Judges 18:30 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 18:27-31

Here is, I. Laish conquered by the Danites. They proceeded on their march, and, because they met with no disaster, perhaps concluded they had not done amiss in robbing Micah. Many justify themselves in their impiety by their prosperity. Observe, 1. What posture they found the people of Laish in, both those of the city and those of the country about. They were quiet and secure, not jealous of the five spies that had been among them to search out the land, nor had they any intelligence of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 18:30

And the children of Dan set up the graven image ,.... In their new city Dan, and very probably had a house built for it, peculiar to it, in the same place where Jeroboam, in later times, set up one of his golden calves. The Danites having succeeded, according to the oracle in Micah's house, they had a very great veneration for the images they brought away with them from thence, and set them up for religious worship in a proper place; for though only mention is made of the graven image, yet... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 off, and got this Jonathan in his place. The son Manasseh - Who this Manasseh was, none can tell; nor does the reading appear to be genuine. He could not be Manasseh the son of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 18:30-31

In the Hebrew text the name here rendered Manasseh is written MN)- SH. Without the “N” (nun) suspended over the line, the word may be read: Moses, whose son was Gershom Exodus 2:22, whose son or descendant Jonathan clearly was. The Masoretes, probably grieved that a descendant of Moses should have been implicated in idolatrous worship, adopted this expedient for disguising the fact without absolutely falsifying the text. The Vulgate has “Moses”, the Septuagint “Manasses”.These verses seem to... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 18:30

Judges 18:30. The children of Dan set up the graven image Having succeeded in their expedition, according to the prediction they supposed they had through the image, they had a great veneration for it. And as soon as they had completed their city, they set it up, and chose a minister to officiate for them, probably the Levite who had acted as priest for Micah, and is, at length, named here, Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh: not of that Manasseh who was the head of the tribe... 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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 18:30

set up. On account of this, Dan is not named in Revelation 7:0 , and Ephraim is there merged in Joseph. Manasseh. This word is one of the four that has a suspended letter. Here the letter, nun (n), is written partly in the line and partly above the line, to show that originally it formed no part of the word, but was put in to make it spell "Manasseh" instead of "Moses". Jonathan was the grandson of Moses (his contemporary Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, being mentioned in Judges 20:28 ).... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 18:30

Judges 18:30. The son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh— As this Manasseh certainly cannot mean him who was the head of the tribe so called; it is generally thought, that some other Manasseh of the tribe of Levi is understood. Dr. Kennicott, however, strongly contends for the reading of the Vulgate, the son of Moses. "We know," says he, "that Gershom was the son of Moses; and there are strong reasons for believing that the word here was Moses, and not Manasseh. For, first, Saint Jerome has... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 18:30

30, 31. the children of Dan set up the graven image—Their distance secluded them from the rest of the Israelites, and doubtless this, which was their apology for not going to Shiloh, was the cause of perpetuating idolatry among them for many generations. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 18:1-31

2. The apostasy of the Danites ch. 18 read more