CHAPTER XVIII _Some Danites, seeking an inheritance, send five men to search_ _the land, who arrive at the house of Micah_, 1, 2. _They employ the Levite, who served to his house as priest, to_ _ask counsel for them of God_, 3-5. _He inquires, and promises them success_, 6. _They depart, and g... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:2. _FIVE MEN - MEN OF VALOUR_] The Hebrew word חיל _chayil_ has been applied to _personal prowess_, to _mental energy_, and to _earthly possessions_. They sent those in whose courage, judgment, and prudence, they could safely confide.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:3. _THEY KNEW THE VOICE OF THE YOUNG MAN_] They knew, by his dialect or mode of _pronunciation_, that he was not an Ephraimite. We have already seen (Judges 12:6) that the Ephraimites could not pronounce certain letters. See the note there.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:5. _ASK COUNSEL - OF GOD_] As the Danites use the word אלהים _Elohim_ here for _God_, we are necessarily led to believe that they meant the true God; especially as the Levite answers, Judges 18:6, _Before the LORD_ (יהוה Yehovah) _is your way_. Though the former word may be sometime... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:7. _AFTER THE MANNER OF THE ZIDONIANS_] Probably the people of _Laish_ or _Leshem_ were originally a colony of the _Sidonians_, who, it appears, were an opulent people; and, being in possession of a _strong city_, lived in a state of security, not being afraid of their neighbours. In... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:9. _ARISE, C._] This is a very plain and nervous address full of good sense, and well adapted to the purpose. It seems to have produced an instantaneous effect.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:11. _SIX HUNDRED MEN_] These were not the whole, for we find they had children, c., Judges 18:21 but these appear to have been six hundred _armed_ men.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:12. _MAHANEH-DAN_] "The camp of Dan;" so called from the circumstance of this armament _encamping_ there. See Jdg 13:25, which affords some proof that this transaction was previous to the days of Samson.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:14. _CONSIDER WHAT YE HAVE TO DO._] They probably had formed the design to carry off the priest and his sacred utensils.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:18. _THESE WENT UNTO MICAH'S HOUSE_] The five men went in, while the six hundred armed men stood at the gate.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:19. _LAY THINE HAND UPON THY MOUTH_] This was the token of _silence_. The god of silence, _Harpocrates_, is represented on ancient statues with _his finger pressed on his lips_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:20. _WENT TO THE MIDST OF THE PEOPLE._] He was glad to be employed by the Danites; and went into the _crowd_, that he might not be discovered by Micah or his family.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:21. _THE LITTLE ONES AND THE CATTLE, C._] These men were so confident of success that they removed their whole families, household goods, cattle, and all. _AND THE CARRIAGE_] כבודה _kebudah_, their _substance, precious_ _things_, or _valuables omne quod erat pretiosum_, VULGATE: or... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:24. _YE HAVE TAKEN AWAY MY GODS_] As Micah was a worshipper of the true God, as we have seen, he cannot mean any kind of idols by the word אלהי _elohai_ here used. He undoubtedly means those _representations_ of Divine things, and symbols of the Divine presence such as the teraphim,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:25. _AND THOU LOSE THY LIFE_] This was _argumentum ad_ _hominem_; he must put up with the loss of his substance, or else lose his life! It was the mere language of a modern highwayman: _Your life or your money_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:27. _UNTO A PEOPLE - AT QUIET AND SECURE_] They found the report given by the spies to be correct. The people were apprehensive of no danger, and were unprepared for resistance; hence they were all put to the sword, and their city burnt up.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:28. THERE WAS _NO DELIVERER_] They had no succour, because the Sidonians, from whom they might have expected it, were at too great a _distance_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:29. _CALLED THE NAME OF THE CITY DAN_] This city was afterwards very remarkable as one of the _extremities_ of the promised land. The extent of the Jewish territories was generally expressed by the phrase, _From DAN to BEER-SHEBA_; that is, From the most _northern_ to the _southern_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 18:30. _THE CHILDREN OF DAN SET UP THE GRAVEN IMAGE_] They erected a chapel, or temple, among themselves, as Micah had done before; having the same implements and the same priest. _AND JONATHAN THE SON OF GERSHOM_] Either this was the name of the young _Levite_; or they had turned him... [ Continue Reading ]