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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 18:1-6

Here is, 1. The eye which these Danites had upon Laish, not the whole tribe of Dan, but one family of them, to whose lot, in the subdivision of Canaan, that city fell. Hitherto this family had sojourned with their brethren, who had taken possession of their lot, which lay between Judah and the Philistines, and had declined going to their own city, because there was no king in Israel to rule over them, Jdg. 18:1. It lay a great way off, separate from the rest of their tribe; it was entirely in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 18:4

And he said unto them, thus and thus dealeth Micah with me ,.... Told them the whole story, how he came to the door of Micah's house, how he inquired of him who he was, and from whence he came, and whither he was going, and then invited him into his house to stay with him: and hath hired me ; by the year, for ten shekels of silver, a suit of clothes, and meat and drink, and by this means he got a livelihood, and was supported: and I am his priest ; and that was his business to offer... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 18:2-5

Judges 18:2-5. They lodged there Not in the same house, but near it. They knew the voice of the young man Having been acquainted with him before he came to live with Micah. Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God By thine ephod and teraphim, or image, which they knew he had. This and the following verse show that this sanctuary of Micah was dedicated to the true God, and not to idols. But how ignorant were these Danites, to suppose God would be consulted here as well as in his house at... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 18:1-31

17:1-21:25 TRIBAL DISORDER WITHIN ISRAELThe writer of the book has now finished his account of the activity of the judges. To this he adds an appendix consisting of two stories (not necessarily placed in their correct chronological position in the book) that illustrate the disorder that existed in Israel during that period. The nation had no central government and people in the various tribes did as they pleased (see 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The stories record important changes that occurred... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 18:1-6

The messengers from Dan 18:1-6This chapter begins with another reference to the fact that there was no king in Israel then (cf. Judges 17:6). The writer reminded us again that the Israelites were living unrestrained lives. Abundant evidence of this follows in chapter 18."The nation needs no king to lead them in battle or into apostasy. They will do both on their own." [Note: Block, Judges . . ., p. 491.] In Judges 18:1 the NASB and NIV translators have implied that the following incident... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 18:1-31

The Danites go in Quest of an Inheritance. They rob Micah of his Images, capture and settle in Laish, and set up Idol-Worship there1-10. The Danite Spies.2. From their coasts] RV ’from their whole number.’ For Zorah and Eshtaol see on Judges 13:25. 3. They knew] They recognised him as a Levite from the prayers he was saying.Makest] RV ’doest.’6. Before the lord] i.e. under Jehovah’s care. 7. Laish] In Joshua 19:47 the name appears as Leshem. Later on it was called Dan, from its new inhabitants... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Judges 18:4

(4) Thus and thus.—Literally, according to this and according to that, as in 2 Samuel 11:25; 1 Kings 14:5.I am his priest.—See Judges 17:13. Similarly in the dearth of genuine priests Jeroboam was forced to make even Levites out of the lowest of the people (1 Kings 12:31). read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Judges 18:1-31

Judges 18:3 'It, is a vain thought,' says Dinah Morris in Adam Bede, 'to flee from the work that God appoints us, for the sake of finding a greater blessing to our own souls, as if we could choose for ourselves where we shall find the fullness of the Divine Presence, instead of seeking it where alone it is to be found, in loving obedience.' Judges 18:7 A man's own safety is a god that sometimes makes very grim demands. George Eliot. Security, as commonly understood, is the state in which one... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Judges 18:1-31

THE STOLEN GODSJudges 17:1-13, Judges 18:1-31THE portion of the Book of Judges which begins with the seventeenth chapter and extends to the close is not in immediate connection with that which has gone before. We read {; Judges 18:30} that "Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land." But the proper reading is, "Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses." It would seem that the renegade... read more

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