Judges 18:5 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 18:1-6

Here is, 1. The eye which these Danites had upon Laish, not the whole tribe of Dan, but one family of them, to whose lot, in the subdivision of Canaan, that city fell. Hitherto this family had sojourned with their brethren, who had taken possession of their lot, which lay between Judah and the Philistines, and had declined going to their own city, because there was no king in Israel to rule over them, Jdg. 18:1. It lay a great way off, separate from the rest of their tribe; it was entirely in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 18:5

And they said unto him, ask counsel, we pray thee, of God ,.... They did not reprove him for assuming the priestly office, when they knew he was a Levite, such was the corruption of those times, and the great depravity and declensions they were fallen into; nor even for the idolatry he was guilty of, but encourage him in it, and thought they had got a fine opportunity, which they readily laid hold on, to have counsel asked for them of God, about the success of the errand they were sent... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 18:5

Ask counsel - of God - As the Danites use the word אלהים Elohim here for God, we are necessarily led to believe that they meant the true God; especially as the Levite answers, Judges 18:6 , Before the Lord ( יהוה Yehovah ) is your way. Though the former word may be sometimes applied to idols, whom their votaries clothed with the attributes of God; yet the latter is never applied but to the true God alone. As the Danites succeeded according to the oracle delivered by the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 18:5

The sight of the ephod and teraphim suggested the notion of inquiring of God. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 18:2-5

Judges 18:2-5. They lodged there Not in the same house, but near it. They knew the voice of the young man Having been acquainted with him before he came to live with Micah. Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God By thine ephod and teraphim, or image, which they knew he had. This and the following verse show that this sanctuary of Micah was dedicated to the true God, and not to idols. But how ignorant were these Danites, to suppose God would be consulted here as well as in his house at... 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 18:5

Ask counsel. By the use of the ephod. See Judges 17:6 . God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 . Not Jehovah. App-4 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 18:5

Judges 18:5. They said unto him, ask counsel, we pray thee, of God— These two verses prove, what we have before observed on the 5th verse of the foregoing chapter, that this sanctuary of Micah was dedicated to the true God, and not to idols. Before the Lord is your way signifies you are under the immediate guidance and protection of the Lord; under his eye: an answer framed, no doubt, by the Levite, as we cannot conceive that he could, in such a case, have any answer from God. Strange folly! to... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 18:1-6

The messengers from Dan 18:1-6This chapter begins with another reference to the fact that there was no king in Israel then (cf. Judges 17:6). The writer reminded us again that the Israelites were living unrestrained lives. Abundant evidence of this follows in chapter 18."The nation needs no king to lead them in battle or into apostasy. They will do both on their own." [Note: Block, Judges . . ., p. 491.] In Judges 18:1 the NASB and NIV translators have implied that the following incident... read more