s house and stole the carved image , the ephod , the personal idols , and the metal image , the priest said to them, “What are you doing ?” 18:19 They said to him, “Shut up ! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us! You can be our adviser and priest . Wouldn’t it be better to be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for just one man’s family ?” 18:20 The priest was happy . He took the ephod , the personal idols , and the carved image and joined the group . 18:21 They turned and went on their way, but they walked behind the children , the cattle , and their possessions . 18:22 After they had gone a good distance from Micah’s house , Micah’s neighbors gathered together and caught up with the Danites . 18:23 When they called out to the Danites , the Danites turned around and said to Micah , “Why have you gathered together ?” 18:24 He said , “You stole my gods that I made , as well as this priest , and then went away . What do I have left ? How can you have the audacity to say to me, ‘What do you want?’” 18:25 The Danites said to him, “Don’t say another word to us, or some very angry men will attack you, and you and your family will die .” 18:26 The Danites went on their way ; when Micah realized they were too strong to resist, he turned around and went home . 18:27 Now the Danites took what Micah had made , as well as his priest , and came to Laish , where the people were undisturbed and unsuspecting . They struck them down with the sword and burned the city . 18:28 No one came to the rescue because the city was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone . The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob . The Danites rebuilt the city and occupied it. 18:29 They named it Dan after their ancestor , who was one of Israel’s sons . But the city’s name used to be Laish . 18:30 The Danites worshiped the carved image . Jonathan , descendant of Gershom , son of Moses , and his descendants served as priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the exile .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Teraphim

    [ebd] givers of prosperity, idols in human shape, large or small, analogous to the images of ancestors which were revered by the Romans. In order to deceive the guards sent by Saul to seize David, Michal his wife prepared one of t...
    [smith] This word occurs only in the plural, and denotes images connected with magical rites. The derivation of the name is obscure. In one case -- (1 Samuel 19:13,16) --a single statue seems to be intended by the plural. The tera...
    [nave] TERAPHIM, household idols. Used by Laban, stolen by Rachel, Gen. 31:19, 30-35; by Micah, stolen by the Danites, Judg. 17:5; 18:14, 17-20. Condemned and disposed of by Jacob, Gen. 35:2-4, with Gen. 31:35-39. Destroyed by Jos...

  • Zorah

    [ebd] place of wasps, a town in the low country of Judah, afterwards given to Dan (Josh. 19:41; Judg. 18:2), probably the same as Zoreah (Josh. 15:33). This was Samson's birthplace (Judg. 13:2, 25), and near it he found a grave (1...
    [isbe] ZORAH - zo'-ra (tsor`ah; Saraa): A city on the border of Dan, between Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh (Josh 19:41); the birthplace of Samson (Jdg 13:2,25); near here too he was buried (Jdg 16:31); from here some Danites went to spy o...
    [nave] ZORAH, called also Zareah and Zoreah. A city of Dan or Judah, Josh. 15:33; 19:41. The city of Samson, Judg. 13:2, 24, 25; 16:31. Representatives of the tribe of Dan sent from, to spy out the land with a view to its conquest...

  • Dan

    [ebd] a judge. (1.) The fifth son of Jacob. His mother was Bilhah, Rachel's maid (Gen. 30:6, "God hath judged me", Heb. dananni). The blessing pronounced on him by his father was, "Dan shall judge his people" (49:16), probably in ...
    [smith] (a judge). The fifth son of Jacob, and the first of Bilhah, Rachel?s maid. (Genesis 30:6) (B.C. after 1753.) The origin of the name is given in the exclamation of Rachel. The records of Dan are unusually meagre. Only one son...
    [nave] DAN 1. Fifth son of Jacob and Bilhah, Gen. 30:6; 35:25. Descendants of, Gen. 46:23; Num. 26:42, 43. See: Tribe of, below. Blessed of Jacob, Gen. 49:16, 17. Tribe of Census of, Num. 1:39; 26:42, 43. Inheritance of, accor...

  • Jonathan

    [ebd] whom Jehovah gave, the name of fifteen or more persons that are mentioned in Scripture. The chief of these are, (1.) A Levite descended from Gershom (Judg. 18:30). His history is recorded in 17:7-13 and 18:30. The Rabbins ch...
    [smith] that is, "the gift of Jehovah, " the eldest son of King Saul. (B.C. about 1095-1056.) He was a man of great strength and activity. (2 Samuel 1:23) He was also famous as a warrior, (1 Chronicles 12:2) as is shown by the ...
    [nave] JONATHAN 1. A Levite of Bethlehem, who becomes a priest for Micah; accepts idolatry; joins the Danites, Judg. 17:7-13; 18:1-30. 2. Son of Saul, 1 Sam. 14:49. Victory of, over the Philistine garrison of Geba, 1 Sam. 13:3, 4...

  • JEBUS; JEBUSI; JEBUSITE

    [isbe] JEBUS; JEBUSI; JEBUSITE - je'-bus, jeb'-u-si, jeb'-u-zit (yebhuc, ha-yebhuci): "Jebus" is an old name for Jerusalem (Jdg 19:10,11; 1 Ch 4:5 parallel 2 Sam 5:6-9, "the same is Jerus"; see preceding article). "Jebusi" (literal...

  • DAN (1); DAN, TRIBE OF

    [isbe] DAN (1); DAN, TRIBE OF - (dan, "judge"; Dan). 1. Name: The fifth of Jacob's sons, the first borne to him by Bilhah, the maid of Rachel, to whom, as the child of her slave, he legally belonged. At his birth Rachel, whose barr...

  • DAN (2)

    [isbe] DAN (2) - A city familiar as marking the northern limit of the land of Israel in the common phrase "from Dan even to Beer-sheba" (Jdg 20:1; 1 Sam 3:20, etc.). Its ancient name was Laish or Leshem (Jdg 18:7, etc.). It was pro...

  • MICAH (1)

    [isbe] MICAH (1) - mi'-ka (mikhah, contracted from mikhayahu, "who is like Yah?"; Codex Vaticanus, Meichaias; Codex Alexandrinus, Micha; sometimes in the King James Version spelled Michah): (1) The chief character of an episode gi...

  • Minister

    [nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...

  • PHOENICIA; PHOENICIANS

    [isbe] PHOENICIA; PHOENICIANS - fe-nish'-i-a, fe-nish'-anz: 1. The Land 2. The Colonies 3. The People 4. Arts and Manufactures 5. Commerce and Trade 6. Language and Culture 7. Religion 8. History LITERATURE 1. The Land: The term "P...

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...

  • NAPHTALI

    [isbe] NAPHTALI - naf'-ta-li (naphtali; Nephthaleim): I. THE PATRIARCH 1. Name 2. Circumstances of His Birth 3. Historical and Traditional Details II. TRIBE OF NAPHTALI 1. Its Relative Position 2. Its Location in Palestine 3. Physi...

  • Micah

    [ebd] a shortened form of Micaiah, who is like Jehovah? (1.) A man of Mount Ephraim, whose history so far is introduced in Judg. 17, apparently for the purpose of leading to an account of the settlement of the tribe of Dan in Nort...

  • INTERCESSION

    [isbe] INTERCESSION - in-ter-sesh'-un (pagha`, "to make intercession"; originally "to strike upon," or "against"; then in a good sense, "to assail anyone with petitions," "to urge," and when on behalf of another, "to intercede" (Ru...

  • Mahaneh-dan

    [ebd] Judg. 18:12 = "camp of Dan" 13:25 (R.V., "Mahaneh-dan"), a place behind (i.e., west of) Kirjath-jearim, where the six hundred Danites from Zorah and Eshtaol encamped on their way to capture the city of Laish, which they rebu...
    [isbe] MAHANEH-DAN - ma'-ha-ne-dan (machaneh-dhan; parembole Dan): This place is mentioned twice: in Jdg 13:25 (the King James Version "the camp of Dan"), and Jdg 18:12. In Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol, the spirit of the ...
    [nave] MAHANEH-DAN, an encampment of the Danites, Judg. 13:25; 18:12.

  • JONATHAN (1)

    [isbe] JONATHAN (1) - jon'-a-than (yehonathan, yonathan, "Yahweh has given"; Ionathan; compare JEHONATHAN): (1) (Hebrew yehonathan): The young "Levite" of Judges 17; 18 referred to by name in 18:30, where he is called "the son of G...

  • Theft

    [nave] THEFT. Ex. 20:15 Deut. 5:19; Matt. 19:18; Luke 18:20; Rom. 13:9. Ex. 21:16; Ex. 22:1-4, 10-15; Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:11, 13; Deut. 23:24, 25; Psa. 50:18; Psa. 62:10; Psa. 119:61; Prov. 6:30, 31; Prov. 21:7; Isa. 61:8; Jer. 2:...

  • Eshtaol

    [ebd] narrow pass or recess, a town (Josh. 15:33) in the low country, the She-phelah of Judah. It was allotted to the tribe of Dan (Josh. 19:41), and was one of their strongholds. Here Samson spent his boyhood, and first began to ...
    [isbe] ESHTAOL - esh'-ta-ol ('eshta'ol; Astaol): A town in the Shephelah of Judah named next to Zorah (Josh 15:33; 19:41). Between these two cities lay Mahaneh-dan (the camp of Dan) where the Spirit of the Lord began to move Samson...
    [smith] (a pass), a town in the low country --the Shefelah --of Judah, after wards allotted to Dan. (Joshua 15:33; 19:41) Here Samson spent his boyhood, and hither after his last exploit his body was brought. (Judges 13:25; 16:31; 18...
    [nave] ESHTAOL A town of Judah, Josh. 15:33. Allotted to Dan, Josh. 19:41; Judg. 18:2, 8, 11. Samson moved by the spirit of the Lord near, Judg. 13:25. Samson buried near, Judg. 16:31.

  • Recooissance

    [nave] RECOOISSANCE Of Jericho, Josh. 2:1-24; Beth-el, Judg. 1:23; Laish, Judg. 18:2-10. See: Spies.

  • Armies

    [nave] ARMIES Who of the Israelites were subject to service in, Num. 1:2, 3; 26:2; 2 Chr. 25:5; who were exempt from service in, Num. 1:47-50; 2:33; Deut. 20:5-9; Judg. 7:3. Enumeration of Israel's military forces, Num. 1:2, 3; 26...
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Arts

Questions

  • It seems to me that the key to the answer to your question is to understand the unique role of the Book of Judges. The statement that is repeated in this book is, "there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in ...
  • These people were descendants of Sidoa, a son of Canaan, and were formerly a part of the Phoenician nation (Matt. 15:21,22; Mark 7:24,26). They dwelt on the sea-coast in the cities of Zidon and Zarephath (Josh. 11:8; I Kin. 1...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • Having completed the major addresses to the Israelites recorded to this point in Deuteronomy, Moses needed only to make a few final arrangements before Israel was ready to enter the land. The record of these events concludes ...
  • After receiving the reminder of his death and as one of his final official acts as Israel's leader, Moses pronounced a prophetic blessing on the tribes of Israel (cf. Gen. 49)."In the ancient Near East, a dying father's final...
  • Dan received territory primarily in the Shephelah and Coastal Plain west of Benjamin that was between Judah and Ephraim. Its land was extremely fruitful."The Amorites, who settled portions of the Philistine plain (Judg. 1:34)...
  • Internal references help us locate the approximate date of composition of this book. The clause, "In those days there was no king in Israel,"(17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25) suggests that someone wrote Judges during the monarchical ...
  • Joshua reveals that victory, success, and progress result when God's people trust and obey Him consistently. Judges shows that defeat, failure, and retrogression follow when they fail to trust and obey consistently. In this r...
  • I. The reason for Israel's apostasy 1:1-3:6A. Hostilities between the Israelites and the Canaanites after Joshua's death 1:1-2:51. Initial successes and failures ch. 12. The announcement of God's discipline 2:1-5B. Israel's c...
  • The first major section in the book (1:1-3:6) explains very clearly why the period of the judges was a dark chapter in Israel's history. God revealed the reasons for Israel's apostasy and consequent national problems in terms...
  • 1:22-26 The writer described Ephraim and Manasseh together as "the house of Joseph"(vv. 22-29). First, he narrated Ephraim's activity (vv. 22-26). The Ephraimites' treatment of the man of Bethel who gave them information viol...
  • The first of six periods of oppression by Israel's enemies began while Othniel, Caleb's younger brother, was still alive and strong (cf. Josh. 15:17; Judg. 1:13). The writer identified each of these periods with the phrase "t...
  • The writer of Judges structured this book so the story of Gideon would be its focal center."Within the main body of the book, seven major narrative blocks can be noted. Moreover, there are certain parallel features between th...
  • The supernatural victory God had given His people elevated Gideon into national recognition. Some of the men of Israel invited Gideon to be their king and to begin a dynasty of rulers (v. 22). Perhaps they were from the north...
  • "From chapters 13 to 18, the author concentrates on the tribe of Dan, which had been one of the largest and most prominent tribes during the wilderness march (Num 2:25-31). In the period of the judges, however, Dan seemed hel...
  • The following two extended incidents (ch. 17-21) differ from the records of the judges just completed (chs. 3-16). They are not accounts of the activities of any of Israel's judges. They are the record of events that took pla...
  • God undoubtedly included the story of Micah and the Danites in the sacred record because it relates the establishment of image worship in Israel. This was a new and catastrophic departure from Yahweh for the Israelites. Image...
  • The story of Micah (ch. 17) introduces the account of the setting up of image worship in the North (ch. 18).
  • This chapter begins with another reference to the fact that there was no king in Israel then (cf. 17:6). The writer reminded us again that the Israelites were living unrestrained lives. Abundant evidence of this follows in ch...
  • The five Danites continued northward about 100 miles and finally came upon an area they felt would be ideal for their needs. They discovered the isolated town of Laish (Leshem, Josh. 19:47) that they believed they could captu...
  • An army of 600 Danites proceeded from Zorah and Eshtaol eastward up the Kesalon Valley to Kiriath-jearim and then northward into the Hill Country of Ephraim. They stopped at Micah's house, noted his images and ephod, and pond...
  • Micah gathered some of his neighbors and pursued the Danites hoping to force them to return what they had taken from him. However the Danites proved stronger than he anticipated, and he had to withdraw without a fight (cf. Ge...
  • The Danites' defeat of the inhabitants of Laish appears cruel and unjustified (cf. 9:45-49). The town that seemed so desirable to the spies was really vulnerable and isolated. Its advantages proved to be weaknesses. Since God...
  • Chapter 19 records an event that provoked civil war in Israel. The account of that war follows in chapter 20. Then the consequences of the war unfold in chapter 21. This section of the book is the climactic and supreme demons...
  • "It is not only the action of the men of Gibeah which reveals the abysmally low moral standards of the age; the indifference of the Levite who prepared to depart in the morning without any apparent concern to ascertain the fa...
  • The Book of Joshua recorded Israel's victory over her enemies through trust in and obedience to God. The Book of Judges shows the defeat of the nation by its enemies from without and within due to refusal to trust and obey Go...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan. Land of the Bible. Phildelphia: Westminster Press, 1962.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The...
  • As is often true in literature, the structure of the piece sometimes reveals the purpose of the writer. This is certainly the case in the Book of Ruth. The writer constructed the whole book with a chiastic (crossing) structur...
  • God had promised the Israelites that if they departed from Him He would discipline them by sending famine on the Promised Land (Deut. 28:17, 23, 38-40, 42).16The famine on Israel at this time indicates God's judgment for unfa...
  • The last major section of the Book of Samuel (2 Sam. 21-24) consists of six separate pericopes that together constitute a conclusion to the whole book (cf. Judg. 17-21). Each pericope emphasizes the theological message of the...
  • During its history the Northern Kingdom had three capitals: first Shechem (v. 25), then Tirzah (14:17; 15:33), and finally Samaria (16:23-24). Perhaps the king strengthened Penuel in west-central Gilead as a Transjordanian pr...
  • 3:4 The Lord explained that the Israelites would remain for a long time separated from their idolatrous practices. During this time they would not have a king or leader (i.e., national sovereignty), sacrifices or sacred pilla...
  • The first part of this oracle focused particularly on the true King who would come and exercise sovereignty over the nations (ch. 9). Now the emphasis changes to the people of the King, the Israelites, who will return to the ...
  • This is one of the sections of Mark's Gospel that has a chiastic structure (cf. 3:22-30; 6:14-29; 11:15-19).A The appeal of Jairus for his daughter 5:21-24B The healing of the woman with the hemorrhage 5:25-34A' The raising o...
  • This incident, appearing only in Luke's Gospel, illustrates the truth just expressed in verse 35. Here is a case in point of what Jesus had just described happening (v. 34). Jesus reached out to a sinner only to receive criti...
  • The scene continues to be on earth.7:1 The phrase "after this"(Gr. meta touto) indicates that what follows is a new vision (cf. 4:1). The general chronological progression of the visions suggests that the events John saw now ...
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