Judges 18:2

Context
18:2 The Danites sent out from their whole tribe five representatives,¹ capable men² 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.³

Judges 18:12

Context
18:12 They went up and camped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. (To this day that place is called Camp of Dan.⁴ It is west⁵ of Kiriath Jearim.)

Judges 18:30

Context
18:30 The Danites worshiped⁶ the carved image. Jonathan, descendant⁷ of Gershom, son of Moses,⁸ and his descendants⁹ served as priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the exile.

[18:2] ¹tn Heb “The Danites sent from their tribe five men, from their borders.”

[18:2] ²tn Heb “men, sons of strength.”

[18:2] ³tn Heb “They came to the Ephraimite hill country, to Micah’s house, and spent the night there.”

[18:12] ⁴tn Or “Mahaneh Dan”; the Hebrew term “Mahaneh” means “camp [of].” Many English versions retain the transliterated Hebrew expression, but cf. CEV “Dan’s Camp.”

[18:12] ⁵tn Heb “behind.”

[18:30] ⁷tn Heb “erected for themselves.”

[18:30] ⁸tn Heb “son.”

[18:30] ⁹tc Several ancient textual witnesses, including some LXX mss and the Vulgate, support the reading “Moses” (מֹשֶׁה, mosheh) here. Many Hebrew mss have a nun (נ) suspended above the name between the first two letters (מנשׁה), suggesting the name Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, mÿnasheh). This is probably a scribal attempt to protect Moses’ reputation. For discussion, see G. F. Moore, Judges (ICC), 401-2.

[18:30] ¹⁰tn Heb “sons.”