Judges 18:24 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 18:14-26

The Danites had sent out their spies to find out a country for them, and they sped well in their search; but here, now that they came to the place (for till this brought it to their mind it does not appear that they had mentioned it to their brethren), they oblige them with a further discovery?they can tell them where there are gods: ?Here, in these houses, there are an ephod, and teraphim, and a great many fine things for devotion, such as we have not the like in our country; now therefore... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 18:24

And he said, ye have taken away my gods that I made ,.... Meaning his graven and molten images, which he had made, or caused to be made, out of the silver his mother gave him, or however had paid for the making of; and though this might be an argument proving his right unto them, it was a very poor one in favour of their deity; and it is astonishing he should call them gods he knew the making of, and who could not save themselves from being stolen and carried off: and the priest and ye... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 18:24

Ye have taken away my gods - As Micah was a worshipper of the true God, as we have seen, he cannot mean any kind of idols by the word אלהי elohai here used. He undoubtedly means those representations of Divine things, and symbols of the Divine presence such as the teraphim, ephod, etc.; for they are all evidently included under the word elohai , which we translate my gods. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 18:24

Judges 18:24. My gods which I made Or, rather, my god, as the Hebrew word generally signifies, meaning the image, which he considered as a symbol of God’s presence with him; for he could not be so stupid as to think it to be the great Jehovah, who made heaven and earth, and whom he professed to worship, but merely as a medium through which he offered up his worship to him, as many of the heathen did. What have I more? I value nothing I have in comparison of what you have taken away.... 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 Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 18:24

Judges 18:24. Ye have taken away my gods, &c.— The word rendered gods is elohim, which, as in other places, would be more properly rendered, my god; and must, undoubtedly, mean the symbol of the Divine presence; as we cannot conceive that Micah, who was a worshipper of Jehovah, could have been so absurd as to think that he could make his god. REFLECTIONS.—The priest, surprised to see the men return with his treasure, expostulates with them against the theft; but his complaints are easily... read more

Thomas Constable

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

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

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 18:21-26

Micah’s attempt to recover his losses 18:21-26Micah gathered some of his neighbors and pursued the Danites, hoping to force them to return what they had taken from him. However the Danites proved stronger than he anticipated, and he had to withdraw without a fight (cf. Genesis 14). Here is another example of the Israelites fighting among themselves rather than uniting to combat their common foe.It is comical to read Micah’s sniveling complaint that the Danite soldiers had taken his gods "which... 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 18:24

(24) My gods which I made.—He does not scruple to call the pesel and teraphim “gods” (his Elohim), any more than the idolater Laban had done (Genesis 30:31). The expression seems to be intended to show scorn for Micah; and perhaps it is from missing this element that the LXX. soften it down into “my graven image,” and the Chaldee to “my fear.” “My gods which I made” would be a very ordinary expression for the Greeks, who called a sculptor a “god-maker” (theopoios), but was startling on the lips... read more