Those days — Not long after Joshua's death. The tribe — A part of that tribe, consisting only of six hundred men of war, with their families, Judges 18:16, Judges 18:21. Inheritance — The lot had fallen to them before this time, but not the actual possession, because the Philistines and Amorites opp... [ Continue Reading ]
There — Not in the same house, but near it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Knew — By the acquaintance which some of them formerly had with him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ask — By thine Ephod, and Teraphim, or images, which they knew he had, Judges 18:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
Before the Lord — That is, your design is under the eye of God; that is, under his care, protection and direction. This answer he either feigns to gratify their humour; or, did indeed receive from the devil, who transformed himself into an angel of light, and in God's name gave him answers, and thos... [ Continue Reading ]
Manner of the Zidonians — Who living in a very strong place, and abounding in wealth, and perceiving that the Israelites never attempted anything against them, were grown secure and careless. Put to shame — Or, that might rebuke or punish any thing, that is, any crime. Putting to shame seems to be u... [ Continue Reading ]
Given — This they gather partly from God's promise which they supposed they had from the Levite's mouth; and partly from his providence, which had so disposed them, that they would be an easy prey.... [ Continue Reading ]
Mahaneh — dan — That is, the camp of Dan.... [ Continue Reading ]
To the house — That is, to the town in which his house was, for they were not yet entered into it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Answered — That is, spake, the word answering being often used in scripture of the first speaker. These houses — That is, in one of these houses. What to do — Whether it be not expedient to take them for your farther use.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thither — Into the house, and that part of it, where those things were. The gate — Whither they had drawn him forth, that they might without noise or hindrance take them away.... [ Continue Reading ]
These — The five men.... [ Continue Reading ]
Lay thy hand — That is, be silent. A family — Namely, a tribe, that is, a family.... [ Continue Reading ]
Was glad — Being wholly governed by his own interest. The midst — Both for the greater security of such precious things, and that Micah might not be able to come at him, to injure or upbraid him; and, it may be, because that was the place where the ark used to be carried.... [ Continue Reading ]
Before them — For their greater security, if Micah should pursue them.... [ Continue Reading ]
I made — So far was he besotted with superstition and idolatry, that he esteemed those gods, which were man's work. But he could not be so stupid, as to think these were indeed the great Jehovah that made heaven and earth; but only a lower sort of gods, by whom, as mediators, he offered up his worsh... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy voice — Thy complaints and reproaches. Angry fellows — The soldiers, who are in themselves sharp and fierce, and will soon be enflamed by thy provoking words. Thy Life — Which, not withstanding all thy pretences, thou dost value more than thy images.... [ Continue Reading ]
Burnt — Not wholly, but in great measure, to make their conquest more easy.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they built a city — That is, rebuilt it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Of Dan — That it might be manifest, that they belonged to the tribe of Dan, though they were seated at a great distance from them, in the most northerly part of the land; whereas the lot of their tribe was in the southern part of Canaan.... [ Continue Reading ]
Image — Having succeeded in their expedition according to the prediction which, as they supposed, they had from this image, they had a great veneration for it. The captivity — When the whole land of the ten tribes, whereof Dan was one, was conquered, and the people carried captive by the Assyrian, 2... [ Continue Reading ]