Juízes 18
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Juízes 18
Wiersbe - Corruption in the home will eventually spread to society; in this case, it spread to a whole tribe. False doctrine is like yeast: it grows quietly in secret and affects everything it touches (Gal. 5:7-9+). (See context in With the Word: The Chapter-by-Chapter Bible Handbook or borrow With the Word) And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for themselves to live in - Note that Jdg 18:1 does not contradict Jdg 2:6+ in declaring that the Danites had not been allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. The plight of the tribe of Dan was first mentioned in Judges 1:34+ which records that the godless "Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the valley." Thus they failed to possess their original allotment (Josh 19:41-46) and Jos 19:47NET+ says "The Danites failed to conquer their territory, so they went up and fought with Leshem (LAISH) and captured it. They put the sword to it, took possession of it, and lived in it. They renamed it Dan after their ancestor." THOUGHT - Amorites prevented the Danites from taking possession of their rightful inheritance. Is there some "Amorite" in your life that is preventing you from taking hold of your blessings in Christ, Paul reminding us that our heavenly Father has "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3+) The Danite allotment was at the west end of the strip of land between Judah and Ephraim (Joshua 19:41-46+ SEE MAP - DAN JUST WEST OF EPHRAIM) but the tribe was in a sense "caught in a squeeze" between the Amorites (Judges 1:34+) and the Philistines to the west and the territory of Judah to the south, the Danites refused to lay hold of their inheritance by faith (faith obeys and in context would have utterly destroyed the pagans in their territory), letting their sight (of the Amorites) force them to seek out a new homeland. They clearly felt that the boundary lines had not fallen for them "in pleasant places" (Psalm 16:6). In short, the Danite's desire to move was a testimony to their lack of faith in the promises of the Covenant Keeping Lord who had allotted them their original territory. As detailed in this chapter the Danites instead end up in Jdg 18:30,31+ capturing Laish, renaming it Dan and setting up an idolatrous worship center that was in lieu of the true worship center in Shiloh (Jdg 18:31+). The Danites had sown the wind, and would reap a whirlwind (Hosea 8:7), because years later the wicked king Jeroboam I made Dan a center for idolatrous calf worship to keep the northern 10 tribes from wanting to go back to Jerusalem to worship Jehovah (1Ki 12:29-30). God has a sure law of reaping what one sows and so you cannot help but wonder if this "Danite detour" has something to do with the failure to find the tribe of Dan recorded in the lists of tribes in the 144,000 in Revelation 7:4-8+? (See notes below) THOUGHT - This thought comes close to home. We sin and we think nothing of it. No consequence is obvious. Just a twinge of guilt on our conscious and a loss of joy and we feel "dirty" the next day. But how frightening it should be to think about how far reaching the consequences of our sin can extend and how many people are eventually affected. It behooves us to pay careful attention to Solomon's warning "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil." (Ecclesiastes 8:11) The wicked man lulls himself to sleep spiritually being deceived by his own heart which says to himself, "I shall not be moved. Throughout all generations I shall not be in adversity." (Ps 10:6, Jer 17:9) Woe! MORE BACKGROUND: The Amorites refused to allow the people of the tribe of Dan access to Jerusalem and they crowded them out into the mountains. Locate Dan on the map in dark green just west of Ephraim and then find the city of Dan at the northernmost part of Israel, which is where Dan was forced to move (not by God but because of a "faith failure" in a big God!) It is a sad thing when the people of God allow the world to force them into an awkward position (cf Ro 12:1a+; Gal 6:14+, Jn 16:33)! They were unable to get to Jerusalem and that sets the stage for the problems they are about to face. Most of the other tribes were able to conquer the enemy, dispossess them, and claim their land (albeit most never got 100% possession!), but the Danites coveted somebody else’s land instead and took it in a violent manner as described in this next sick story. For until that day an inheritance had not been allotted to them as a possession among the tribes of Israel - Does this curious statement mean that God had simply forgotten about the tribe of Dan? That they would have to go it on their own? Clearly that is not the implication -- The Lord had assigned the tribal allotments under the direction of Joshua, with the help of Eleazar the high priest and the elders from the tribes at Shiloh (Joshua 19:41, 51+). As He did with the nations (Acts 17:26+ God "determined… the boundaries of the habitation" of every nation on the face of the earth), so He did with the tribes: God put each tribe just where He wanted it. For the tribe of Dan to reject God’s assigned territory and covet another place was to oppose His divine will. THOUGHT - Isn’t it this "Danite Defiant" attitude that causes most of the trouble in our society today? Instead of submitting to God’s will, people want somebody else's "greener grass" (A NEW SPOUSE, CAR, JOB, HOUSE, ETC) and they are willing to do almost anything to get it (see the caustic comment by James 4:1-3+). Peter labels this universal malady "the corruption that is in the world by lust." (2 Peter 1:4+). The Danites failure to defeat and dispossess the Amorites was not a matter of not enough strength of numbers (Nu 26:43+ says that the tribe of Dan had 64,000 men) but of not enough faith in an omnipotent, promise making, covenant keeping God. The Danites had two choices: they could have taken the humble road (and yet the high road) of repentance and lay hold of God's promises by faith that He would go before them and drive out their enemies (Dt 11:22-23+). God's sovereign promises always demand man's responsible choice to obey and move out in faith. The second choice the Danites had was to reject God's promises and seek their own land, looking for a new territory where the occupants would be unprepared and vulnerable to attack (Jdg 18:27-29+). God let them have the latter choice but this "success" does not signify He blessed their efforts. God sometimes gives us what we are determined to have (read a brief review of this principle in Ps 106:12-14, 15+) In fact subsequent history of the abominations (another "golden calf" fiasco) set up at Dan (1Ki 12:28-31) suggest that He cursed them rather than blessing them! Mark it down beloved… Success does not always signify God's blessing! Recall too that Samson was from the tribe of Dan. Samson, the strongest man, came from Dan, the weakest tribe that by sheer numbers should have been one of the strongest tribes! Cundall on the land squeeze the Danites experienced - Pressed up into the hill-country, they were confined to a very small area in the region of Zorah and Eshtaol, where the activities of Samson centred (Jdg 13:2, 25), in territory which, according to Joshua 15:33, was also on the border of Judah. (Borrow Judges & Ruth: Tyndale Old Testament Commentary) Keil and Delitzsch Commentary… This took place at a time when Israel had no king, and the tribe of the Danites sought an inheritance for themselves to dwell in, because until that day no such portion had fallen to them among the tribes as an inheritance. To the expression לֹא נָפְלָה (had not fallen) we must supply נַחֲלָה as the subject from the previous clause; and בְּנַחֲלָה signifies in the character of a nachalah, i.e., of a possession that could be transmitted as hereditary property from father to son. נָפַל, to fall, is used with reference to the falling of the lot (vid., Num. 34:2, Josh. 13:6, etc.). The general statement, that as yet no inheritance had fallen to the tribe of Dan by lot, has its limitation in the context. As the Danites, according to v. 2, sent out five men from Zorea and Eshtaol, and, according to v. 11, six hundred men equipped for fight went out to Laish, which the spies had discovered to be a place well fitted for a settlement, and had settled there, it is very evident from this that the Danites were not absolutely without an inheritance, but that hitherto they had not received one sufficient for their wants. The emigrants themselves were already settled in Zorea and Eshtaol, two of the towns that had fallen to the tribe of Dan by lot (Josh. 19:41). Moreover, the six hundred equipped Danites, who went out of these towns, were only a very small part of the tribe of Danites, which numbered 64,400 males of twenty years old and upwards at the last census (Num. 26:43). For a tribe of this size the land assigned by Joshua to the tribe of Dan, with all the towns that it contained, was amply sufficient. But from Judg. 1:34 we learn that the Amorites forced the Danites into the mountains, and would not allow them to come down into the plain. Consequently they were confined to a few towns situated upon the sides or tops of the mountains, which did not supply all the room they required. Feeling themselves too weak to force back the Canaanites and exterminate them, one portion of the Danites preferred to seek an inheritance for themselves somewhere else in the land. This enterprise and emigration are described in vv. 2ff. The time cannot be determined with perfect certainty, as all that can be clearly inferred from v. 12, as compared with Judg. 13:25, is, that it took place some time before the days of Samson. Many expositors have therefore assigned it to the period immediately following the defeat of Jabin by Barak (Judg. 4:24), because it was not till after the overthrow of this powerful king of the Canaanites that conquests were possible in the north of Canaan, and the tribe of Dan at that time still remained in ships (Judg. 5:17), so that it had not yet left the territory assigned it by the sea-shore (Josh. 19). But these arguments have neither of them any force; for there is nothing surprising in the fact that Danites should still be found by the sea-shore in the time of Deborah, even if Danite families from Zorea and Eshtaol had settled in Laish long before, seeing that these emigrants formed but a small fraction of the whole tribe, and the rest remained in the possessions assigned them by Joshua. Moreover, the strengthening of the force of the Canaanites, and the extension of their dominion in the north, did not take place till 150 years after Joshua, in the days of Jabin; so that long before Jabin the town of Laish may have been conquered by the Danites, and taken possession of by them. In all probability this took place shortly after the death of Joshua, as we may infer from v. 30 (see the exposition of this verse). (Judges 18 Commentary) A C Gaebelein Summary of Judges 18… The Danite Idolatry 1. The Danites seek an inheritance (Jdg 18:1-12) 2. Their robbery (Jdg 18:13-26) 3. Laish taken and idolatry consummated (Jdg 18:27-31) The history of this chapter is closely linked with the preceding. The tribe of Dan had failed to take the God-given inheritance (Josh. 19:40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46). "The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley" (Judges 1:34). Then in self-will, entirely disregarding the will of God, they sent out spies to seek another inheritance. They meet Micah's priest, the hireling. Micah's idolatrous outfit including the hired priest are taken by the invaders. The hireling sees an advantage for himself, his "usefulness" is enlarged for filthy lucre's sake. Then they killed the people of Laish and set their city on fire. The whole tribe of Dan becomes idolatrous. We have in all a picture of complete apostasy. (Commentary) QUESTION - What can we learn from the tribe of Dan? ANSWER - The tribe of Dan was the group of people who descended from the fifth son of Jacob, Dan. Jacob had twelve sons who became the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. The history of the tribe of Dan is especially instructive to us in that it contains multiple examples of the tendency of people to follow man-made religion over biblical faith in God. This is totally contrary to the Scriptures that teach us “no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law” (Romans 3:20) and “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). As the Israelites came into the land of Canaan, by lot certain areas of territory were assigned to each tribe. The tribe of Dan was given a tract of land that was smaller than the other land grants but was fertile and also had a boundary along the Mediterranean Sea where there was fishing and commerce available to them. However, the tribe of Dan never fully conquered this area as a result of a lack of faith in God. This was true of the other tribes as well, as the early chapters of the book of Judges clearly teach, and led to a time during the period of Judges where it was said, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 18:1–31 tells the story of the people of Dan falling into idolatry. They also did not like the territory that was theirs, so they sent out spies to find a better area. In the north, some representatives of Dan learned of an area where a peaceful group of people lived. The tribe of Dan took things into their own hands and wiped out the people of that land so they could then move the entire tribe up to a region close to the sources of the Jordan River, just south of present-day Lebanon. There they established their main city and called it Dan. Later in the history of the Hebrews, the kingdom was divided after the reign of Solomon. The kingdom split into Israel’s ten tribes in the north and Judah’s two in the south. The people of Dan were in the northern kingdom of Israel. We learn in 1 Kings 12:25–33 that King Jeroboam was afraid that those who lived in his kingdom in the north would still go down to the southern kingdom to worship at Jerusalem, since that was where the temple that God had authorized was located. So Jeroboam built two additional altars for the people of his nation to worship. He established worship in the south at Bethel and in the north at Dan. He built a golden calf at each location and instituted special days and feasts when people would meet. Sadly, this man-made worship at Dan has been one of its lasting legacies. Today, many people follow various man-made religions and are convinced that all ways lead to God. Unfortunately, these groups follow the ways of the tribe of Dan. -- Gotquestions.org Today, many people follow various man-made religions and are convinced that all ways lead to God. Unfortunately, these groups follow the ways of the tribe of Dan. Proverbs 16:25 tells us that “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Jesus taught that the way to God was specific when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6). John 3:36 teaches that “he who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” To learn from the mistakes of Dan would be to worship the God of the Bible alone and live for Him by faith.GotQuestions.org Related Resource: Who was Dan in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Wikipedia - Tribe of Dan QUESTION - Why is the tribe of Dan missing from the 144,000 in Revelation chapter 7? ANSWER - Revelation 7:4–8+ lists 144,000 “sealed” or protected servants of God who will minister during the tribulation of the end times. The sealed comprise 12,000 individuals from each of the twelve tribes of Israel: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. For some reason, the tribe of Dan is not listed; in its place is Manasseh, which is one of the two tribes that came from Joseph. The Bible does not tell us why the tribe of Dan is excluded from the list of the twelve tribes in Revelation 7. However, some background information about the twelve sons of Jacob and the twelve tribes of Israel might provide some clues. First, a brief history of the twelve tribes: The twelve tribes of Israel came from the twelve sons of Israel—Israel being the name that God gave Jacob (Genesis 32:28). Jacob’s twelve sons were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin (Genesis 35:23–26; Exodus 1:1–4; 1 Chronicles 2:1–2). The progeny of those twelve sons comprised the twelve tribes of Israel. In the time of Joshua, when Israel inherited the Promised Land, Levi’s descendants did not receive a territory for themselves (Joshua 13:14). Instead, they had priestly duties and took care of the tabernacle. The Levites were given several cities scattered throughout the land. To fill out the twelve allotments, Joseph’s tribe was divided in two—Jacob had adopted Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, essentially giving Joseph a double portion for his faithfulness in saving the family from famine (Genesis 47:11–12). In this arrangement, the tribes given territory in the Promised Land were Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. In some places in Scripture, the tribe of Ephraim is referred to as the tribe of Joseph (e.g., Numbers 1:32–33). After King Solomon died, Israel split into two kingdoms. Judah, to the south, included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The other tribes combined to make the kingdom of Israel in the north. In the ensuing years, many Israelites in the north emigrated to Judah in the south to flee the apostasy in their homeland (see 2 Chronicles 11:16; 15:9). Eventually, the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians, and most of the Israelites were either killed or deported; it’s likely that many of the Israelites who remained migrated to the southern kingdom of Judah, as many of the faithful before them had. Jesus was from Judah, Paul was from Benjamin, Anna was from Asher, and John the Baptist was a Levite, but, since the Diaspora in AD 70, identifying the tribe of any given Jew is more difficult. During the tribulation, when most of the world is following the Antichrist, 144,000 Jews will be sealed by God—12,000 from each tribe—for special service. God has kept track of the tribes, and He knows who is who. The tribes with sealed individuals are listed in Revelation 7:5–8, but it is not the same list as found in Joshua 13—22. The sealed tribes in the end times include Manasseh and Ephraim (under Joseph’s name). But Dan is not included. No explanation is given as to why. There are some other details of the history of the tribe of Dan that might help explain why Dan is missing from the list of sealed tribes in Revelation. Judges 18:1–31 tells the story of the people of Dan falling into gross idolatry. Also, the Danites did not like the territory allotted to them near the Mediterranean Sea—the Amorites and Philistines gave them trouble—so they sent out spies to find a better area. In the north, the Danites learned of an area inhabited by a peaceful group of people, whom the Danites proceeded to wipe out; they then moved the entire tribe up to that region, just south of present-day Lebanon. There they established their main city and called it Dan. Later, in the divided kingdom, the people of Dan were part of the northern kingdom of Israel. King Jeroboam I established two pagan worship centers, one in Bethel and one in Dan (1 Kings 12:25–33). Sadly, this man-made worship at Dan, centered on a golden calf, became one of Dan’s lasting legacies. Skipping ahead to Revelation 7+, all the tribes of Israel are mentioned in the end-times tribulation except for Dan. Commentators through the centuries have proposed the following reasons for why the tribe of Dan is not included in the list: Dan’s historical embrace of idolatry and immorality leads to a disqualification for service during the end times. The Antichrist will come from the tribe of Dan (based on certain readings of Genesis 49:17; Deuteronomy 33:22; and Jeremiah 8:16). (ED: THIS IS NOT A CERTAINTY) By the time of Solomon, the tribe of Dan had assimilated with the neighboring Phoenicians (as 2 Chronicles 2:14 may hint at) and so lost their national identity. The tribe of Dan, once the second-most populous tribe, declined in numbers and influence until, by Ezra’s time, it had been totally wiped out. This would explain why Dan is not listed among the tribes in 1 Chronicles 4—7 or in Revelation 7.GotQuestions.org Tony Garland (see discussion) has some thoughts on why Dan is not mentioned in Revelation 7 - When the tribe of Dan migrated north from their original location, they persuaded a renegade Levite in Ephraim to join them, along with his graven image. After overthrowing Laish and renaming the town Dan, they set up the carved image and a priesthood attended it (Jdg. 18:19-30). Thereafter, the town of Dan became a center for worship of one of the golden calves which Jeroboam promoted as an alternative to worship at Jerusalem during the divided kingdom (1Ki 12:28-30; 2Ki 10:29). The Lord’s estimation of Dan and his idolatry can be seen in the decreasing role of the tribe in scriptural history. In the twenty different listings of the tribes, Dan is generally far down and often is the last in the list. Consider, for example, the order of march in the wilderness: “And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was over the rear guard of all the camps throughout their hosts; and over its host was Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai” (Num. 10:25). [See Camp of Israel.] Dan was the last tribe to receive its inheritance in the Promised Land (Jos. 19:47-49+). Most striking is the total omission of Dan from the extensive tribal genealogies of 1 Chronicles 2:10 (ED: CORRECTION - ACTUALLY THE LISTING IN 1Chr 4:1-7:40)! These scriptural facts should be remembered when facing the often-asked question of why Dan is omitted in the 144,000 Jews sealed in the Tribulation period (Rev. 7:4-8+). Evidently this is due to the problem of idolatry which plagued this tribe throughout its history.44 Also, when Deborah and Barak led Israel to war in the time of the judges, the tribes sent men to fight, but not Dan. Dan’s failure to participate is remarked upon in Scripture: “Why did Dan remain on ships?” (Jdg. 5:17).Ephraim also was involved with idolatry: Interestingly, Jeroboam’s idols were placed in the tribes of Dan and Ephraim (i.e., Bethel, 1Ki 12:29). Thus, in the Revelation 7+ listing, Dan was replaced by Levi (Rev. 7:7+) and Ephraim was replaced by his father Joseph (Rev. 7:8+), while his brother Manasseh was included to complete the twelve (Rev. 7:6+).45 The tribes of Dan and Ephraim are omitted from the list which follows, being replaced by Levi and Joseph. The reason for Ephraim’s omission is suggested by Hos. 4:17. For possible reasons for Dan’s omission see the related texts . . . (Lev. 24:10-16. Dt 29:18-21. Jdg. 18:2-31. 1K. 12:26-33). Dan and Ephraim are included in Ezekiel’s prophecy of their inheritance in the eternal earthly kingdom of Christ (Eze. 48:1-6, 32), demonstrating God’s faithfulness to his covenant and promise (Lev. 26:44. Mal. 3:6. Rom. 11:29. 15:8).46 Although Dan is omitted here, this should not be taken as an indication that the tribe of Dan will perish due to lack of protection during the Tribulation. “In the end grace triumphs and Dan is named first in the future distribution of land amongst the tribes (Eze. 48:2), but while being first mentioned, it is the furthest removed from the temple, being situated in the extreme north.”47Some understand the omission of Dan as an indication that the Antichrist will arise from Dan:48 He who shall come claiming the kingdom for himself, and shall terrify those men of whom we have been speaking, having a name containing the aforesaid number [666], is truly the abomination of desolation. This, too, the apostle affirms: “When they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction shall come upon them.” And Jeremiah does not merely point out his sudden coming, but he even indicates the tribe from which he shall come, where he says, “We shall hear the voice of his swift horses from Dan; the whole earth shall be moved by the voice of the neighing of his galloping horses: he shall also come and devour the earth, and the fulness thereof, the city also, and they that dwell therein.” [Jer. 8:16] This, too, is the reason that this tribe is not reckoned in the Apocalypse along with those which are saved.—Irenaeus, Against Heresies, v.xxx.ii49 Yet, in our discussion of The Beast we identify reasons which indicate a Gentile origin for the Antichrist. See the discussion of whether the Beast will be Jewish or Gentile?There is also the possibility that the omission of Dan and Ephraim are not as significant as many think, perhaps mainly motivated to maintain symmetry.50The sealed are said to be “servants of God” (Rev. 7:3+) and “follow the Lamb wherever He goes” perhaps indicating a unique dedication and obedience to God in the midst of the Tribulation on earth (Rev. 7:3+; Rev 14:4-5+). Their ministry is probably evangelistic in nature. Isaiah described a worldwide Jewish mission to the Gentiles. The context is immediately before the gathering of the Jews for the millennial age:51 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. (Isa. 66:19-20) [emphasis added] It seems conclusive that these are to be used in evangelism. First, what else could be the purpose of a divinely-protected group in the midst of this time period but to share the truth of the gospel and save even more from doom? Second, their appearance is grammatically linked with the innumerable believers which John subsequently sees (Rev. 7:9-17+). In the future, God will graciously grant Israel a second opportunity to be His witness nation, and at that time they will not fail. Led by the 144,000 evangelists (Rev. 7:1-8+), Israel will be a light to the nations during the darkest hour of earth’s history.52 There is a decided advantage in using Jews to conduct a worldwide revival in the short timer period of 3 1/2 years. . . The modern missionary, . . . must spend approximately six years [4 years of Bible, 2 of target language] before he is fully equipped to present the gospel in a language that is not his own. . . . All of this world’s major languages, and a great number of the world’s minor languages, are spoken by Jews somewhere. . . . with a large segment of American Jewry being the exception, most Jews receive a good and basic understanding of the Old Testament text. . . . These Jews will already speak the languages needed. They will already have a basic knowledge of the Old Testament text. . . they could begin to preach the gospel in a very short period of time.53 Our Lord says that the gospel of the kingdom is to be preached in all the world for a witness before the end shall come (Mt. 24:14). In view of all the teaching of the Word of God on this subject, it is undoubtedly the gospel of the kingdom which is the added special message of the 144,000. Of course, they present Jesus as the Saviour. Many look to Him and are saved. But they also preach the gospel of the kingdom presenting Jesus as Messiah. They are the sealed witnesses, the 144,000 like Paul who go out with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, having the prophecies of Joel fulfilled in themselves, as the first faint occurrences at Pentecost cannot possibly be the complete fulfillment which comes to full fruition in the last days.54 Judges 18:2 So the sons of Dan sent from their family five men out of their whole number, valiant men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it; and they said to them, "Go, search the land." And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. Zorah - Jdg 18:8,11 13:2,25 16:31 Ge 42:9 Jos 19:41 to spy - Nu 13:17 Jos 2:1 Pr 20:18 Lk 14:31 hill country - Jdg 17:1 19:1,18 Jos 17:15-18 Judges 18 Resources Eshtaol & Zorah Constable Judges 17 DANITES FAB FIVE THE PROWL So the sons of Dan sent from their family five men out of their whole number, valiant men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it - This is like a last ditch effort, a desperation move by the Danites. This Hebrew word for spy is related to the word for foot, the idea being that spies went quietly on foot, scouting what they could see. Such reconnoitering was contrived to help the conquest of enemy territory. The sending of the five spies to reconnoiter the land recalls the incidents of Numbers 13:1-33+ except that this former search party was apparently in will of God (cf Dt 1:22-23+). And they said to them, "Go, search the land." And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. (See Jos 19:47): Five spies were sent from the same area where Samson grew up, Zorah and Eshtaol (Jdg 13:2) and were assigned to search for a new location to the north, much like the twelve men commissioned by Moses (Numbers 13:2+). THOUGHT - Like all other tribes, Dan had a territory given them, but they failed to claim the power of God to conquer that territory (Jdg 1:34+). This is a lesson for all believers who have everything necessary for life and godliness (2Pe 1:3+) and yet fail to "conquer" and lay hold of "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Eph 1:3+) Later the Danites capitulated even more by accepting defeat and migrating to another territory in the north, becoming overtly idolatrous (Jdg 18). The lesson is be wary when you fail to conquer the "promised land" Yahweh has given you as it could be the beginning of spiritual decline. Keil and Delitzsch To spy out and explore the land for the object mentioned, the Danites sent out five brave men “out of their (the Danites’) ends,” i.e., from their whole body (vid., 1 Kings 12:31; 13:33, and the commentary on Gen. 19:4). They came up to the mountains of Ephraim, and as far as Micah’s house, where they passed the night (Judges 18 Commentary) Judges 18:3 When they were near the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man, the Levite; and they turned aside there, and said to him, "Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what do you have here?" they recognized the voice - Jdg 12:6 Ge 27:22 Mt 26:73 what are you doing in this place - Isa 22:16 Judges 18 Resources When they were near the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man, the Levite - How? We cannot be absolutely certain but presumably they recognized his dialect or mode of pronunciation was not an Ephraimite. Recall that in Jdg 12:6 Ephraimites were detected because "[the Gileadites] would say to [the Ephraimites], "Say now, 'Shibboleth.'" But he said, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it correctly." In sum, Jonathan’s dialect may have attracted the attention of the five spies, because he didn’t speak quite like a man from Ephraim. and they turned aside there, and said to him, "Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what do you have here: The rapid fire, repetitive questions reveal their surprise at finding a Levite in that locale but the fact that he had become a hireling did not seem to bother them at all. Compromise, Complacency, & Confusion all make for a spiritually deadly combination. What are you doing in this place is a good question, which he answered truthfully (truthfulness is difficult to find in these last chapters), saying in the next verse that he was hired to do the job! Since somebody else was paying the bill, the spies thought it was permissible to get “spiritual counsel” from Jonathan, and he told them what they wanted to hear. The fact that Jonathan’s words came true doesn’t absolve either him or the spies from being involved in activities outside the will of God. Jonathan’s "prophecy" came true because the Danites were strong and the people of Laish were weak and unprotected. If the tribe of Dan had really wanted God’s counsel, they could have consulted with the high priest who was also in Ephraim at Shiloh (Jdg 18:31). But they were already outside of God's will by refusing to remain in the land God had assigned to them. Therefore, it wasn’t likely God would have revealed anything to them. This spiritual principle that knowing spiritual truth is related to obeying spiritual truth is seen in Jesus' declaration in John "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself." (John 7:17). Spurgeon on "What hast thou here? (KJV)" - This is generally the worldling’s question—“What hast thou here?” And in this case it was well suited for a hireling priest. (The Interpreter: Spurgeon's Devotional Bible). Keil and Delitzsch When they were at Micah’s house and recognised the voice of the young Levite, i.e., heard his voice, and perceived form his dialect that he was not a native of these mountains, they turned aside there, sc., from the road into the house, near to which they rested, and asked him, “Who brought thee hither, and what doest thou at this place? what hast thou to do here?” When he told them his history (“thus and thus,” lit. according to this and that; cf. 2 Sam. 11:25, 1 Kings 14:5), they said to him, “Ask God, we pray thee, that we may learn whether our way will be prosperous.” שָׁאַל בֵּאלֹהִים, used for asking the will of God, as in Judg. 1:1, except that here the inquiry was made through the medium of the imitation of the ephod and the worship of an image. And he said to them, sc., after making inquiry of the divine oracle, “Go in peace; straight before Jehovah is your way,” i.e., it is known and well-pleasing to Him (vid., Prov. 5:21, Jer. 17:16). (Judges 18 Commentary) Judges 18:4 And he said to them, "Thus and so has Micah done to me, and he has hired me, and I have become his priest." hired me - Jdg 17:10 Pr 28:21 Isa 56:11 Eze 13:19 Ho 4:8,9 Mal 1:10 Joh 10:12,13 Ac 8:18-21 20:33 1Ti 3:3 Tit 1:11 2Pe 2:3,14,15 Judges 18 Resources I AM A HIRED PRIEST And he said to them, "Thus and so has Micah done to me, and he has hired me - Note well that GOD NEVER HIRES HIS SERVANTS; they work for him freely out of love and thanksgiving and He rewards them for faithfulness out of His grace. And I have become his priest - Even though he was not of Aaron's line and had no Biblical basis for assuming the role of a priest. He was deceived thinking that what was wrong in God's eyes was really "right" because that's what he believed to be right. This is the ultimate in willful deception and no man is immune to this spiritual trap when he begins to wander from the highway of holiness and soon right is wrong and dark is light (cp Isa 5:13,20,21+). J.
Juízes 18
Wiersbe has an explanatory note on Shiloh in this verse - Some expositors think that they went to the city of Bethel, since “house of God” in the Hebrew is beth-elohim and not bethel. See Jdg 20:26. The tabernacle was moved from place to place. It was first located in Shechem (Josh. 8:30–35), and then was moved to Shiloh (Josh. 18:1, 22:12; Jdg 18:31). At one time it was at Nob (1Sa 21) and also Gibeon (1Chr 16:39; 21:29), not to be confused with Gibeah. (See The Bible Exposition Commentary) Shiloh (07887)(Shiloh) (Map of location of Shiloh) is famous for being the location of the ark of the covenant and the House of God (the Tabernacle Tent) had been set up at Shiloh, some twenty miles north of Jerusalem, by Joshua (Josh 18:1); and the site continued as a religious center during the period of Judges (cf Josh. 18:1-22:12; Jdg. 18:31-21:21). Shiloh was located in the hill country of Ephraim almost in the middle between Shechem (on the North) and Bethel (on the South)(Jdg. 21:12-21). Eli and Samuel both served at Shiloh (1Sa 2:14; 14:3) and prophets also gathered there (1Ki. 14:1-4). Shiloh received notoriety when Yahweh deserted the House of God at the time the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant (1Sa 4:3-12) After that Shiloh was spoken of as a warning to Israel, Jeremiah quoting Yahweh's words... But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My name dwell at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. 13 “And now, because you have done all these things,” declares the LORD, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you but you did not answer, 14 therefore, I will do to the house which is called by My name (THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM), in which you trust, and to the place which I gave you and your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. (Jeremiah 7:12-14) Gilbrant on Shiloh - The geographic name "Shiloh" denotes one of the most significant sites in the early history of the Israelites. It was the first permanent home for the Ark after the conquest (Josh. 18) and was where Joshua divided the land among the tribes. The site is positively identified as modern-day Shilo (Seilun, the Arabic equivalent of Hebrew Shiloh, was an old Arab town close to the possible sites of Shiloh). The site was a sacred place for the Canaanites before the conquest by the Israelites, witnessed by archaeological discovery of a large collection of discarded offering vessels and remnants of offerings from the Canaanite era. The earliest public building, a storage facility doubtless for offerings, belonging unambiguously to the Israelites, was discovered at Shiloh. This helps make sense of architectural features mentioned in the accounts of the tabernacle at Shiloh, as the tabernacle complex consisted of permanent structures. Some argue that a temple existed there also. The summit of the site was stripped to bedrock, leaving no definitive answer to that question. Shiloh was the home of Samuel, whom Hannah dedicated to service to Yahweh for God's grace in answering her prayer for a child (1 Sam. 1). Samuel was apparently adopted into the Elide (or at least into a general Levitical) lineage, as he performed the duties of a priest later in life, duties reserved for Levites. The high priest Eli was told that his sons would not be the future high priests, given their abuses of the people and the sanctuary (2:12ff). It was at Shiloh that Eli heard of his sons' deaths at the hands of the Philistines as they seized the Ark of the Covenant (ch. 4). The news caused Eli's death. There is unmistakable evidence of the Philistine destruction of Shiloh, as archaeologists discovered a burned level (including carbonized wheat in a storage silo). The town was never again a religious center, as the Ark never returned. Jeremiah was born at Anathoth, the home of Abiathar (Jer. 1:1). He is the lone prophet to mention Shiloh. Jeremiah was confronted in Jerusalem with Zion theology, in which the inhabitants felt that the city was inviolable because of the presence of Yahweh in the Temple. Yahweh responded through the mouth of Jeremiah to the line of thought by inviting those proponents to "Go now to my place which was in Shiloh... and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel" (Jer. 7:12). There probably was nothing standing in the city that was from the temple complex. (Complete Biblical Library) See several dictionary articles on Shiloh. Shiloh was a small village about 20 miles north of Jerusalem and was important because it served as the religious center for Israel during the period of the judges before the kingdom was united under the leadership of David. Numerous references are made to Shiloh during this period as the city where the “house of God” was located (Jdg18:31). These references are probably to the tabernacle with its ark of the Testimony—or perhaps a permanent building that housed the tabernacle—because the temple was not constructed until about 960 b.c. during Solomon’s time. Hannah prayed for a son at Shiloh. God granted this request by sending Samuel. During his boyhood, Samuel worked with the high priest Eli at Shiloh. One of the most beautiful stories of the Old Testament is about Samuel’s response to the voice of the Lord. Thinking his master Eli was calling him, he awakened the high priest to find out what the high priest wanted (see illustration). Finally, it dawned on both that God was calling Samuel in a unique revelation of His will for the boy. Samuel’s response to God’s next call was, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears” (1 Sa 3:1–10). Samuel eventually succeeded Eli. The tabernacle or "house of God" was located in Shiloh during Samuel’s early years as priest (1Sa 1:9; 4:3, 4). However, during a battle with the Philistines, the ark of the Testimony was captured by Israel’s enemies because God had forsaken Shiloh as the center of worship (Ps 78:60). When the ark was returned to Israel by the Philistines, it was not returned to Shiloh (2Sa 6:2–17) but was taken to Kiriath Jearim (1Sa 7:1) and it remained there for twenty years (1Sa 7:2; 2Sa 6:2-4; cpe 1Chr 13:3-14, 6; 2Chr 1:4). After the ark of the covenant was moved to another city, Shiloh gradually lost its importance. This loss was made complete when Jerusalem was established as capital of the kingdom in David’s time. In the days of the prophet Jeremiah, Shiloh was in ruin, which was used by God as a byword and a warning in Jer 7:12-14. Shiloh became an inhabited town again in the days of the Greeks and Romans several centuries later. Shiloh - 32x in 30v in OT - Jos. 18:1; Jos. 18:8; Jos. 18:9; Jos. 18:10; Jos. 19:51; Jos. 21:2; Jos. 22:9; Jos. 22:12; Jdg. 18:31; Jdg. 21:12; Jdg. 21:19; Jdg. 21:21; 1 Sam. 1:3; 1 Sam. 1:9; 1 Sam. 1:24; 1 Sam. 2:14; 1 Sam. 3:21; 1 Sam. 4:3; 1 Sam. 4:4; 1 Sam. 4:12; 1 Sam. 14:3; 1 Ki. 2:27; 1 Ki. 14:2; 1 Ki. 14:4; Ps. 78:60; Jer. 7:12; Jer. 7:14; Jer. 26:6; Jer. 26:9; Jer. 41:5 Related Resources: Wikipedia article on Shiloh What is the meaning of the term “Shiloh”? Is it a Messianic prophecy? | GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What can we learn from the account of Micah and the idol in Judges? ANSWER - Judges 17 and 18 record the story of a man named Micah who built a shrine and worshiped human-made idols. (This man should not to be confused with the prophet Micah.) Obviously, what Micah did was wrong. The author of the Book of Judges includes the story in order to teach us some lessons. First, it is clear that worshiping idols stands in opposition to God’s commands. The first of the Ten Commandments reads, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Second, external religious actions are not enough; faith in the true God is required. Micah was certainly zealous. He built a shrine, made an ephod to use in religious activities, and fashioned some household idols. He was excited to have hired his own, personal priest: “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest” (Judges 17:13). However, Micah’s actions were not based on the teachings of God’s Word. He sought to serve God the way he wanted, not the way God had commanded. Third, false beliefs lead to wrong actions. When the people of Dan inquired concerning a place to settle, Micah’s priest told them what they wanted to hear: “Go in peace. Your journey has the LORD’s approval” (Judges 18:6). Yet the Danites’ journey was a violent one that resulted in the destruction of a peaceful town. Fourth, sinful actions by one person can have a long-term impact. The closing verses of this account leave us with these words: “The Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land. They continued to use the idol Micah had made, all the time the house of God was in Shiloh” (Judges 18:30–31). Micah’s false gods led to false worship among an entire tribe of Israel for several generations. We may not think our sinful actions hurt others, yet they do. They can even leave a long-term negative impact on entire communities for years to come. The Micah of Judges 17—18 offers an example of how not to worship God, and his story illustrates the consequences of practicing religion according to what we think is best rather than according to God’s teachings. God’s Word is given to guide and protect us, as well as to bring Him glory. As 2 Timothy 3:16–17 teaches, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”GotQuestions.org G Campbell Morgan Judges 18.31 So they set them up Micah's graven image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh. Judges 18.31. Whether intentionally on the part of the writer or no, there is a touch of satire in this declaration. There, at Shiloh, was the true centre of the national life, the house of God. In connection with its worship, all the resources of national strength were to be found. Nevertheless, at Dan they gathered about the false, and rendered a worship which was destructive. The terrible decadence of the religious idea is very startlingly revealed in this whole story. The consciousness of the importance of religion was deeply embedded in the mind of the people. Micah must worship, and the Danites felt the necessity of maintaining some kind of relationship with God. Then why did .they turn from the true, to a perversion which was utterly false? The answer is found in the revelation of motive. In each case there was a prostitution of religion to purposes of personal prosperity. Micah hoped by the maintenance of some form of worship, and the presence of a priest, that Jehovah would do him good, by which he evidently meant that material prosperity would come to him. The Danites, going forth on the enterprise of providing more territory for themselves, were anxious for the maintenance of religion. Whenever religion is acknowledged and adopted merely in order to ensure material prosperity, it suffers degradation. Thus do men try to serve God and Mammon. It cannot be done. The attempt always fails. All history proves the folly of leaving the true God for the false, in the ruin which results to those who do so. God is not mocked. (Morgan, G. C. Life Applications from Every Chapter of the Bible) Dan and the Levite of Judah (Judges 18) by Henri Rossi This chapter shows us the connection of one of the tribes with the religious system which we have seen set up in Judges 17. Dan had proved himself to be the weakest of the tribes of Israel. Forced into the mountains by the Amorites (Judges 1:34), and lacking the faith to take possession of his inheritance, he sent out five men to reconnoiter, in order to search the portion he still lacked. Laish, a quiet and prosperous town, was situated at the northern extremity of Canaan, far from the Zidonians to whom it belonged, and did no business with any one. This city afforded Dan an opportunity for an inglorious conquest, but presented besides everything that the natural heart could desire. "A place," said the messengers, "where there is no want of anything that is in the earth" (Jdg 18:10). Apart from its wickedness, Laish, like Sodom before its destruction, was like a garden of the Lord; a conquest worthy of a Lot but not of an Abraham, but which was a temptation to the tribe of Dan in their enfeebled and lax state. Dan had a battle to fight, a victory to gain in his own boundaries, over the Amorites of the valley; but this combat would have cost him too much; he preferred a conquest without danger, won at the extremity of the land far from the eyes of Jehovah's witnesses and from the place where his real enemy was, who was left without a word in possession of Dan's true inheritance. On their way, these five men met the Levite in the house of Micah and asked him: "Who brought thee hither? and what makest (doest) thou in this place? and what hast thou here?" (Jdg 18:3). These questions ought to have opened the eyes of the Levite, if anything could have done so. What answer, in fact, could he give? His own will had brought him there, for he sought to establish himself; he did what Micah told him to do; he had money, a salary - just so many characteristics of all ministry of human appointment, which can go on entirely without God, being dependent upon men, and working for a salary. "And they said unto him. Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous" (Jdg 18:5). Of such an one do the men seek direction as to their course, and they get the answer that they desired: "Go in peace; before Jehovah is your way wherein ye go" (v. 6). Under penalty of not being considered a properly appointed minister, it was necessary to mix up the Lord's name to this false pretension of being the oracle of the people. Later on, when the tribe of Dan were again passing by armed, the first thing they did was to carry off Micah's gods and take absolute possession of his priest. They set before the latter in the most dazzling way the promotion that he would obtain: "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?" (Jdg 18:19). He got a call to a more influential and lucrative position. As to the will of God in the matter, that never entered the mind of the priest. His "heart was glad" at being called away to a new post, and taking "the ephod, and the seraphim, and the graven images, he went in the midst of the people" (Jdg 18:20). He took away his idols with him, and it is with this one whom the men called "their priest" that idolatry assumed an official character in Dan. Micah ran after these spoilers and said: "Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away; and what have I more?" (Jdg 18:24). What language! They had taken away his religion and the minister that he had appointed and he had nothing left! A man of faith would not have felt the loss of these things; God Himself, His word, His priesthood and His house at Shiloh would have still remained. The children of Dan went their way, smote Laish, seized upon the city and "called the name of it Dan, after the name of Dan their father" (Jdg 18:29). The name of Dan had more importance for them than that of Jehovah. Such was, in a few words, the dark picture of the religious history of Israel. L M Grant SPIES SENT FROM DAN TO SEEK PROPERTY (JUDGES 18:1-10) At that time, though the tribe of Dan had been allotted territory west of Benjamin, bordering the Mediterranean Sea (Josh. 19:40-48), yet this was largely occupied by Philistines whom Dan did not have energy to expel. Thus verse 1 says that their inheritance had not fallen to them. Therefore they sent five men to look for what they considered a more suitable country (Jdg 18:2). Going northward they came to the mountains of Ephraim and found Micah's home a convenient place to lodge. There they heard and recognized the voice of the consecrated Levite and asked him what brought him there. He told them Micah had hired him be be his priest (Jdg 18:4), and they were impressed enough to think him qualified as an intermediary on whom the could depend to inquire of God for them (Jdg 18:5) as to whether their way would be prosperous. The Levite did not need to inquire from God. He knew these men wanted a prosperous journey, so he gave them just the message they wanted, to go in peace, and that God's presence would be with them (Jdg 18:6). This poor man had no idea of the truth that Paul insists upon in Galatians 1:10, "If I still pleased men, I should not be a bondservant of Christ." Proceeding much farther north, these five spies came to Laish beyond the borders of Naphtali, and found people living there in peace, having no near neighbors and no necessity for armaments or walled towns, with no king and no affiliation with any other people. This was just what they spies had been looking for, though it was a most unusual situation, much different than what Israel's 12 spies found when they went to spy out Canaan (Num.13:28-29). When reporting back to their brethren in Zorah and Eshtaol, they urged them to take advantage of this opportunity of possessing a very good land without any significant opposition (Jdg 18:8, 9, 10). They tell them God has given this land into their hand, though nothing is said of their inquiring of God or of God's directing them. Six hundred men were considered sufficient for the expedition. They camped one night in Kirjath Jearim in Judah, and the next day came to the mountains of Ephraim, to where Micahlived. Instead of avoiding the place they knew to be a house of idol worship, the five men told their company that in that house there were an ephod, household idols, a carved image and a molded image, -- in other words all they needed to have a well rounded-out religion! (Jdg 18:14). So it was not only Micah who had succumbed to the idolatry of the Canaanite nations, but in this case all the 600 men of Dan, who were willing to boldly rob Micah so that they themselves could be religious! What a condition was this so soon after Israel's entering into the land as recorded in the Book of Joshua! While the 600 men waited at Micah's gate the five men went in and took all the things they had spoken of (vv.16-17). The consecrated Levite asked them what they were doing and was told to keep quiet, and go with the 600 men. For they asked him if it was not better for him to be a priest to a tribe of Israel than only of one man (Jdg 18:18, 19). When he heard this the pseudo-priest was glad. It meant nothing to him to steal the property of the man who had consecrated him and to leave his employment for a more lucrative job! (Jdg 18:20). But mere religion can make one a robber without conscience! When Micah became aware of what happened, he gathered some of his neighbors and pursued the 600 men, calling out the them. They answered him by asking what ailed him that he would come after them with such a company (Jdg 18:23). Micah answered, "You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away. What more do I have? How can you say to me, "What ails you?" (Jdg 18:24) Micah did not realize that he was far better off without these things. He had said before he knew the Lord would be good to him because he had a Levite as priest (tie. 17:13). But now the Lord was being good to him in depriving him of the priest and his idols. The Danites abruptly told him to silence his voice, with the threat that angry men might attack and kill him and the members of his household (Jdg 18:25). Such was the cruelty of Israelites toward Israelites that early in their history in the promised land. What could Micah's small company do against 600armed men? They could only retreat to their own homes and leave their unprofitable idols to the detriment of the Danites (Jdg 18:26). THE DANITES SETTLE IN THE NORTH (Judges 18:27-31) The 600 men likely felt that now they had some good spiritual guidance with the Levite as priest and idols and ephod, and they continued their journey north to Laish. The city had no defense and no other nearby cities to help them, so that they easily killed the people, burning the city. They probably did not like the buildings in the city so burned it so as to rebuild as they desired (Jdg 18:27, 28). They renamed it Dan (Jdg 18:29). The women and others no doubt followed them soon after. Dan, having settled in the north of the land of Israel, became guilty of the great spiritual evil of public idolatry. Using the idols that had belonged to one disobedient man, they adopted a worship totally opposed to the law of the God of Israel. Together with this they had the Levite, Jonathan the son of Gershom, and his sons, established as priests (Jdg 18:30). This type of spiritual corruption has been sadly repeated in the professing Church today. Men who have some ability as servants of God, able to preach, have been given the place of spiritual intermediaries between the people and God, and even called "priests" in some denominations -- that is, priests in contrast to the common people. But whether called "priest" or "reverend" or given any other distinctive title, this is contrary to the truth of Christianity, having in it the element of idolatry, for it really usurps God's place in the thoughts of people. Jdg 18:31 adds significantly "all the time that the house of God was at Shiloh." God did have a center in Israel, though not yet in Jerusalem, but the Danites could assume they did not need that center since they had a worship of their own! As well as being against God, their false worship divided them from their brethren. F B Meyer…JUDGES 18 A DISTANT COLONY We learn from Joshua 19:47 that the "coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them;' i.e., was too straitened. Probably they had not developed to the full extent the resources of their possession. Joppa -- at that time the only port in the land -- was in their territory, but the business of the sea does not seem to have afforded sufficient scope for the energies of the people, and an emigration scheme was decided upon. An embassy of five were sent out to search the land, and they came to the extreme north to the country between the tribes of Asher and Naphtali, the companions of Dan in the desert march. Judges 18:1-10 The Danite scouts. -- There is in all hearts a longing desire to have a consciousness of God's good speed. The Italian bandit seeks a blessing on some proposed crime. And so it was with these five men. We must not suppose, because there is no obstacle to our possession of that which we covet, but that our course is clear, that therefore God hath given it into our hand. Many a time have souls been allured to their doom because they have pursued an apparently open course. But we need also the assurance of God's counsel, seeking it, not at the hand of a man-made priest, but in communion with God Himself. Judges 18:11-26 Micah's spoliation. -- What folly on the part of the Danites to suppose that they could be helped by gods, who could not keep themselves from being stolen, or protect the house of their proprietor (Ps. 115:8). The priest had come to Micah for wealth and left him at the first opportunity of preferment. It is a test of the true priest that he does not seek promotion, or a larger income, but is content to minister, though to the house of one man, if that be the will of God. It is of the essence of priestcraft to catch at worldly advantages and emoluments. God's Priest alone never forsakes, and "ever lives to make intercession" Judges 18:27-31 The capture of Laish. -- There was no harm in seeking an enlarged territory, but we can only turn with a sense of horror from these acts of wholesale extermination. The conscience which is trained in the school of Christ becomes very tender and sensitive, and rightly so. But the considerations which weigh with us could not have been appreciated in those rude times. The "captivity of the land" (Judges 18:30) was the Philistine invasion (1 Sam. 4). These people were the first among the tribes to establish idolatry. To their lasting discredit this took place while the house of God was in Shiloh (Judges 18:31). How easy it was for Jeroboam to establish in their city one of his golden calves ( Kings 12:29), and how necessary is it that our emigrants and colonists should take true religion with them to their distant homes. (F. B. Meyer. CHOICE NOTES ON JOSHUA THROUGH 2 KINGS)