(28) In the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob.—At the foot of the lowest range of Lebanon, and at the sources of the Jordan (Numbers 13:21), north of Lake Huleh. It is probably the Rehob of Judges 1:31, Joshua 19:30; and later it belonged to Syria (2 Samuel 10:6) The name means “house of spaciousness.” Robinson (Bibl. Res. Iii. 371) identifies it with Hunîn, a fortress which commands the plain of Huleh. read more
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
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
CHAPTER 18 The Danite Idolatry 1. The Danites seek an inheritance (Judges 18:1-12 ) 2. Their robbery (Judges 18:13-26 ) 3. Laish taken and idolatry consummated (Judges 18:27-31 ) The history of this chapter is closely linked with the preceding. The tribe of Dan had failed to take the God-given inheritance (Joshua 19:40-46 ). “The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley” (Judges 1:34 ). Then in self-will, entirely... read more
APPENDIX TO THE BOOK The chapters concluding the book detail certain incidents at various periods during the preceding history, when the whole nation was disordered and corrupt, and “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” A MAN-MADE PRIEST (Judges 17:0 ) Chapter 17 tells of Micah who established his own imitation of the tabernacle. Of course it was contrary to the law and evinced ignorance and superstition, although the motive may not have been bad. ORIGIN OF THE CITY OF... read more
Judges 18:0 (Annotated) Judges 18:0 1. In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe [may mean a tribe, or the division of a tribe] of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance [a description of their inheritance is given in Jos 19:40-46 ] had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel. 2. And the Children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coast [their lords], men of valour [sons of force], from... read more
I hasten to close the awful account of this tribe, for nothing can give a more horrible description of their degeneracy, than that as soon as they had conquered Laish, and settled themselves in their new city of Dan, they set up public idolatry. Whether this Jonathan was the Levite of Micah, and now called for the first time by his name, is not said. But I rather incline to think not. It is not probable, that the Holy Ghost would close his character with the record of his name, who had thus... read more
Rohob, which stood at the foot of Libanus. The vale belonging to this city, extended for about twenty miles. read more
The Priest of Micah Taken to Laish v. 13. And they passed thence unto Mount Ephraim, along the way taken by the spies, and came unto the house of Micah. v. 14. Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, giving in advance the information which the members of their tribe would presently ask for, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image, a carved and chased idol with its... read more
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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