Judges 18:1-29
king <04428> [no king.]
The word {mailech,} which generally means a king, is sometimes taken for a supreme ruler, governor, or judge (see Ge 36:31. De 33:5;) and it is probable it should be so understood here, and in the parallel passages.
tribe .......................... tribes <07626> [the tribe.]
days ......... days ................... yet <03117> [for unto.]
Danites ........... men <0582 01121> [men. Heb. sons. Zorah.]
spy out <07270> [to spy.]
hill country <02022> [mount.]
recognized <05234> [they knew.]
They knew by his dialect or mode of pronunciation, that he was not an Ephraimite: see the parallel texts.
[and what hast.]
hired ....... priest <07936 03548> [hired me.]
Seek <07592> [Ask counsel.]
divine <0430> [of God.]
confidence <07965 03212> [Go in peace.]
with <05227> [before.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
As the Levite uses the word Jehovah, and as the Danites succeeded according to the oracle delivered by him, some learned men are of opinion, that the worship established by Micah was not of an idolatrous kind.
Laish <03919> [Laish.]
[called Leshem. how they.]
conqueror <03423> [magistrate. Heb. possessor, or, heir of restraint.]
dealings <01697> [and had no.]
In the most correct copies of the LXX. this clause stands thus; [kai logos ouk en autois meta Syrias;] "and they had no transactions with Syria;" evidently reading instead of ['ƒdƒm <\\See definition 0120\\>] {adam,} man, ['Arƒm <\\See definition 0758\\>] {aram,} Syria; words so nearly similar that the only difference between them is in the [Rˆysh,] {raish,} and [Dƒleth,] daleth, which in both MSS. and printed books is sometimes indiscernible. Laish was situated on the frontiers of Syria.
Zorah ... Eshtaol <0847 06881> [Zorah and Eshtaol.]
Come on <06965> [Arise.]
lethargic <02814> [are ye still.]
hesitate <06101> [be not.]
unsuspecting <0982> [secure.]
God ... handing ... over <0430 05414> [God hath.]
lacks <04270> [where there.]
armed <02296> [appointed. Heb. girded.]
Kiriath Jearim .................. Kiriath Jearim <07157> [Kirjath-jearim.]
A city of Judah, on the confines of Benjamin; distant nine miles from ’lia or Jerusalem, in going towards Diospolis or Lydda, according to Eusebius.
Camp of Dan <04265> [Mahaneh-dan.]
Ephraimite hill country <0669 02022> [mount Ephraim.]
<06030> [Then.]
houses <01004> [in these.]
realize ................... Decide <03045> [now therefore.]
asked <07592> [saluted him. Heb. asked him of peace.]
six hundred <03967 08337> [six hundred.]
five men ........................................... men <0582 0376 02568> [five men.]
<06459> [the graven.]
Put ... hand <07760 03027> [lay thine.]
This was the token of silence. These men were evidently very ignorant; and absurdly concluded that they should, by taking Micah's gods, secure the presence and favour of the God of Israel, in their expedition and settlement. They perhaps supposed the piety of their motives, and the goodness of their end, would justify the means. But it was a base robbery of Micah, aggravated by the Levite's ingratitude, and their menaces.
adviser <01> [a father.]
happy <03820> [heart.]
joined <0935> [went.]
He was glad of his preferment among the Danites; and went into the crowd, that he might not be discovered by Micah or his family.
walked <07760> [and put.]
These men were so confident of success, that they removed their whole families, household goods, cattle, and all.
possessions <03520> [the carriage.]
{Kevoodah,} from {kavad,} to be heavy, denotes the luggage or baggage.
out ................. together <02199> [What aileth.]
out ................. together <02199> [comest. Heb. art gathered together.]
said .............................. say <0559> [what have.]
angry <04751> [angry. Heb. bitter of soul.]
Laish <03919> [Laish.]
struck <05221> [they smote.]
burned <08313> [burnt.]
rescue <05337> [And there.]
far ... Sidon <07350 06721> [far from.]
Probably the people of Laish were originally a colony of the Zidonians; who being an opulent people, and in possession of a strong city, lived in a state of security, not being afraid of their neighbours. In this the Leshemites imitated them, though they appear not to have had the same reason for their confidence; and though they might naturally expect help from their countrymen, yet as they lived at a considerable distance from Sidon, the Danites saw they could strike the blow before the news of the invasion could reach that city.
Beth Rehob <01050> [Beth-rehob.]
[Rehob.]
Dan <01835> [Dan.]
sons <03205> [who was.]
Laish, or Dan, was situated at the northern extremity of the land of Canaan, in a beautiful and fertile plain, at the foot of mount Lebanon, on the springs of Jordan, and, according to Eusebius, four miles from C‘sarea Philippi, or Paneas, now Banias, (with which some have confounded it,) towards Tyre. Burckhardt says, that the source of the river El Dhan, or Jordan, is at an hour's distance from Banias, which agrees with Eusebius.
