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G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Judges 18:1-31

The account of the backsliding of individuals is followed by an illustration of its widespread existence among the people. While seeking new territory the Danites found Micah and the condition of things established in his house. When presently they moved forward to success, they did not hesitate to size Micah's images and capture his priest. The terrible decadence of the religious ideal is startlingly revealed in this whole story. Deeply embedded in the character of the people was the... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 18:19

‘ And they said to him, “Hold your peace. Put your hand on your mouth and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?” ’ Their reply to his question was that he should say nothing and come with them to act as spiritual father and priest to them. They pointed out how much more important and significant he would be as priest to a sub-tribe, that is ‘a clan’ in Israel,... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 18:1-31

Judges 17-18. This section is the first of two supplements. It explains the origin of the famous shrine at Dan, and the naî veté of its moral and religious ideas proves how ancient it is. In not a few places the text has evidently been tampered with by scribes, who took offence at practices which were from a later point of view irregular. The events in question must have occurred before the time of Deborah ( Judges 5:17). read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 18:11-31

Judges 18:11-Ezekiel : . The Danites Get Possession of a Sacred Image.— Kiriath-jearim (the city of forests) is perhaps Kuriat el ’ enab. There was a Mahaneh-dan (camp of Dan) between Zorah and Eshtaol, but more than one place might bear such a name. Judges 18:14 . “ Consider what he hath to do” is the language of highwaymen. What had the Danites to do? To respect the rights of property? To avoid sacrilege? They knew better. Judges 18:19 . They stole not only the sacra but the priest, whose... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Judges 18:19

Lay thy hand upon thy mouth, i.e. be silent, as this phrase is used, Job 21:5; Job 29:9; Job 40:4; Proverbs 30:32. The same thing repeated in other words. A father and a priest: see Poole on "Judges 17:10". A family in Israel, to wit, a tribe that is (and being oft put for that is) a family. For it is certain this was not an expedition of the whole tribe, which numbered 64,000 men, Numbers 26:43, but only of one family, which it seems were more vexed with the Philistines or Amorites, and... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Judges 18:1-31

THE IMAGE WORSHIP EXPANDING INTO TRIBAL IDOLATRYHOMILETICSI. The straits to which unbelief reduces the strong. Judges 18:1.“The tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in.” Not that they had had no inheritance till now. When a distribution was made of the land by Joshua, a considerable territory was allotted to the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:40-47). The other tribes, having received their proportion first, a small area comparatively was left for this tribe. But Judah gave up to them... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Judges 18:1-31

Chapter 18Now that is setting the stage for the rest of this story. You got now this Levite, young kid from Bethlehem as a professional religious priest, personal priest of Micah in his house.Now, in those days there was no king in Israel: and the tribe of the Danites sought an inheritance to dwell in ( Judges 18:1 );For they were unable to drive the Philistines out of that territory of Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza and that beautiful valley area. And they were only, at this point, occupied a small... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Judges 18:1-31

Judges 18:1 . Inheritance had not fallen to them. Dan had the seventh lot, but not enough for all his families. Judges 18:5 . Ask counsel of God. Here was another total breach, both with God’s sanctuary and with the highpriest, whose right it was to consult the oracle. We marvel that Micah, cursed by his mother for sacrilege, should by some be washed white, and made a pure worshipper of the true God! Judges 18:6 . Go in peace. The young levite either gave this answer, or the devil... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Judges 18:1-31

Judges 18:1-31The Danites sought them an inheritance . . . They set them up Micah’s graven image.The image-worship expanding into tribal idolatryI. The straits to which unbelief reduces the strong (Judges 18:1).II. Discontent with a divinely-marked lot leads to evil (Judges 18:2).III. Trifling circumstances often lead to the discovery of sinful schemes (Judges 18:3).IV. Silent neglect at first, leads afterwards to open rejection of God’s ordinances (Judges 18:5).V. The most inoffensive people... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Judges 18:19

Jdg 18:19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: [is it] better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel? Ver. 19. Lay thine hand upon thy mouth. ] Digito compesce labellum. See Job 21:5 ; Job 29:9 . Or that thou be a priest unto a tribe. ] Thus the Papists offered Luther a cardinalship to be quiet: they sent unto him Vergerius, to put him... read more

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