14 Then answered H6030 the five H2568 men H582 that went H1980 to spy out H7270 the country H776 of Laish, H3919 and said H559 unto their brethren, H251 Do ye know H3045 that there is H3426 in these houses H1004 an ephod, H646 and teraphim, H8655 and a graven image, H6459 and a molten image? H4541 now therefore consider H3045 what ye have to do. H6213
15 And they turned H5493 thitherward, and came H935 to the house H1004 of the young man H5288 the Levite, H3881 even unto the house H1004 of Micah, H4318 and saluted H7592 H7965 him.
16 And the six H8337 hundred H3967 men H376 appointed H2296 with their weapons H3627 of war, H4421 which were of the children H1121 of Dan, H1835 stood H5324 by the entering H6607 of the gate. H8179
17 And the five H2568 men H582 that went H1980 to spy out H7270 the land H776 went up, H5927 and came in H935 thither, and took H3947 the graven image, H6459 and the ephod, H646 and the teraphim, H8655 and the molten image: H4541 and the priest H3548 stood H5324 in the entering H6607 of the gate H8179 with the six H8337 hundred H3967 men H376 that were appointed H2296 with weapons H3627 of war. H4421
18 And these went H935 into Micah's H4318 house, H1004 and fetched H3947 the carved image, H6459 the ephod, H646 and the teraphim, H8655 and the molten image. H4541 Then said H559 the priest H3548 unto them, What do H6213 ye?
19 And they said H559 unto him, Hold thy peace, H2790 lay H7760 thine hand H3027 upon thy mouth, H6310 and go H3212 with us, and be to us H1961 a father H1 and a priest: H3548 is it better H2896 for thee to be a priest H3548 unto the house H1004 of one H259 man, H376 or that thou be a priest H3548 unto a tribe H7626 and a family H4940 in Israel? H3478
20 And the priest's H3548 heart H3820 was glad, H3190 and he took H3947 the ephod, H646 and the teraphim, H8655 and the graven image, H6459 and went in H935 the midst H7130 of the people. H5971
21 So they turned H6437 and departed, H3212 and put H7760 the little ones H2945 and the cattle H4735 and the carriage H3520 before H6440 them.
22 And when they were a good way H7368 from the house H1004 of Micah, H4318 the men H582 that were in the houses H1004 near to Micah's H4318 house H1004 were gathered together, H2199 and overtook H1692 the children H1121 of Dan. H1835
23 And they cried H7121 unto the children H1121 of Dan. H1835 And they turned H5437 their faces, H6440 and said H559 unto Micah, H4318 What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company? H2199
24 And he said, H559 Ye have taken away H3947 my gods H430 which I made, H6213 and the priest, H3548 and ye are gone away: H3212 and what have I more? and what is this that ye say H559 unto me, What aileth thee?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 18
Commentary on Judges 18 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 18
How idolatry crept into the family of Micah we read in the preceding chapter, how it was translated thence into the tribe of Dan we have an account in this chapter, and how it gained a settlement in a city of note; for how great a matter does a little fire kindle! The tribe of Dan had their lot assigned them last of all the tribes, and, it happening to be too strait for them, a considerable city in the utmost corner of Canaan northward was added to it. "Let them get it, and take it;' it was called Laish or Leshem, Jos. 19:47. Now here we are told,
Jdg 18:1-6
Here is,
Jdg 18:7-13
Here is,
Jdg 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 consider what you have to do, v. 14. We consulted them, and had a good answer from them; they are worth having, nay, they are worth stealing (that is, having upon the worst terms), and, if we can but make ourselves masters of these gods, we may the better hope to prosper, and make ourselves masters of Laish.' So far they were in the right, that it was desirable to have God's presence with them, but wretchedly mistaken when they took these images (which were fitter to be used in a puppet-play than in acts of devotion) for tokens of God's presence. They thought an oracle would be pretty company for them in their enterprise, and instead of a council of war to consult upon every emergency; and, the place they were going to settle in being so far from Shiloh, they thought they had more need of a house of gods among themselves than Micah had that lived so near to it. They might have made as good an ephod and teraphim themselves as these were, and such as would have served their purpose every whit as well; but the reputation which they found them in possession of (though they had had that reputation but a while) amused them into a strange veneration for this house of gods, which they would soon have dropped if they had had so much sense as to enquire into its origin, and examine whether there were any thing divine in its institution. Being determined to take these gods along with them, we are here told how they stole the images, cajoled the priest, and frightened Micah from attempting to rescue them.
Jdg 18:27-31
Here is,