Judges 18

1 In those days [a period of time, an era] there was no king [ruler, monarch] in Israel [the people of God, descendants of Jacob], and the tribe [clan, family group] of the Danites [descendants of Dan, a son of Jacob] was looking for [seeking, searching] territory [land, inheritance] to occupy [dwell, settle]. For up to that time [until then, previously] they had not come into [received, inherited] an inheritance [possession, heritage] among the tribes [family groups, clans] of Israel. word study 2 So the Danites [children of Dan, descendants of Jacob’s son] sent out five men [leading men, men of valor] from their clans, men of valor [strong, mighty, powerful] from Zorah [a city in the tribe of Judah] and Eshtaol [a city in ancient Palestine], to spy out [explore, search] the land [the territory, the earth] and explore [search, examine] it. “Go and explore [search, investigate] the land,” they told them. The men entered [came, went] the hill country [mountainous region] of Ephraim [a tribe of Israel, doubly fruitful] and came to the house [dwelling place, home] of Micah [who is like God, a prophet], where they spent [lodged, rested] the night. word study 3 And while they were near Micah’s [Micaiah, who is like God] house, they recognized [knew, were acquainted with] the voice [sound, tone] of the young [youth, adolescent] Levite [a descendant of Levi]; so they went over and asked him, “Who [what person] brought you here [to this place, hither]? What are you doing [making, performing] in this place [location, area]? Why [for what reason] are you here [in this location, present]?” word study 4 “Micah [Micaiah, who is like God] has done [made, brought about] this [in this manner] and that [in that way] for me,” he replied, “and he has hired [employed, paid] me [as his servant] to be his priest [spiritual leader, one who serves God].” word study 5 Then they said to him, “Please [we pray, I ask] inquire [ask counsel, seek guidance] of God [Elohim, the supreme deity] to determine [to know, to find out] whether we will have a successful [prosperous, to rush forward] journey [way, path, course of life] [on which we are going, that we are taking].” word study 6 And the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] told them, “Go [walk, journey] in [a state of] peace [completeness, wellness, friendship, shalom] [before the Lord, in His presence]. The LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] is watching over [guiding, observing] your journey [way, path].” word study 7 So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living [in security, without fear] securely, like the Sidonians [in a tranquil and unsuspecting manner], tranquil [at peace, quiet] and unsuspecting [careless, without worry]. There was [nothing lacking, no oppression] nothing lacking in the land and no [oppressive ruler, magistrate] oppressive ruler. And they were far away [distant, remote] from the Sidonians and had no alliance [business] with anyone. word study 8 When the men returned [came back, went again] to Zorah [a city in ancient Palestine, the home of Samson] and Eshtaol [a place of entreaty, a city in Judah], their brothers [relatives, kin] asked them, “What [a question of inquiry] did you find [discover, come upon]?” word study 9 They answered, “Come on, let us go up against [to attack] them, for we have seen [observed, surveyed] the land, and it is very [exceedingly, greatly] good [pleasant, beneficial]. Why would you fail [be silent, neglect] to act? Do not hesitate [be slothful, lazy] to go there and take possession [occupy, inherit] of the land [the territory, the promised inheritance]! word study 10 When you enter [come to, approach], you will come to an unsuspecting [careless, secure] people and a spacious [large, broad] land, for God [Elohim, the supreme God] has delivered it into your hand [given you power and control]. It is a place [location, region] where nothing on earth [in the land, in the world] is lacking [there is no want, no need].” word study 11 So six hundred [600 men, a large group] Danites [descendants of Dan, a son of Jacob] departed [set out, journeyed] from Zorah [a place of growth] and Eshtaol [a city of entreaty], armed [girded, prepared] with weapons [articles, utensils] of war [battle, conflict]. word study 12 They went up [ascended to a higher place] and camped [pitched their tents, set up their encampment] at Kiriath-jearim [city of forests, a place of trees] in Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, a region in Palestine]. That is why [for this reason, therefore] the place [location, area] west of Kiriath-jearim is called [named, designated] Mahaneh-dan [the camp of Dan, a place of rest] to this day [until now, in the present time]. word study 13 And from there [thence, from that place] they traveled [passed over, crossed] to the hill country [mountain, high land] of Ephraim [doubly fruitful, a tribe of Israel] and came [went, approached] to Micah’s [Micaiah, who is like God] house [dwelling place, home]. word study 14 Then the five men [a select group of scouts] who had gone to spy out [explore, reconnoiter] the land [territory, region] of Laish said to their brothers [fellow Israelites, kinsmen], “Did you know [are you aware, have you learned] that one of these houses has an ephod [a sacred vest, priestly garment], household gods [teraphim, idols], a graven image [carved idol, sculpted figure], and a molten idol [cast metal image, liquid metal statue]? Now [at this time, therefore] think about [consider, ponder] what you should do [what actions to take, how to proceed].” word study 15 So they turned aside [to depart, removing themselves] there [at that point in time, thither] and went [came, approached] to the home [dwelling place, house] of the young [youth, from infancy to adolescence] Levite [a descendant of Levi], the house [place, dwelling] of Micah [who is like God], and greeted [asked of his welfare, saluted] him [with words of peace, in a friendly manner]. word study 16 The [a large contingent of] six hundred Danites stood at the entrance [doorway, gate] of the gate, armed with their weapons [articles, utensils] of war [battle, conflict]. word study 17 And the five [exactly, a specific number of] men who had gone to spy out [explore, reconnoiter] the land went inside and took the graven image [idol, carved figure], the ephod [sacred vest, priestly garment], the household idols [teraphim, family gods], and the molten idol [cast metal image, molten figure], while the priest [spiritual leader, mediator] stood at the entrance [gate, doorway] of the gate with the six hundred [a large group of] armed men [warriors, fighters]. word study 18 When they entered [went into, approached] Micah’s house [dwelling place, family home] and took [fetched, carried away] the graven image [idol, carved image], the ephod [sacred vest, priestly garment], the household idols [teraphim, family images], and the molten idol [cast metal image, liquid image], the priest [spiritual leader, one who serves God] said to them, “What [how, in what way] are you doing [making, acting]?” word study 19 “Be quiet [hold thy peace, keep silent],” they told him. “Put your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] over your mouth [lip, edge of something] and come with us [together, as one] and be a father [paternal figure] and a priest [one who serves God] to us. Is it better for you to be a priest [spiritual leader] for the house [dwelling place] of one person [individual] or a priest for a tribe [clan] and family [clan or nation] in Israel [the people of God, descendants of Jacob]?” word study 20 So the priest [the spiritual leader, minister] was glad [happy, joyful, pleased] and took [received, acquired] the ephod [a sacred vest], the household idols [teraphim, family gods], and the graven image [a carved idol, false god], and went [proceeded, journeyed] with the people [the nation, congregation]. word study 21 Putting their small children [little ones, infants], their livestock [cattle, animals], and their possessions [wealth, goods, glorious riches] in front of them [before their face, in their presence], they turned [faced, changed direction] and departed [walked, went on their way]. word study 22 After they [the Danites, a good way] were some distance [far off, removed] from Micah’s [Micaiah, who is like God] house, the men [individuals, male persons] in the houses [dwelling places, near Micah’s home] near Micah’s house [Micaiah’s dwelling] mobilized [gathered together, cried out] and overtook [pursued, cleaved to] the Danites [sons of Dan, the tribe of Dan]. word study 23 When they called out [shouting, crying unto] after them, the Danites [sons of Dan, descendants of Jacob’s fifth son] turned [to surround] to face them and said [spoke, commanded] to Micah [Micaiah, who is like God], “What [how, in what manner] is the matter [trouble, issue] with you that you have called out [cried out, gathered] such a company [group, assembly]?” word study 24 He replied, “You took [stole, seized] the gods [idols, false deities] I had made [crafted, fashioned], and my priest [spiritual leader, mediator], and went away [departed, left]. What else [what more, anything further] do I have [possess, remain with me]? How can you say [ask, inquire of] to me, ‘What [what thing, what issue] is the matter [trouble, concern] with you [affecting you, happening to you]?’” word study 25 The Danites [children of Dan, descendants of the tribe] said to him, “Do not [lest, beware that you do not] raise your voice [sound, utterance] against us, or [lest] angry men [bitter, enraged individuals] will attack [fall upon, assault] you, and you and your family [household, loved ones] will lose [gather, forfeit] your lives [soul, living being].” word study 26 So the Danites [children of Dan, descendants of the tribe] went on their way [journey, path, or manner of life], and Micah [Micaiah, who is like God] turned to go back home [to his house, dwelling place], because he saw [perceived, looked after] that they were too strong [powerful, severe] for him [in comparison to himself, from his perspective]. word study 27 After they had taken Micah’s idols [manufactured images, false gods] and his priest [spiritual leader, mediator], they went to Laish [a place of tranquility, a city of peace], to a tranquil [peaceful, secure] and unsuspecting [carefree, without fear] people, and they struck them with their swords [cutting instruments, weapons of war] and burned down the city [town, settlement]. word study 28 There was no one [no deliverer, no saviour] to deliver them, because the city [Laish] was far [distant, remote] from Sidon [an ancient city on the Mediterranean coast] and had no alliance [no dealings, no business] with anyone [no man, no other allies]; it was in a valley [lowland area] near Beth-rehob [house of the street]. And the Danites rebuilt [restored, established] the city and lived [dwelt, remained] there. word study 29 They named it Dan [after their ancestor, in honor of], after their forefather [father, founder of the tribe] Dan [the son of Jacob, one of the twelve tribes of Israel], who was born [begotten, brought into being] to Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants]—though the city [town, settlement] was formerly [at the first, initially] named [called, known as] Laish [meaning lion, a place in Palestine]. word study 30 The Danites set up [a graven image] idols for themselves, and Jonathan [the son of Gershom, grandson of Manasseh or Moses] son of Gershom, the son of Moses [the leader and lawgiver], and his sons were [serving as, acting as] priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] for the tribe [a group of people, a clan] of Dan [a descendant of Jacob, a judge] until the day [a period of time, a point in history] of the captivity [exile, being taken away] of the land [the territory, the earth]. word study 31 So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image [idol], and it was there [all the time, throughout the entire period] the whole time [during the entire duration] the house [place of worship, temple] of God [Elohim, the one supreme God] was in Shiloh [place of rest]. word study