Judges 18:30 NIV

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 18:27-31

The establishment of idolatry at Dan 18:27-31The Danites’ defeat of the inhabitants of Laish appears cruel and unjustified (cf. Judges 9:45-49), though Laish was a Canaanite village. The town that seemed so desirable to the spies was really vulnerable and isolated. Its advantages proved to be weaknesses. Since God had adequate territory for the Danites in southern Canaan this whole expedition was displeasing to God in spite of the Levite’s blessing (Judges 18:6). Some of the Danites remained in... 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 18:30

(30) Set up the graven image.—If this pesel was in the form of a calf, the tradition of this cult may have given greater facility to the daring innovation of Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:30). In any case, it would make the inhabitants more ready to accept a cherubic symbol of Jehovah; for we may fairly assume that the “image” was not dissociated from the worship of God, whether as Elohim or Jehovah. Jonathan and the Danites both acknowledged Him under the name Elohim (Judges 18:5; Judges 18:10), and... 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

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Judges 18:1-31

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

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Judges 18:30

18:30 And the children of Dan set up the {n} graven image: and 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 {o} captivity of the land.(n) Thus instead of giving glory to God, they attributed the victory to their idols, and honoured them therefore.(o) That is, till the Ark was taken, 1 Samuel 5:1. read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Judges 18:1-31

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

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Judges 18:1-31

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

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Judges 18:27-31

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