Judges 18:1

CHAPTER XVIII

Some Danites, seeking an inheritance, send five men to search

the land, who arrive at the house of Micah, 1, 2.

They employ the Levite, who served to his house as priest, to

ask counsel for them of God, 3-5.

He inquires, and promises them success, 6.

They depart, and go to Laish, and find the inhabitants secure,

7.

They return to their brethren, and encourage them to attempt

the conquest of the place, 8-10.

They send six hundred men, who, coming to the place where Micah

dwelt, enter the house, and carry off the priest and his

consecrated things, 11-21.

Micah and his friends pursue them; but, being threatened, are

obliged to return, 22-26.

The Danites come to Laish, and smite it, and build a city there,

which they call Dan, 27-29.

They make the Levite their priest, and set up the images at this

new city, 30, 31.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII

Verse Judges 18:1. There was no king in Israel] See Judges 17:6. The circumstances related here show that this must have happened about the time of the preceding transactions.

The tribe of the Danites] That is, a part of this tribe; some families of it.

All their inheritance] That is, they had not got an extent of country sufficient for them. Some families were still unprovided for, or had not sufficient territory; for we find from Joshua 19:40, c., that, although the tribe of Dan did receive their inheritance with the rest of the tribes of Israel, yet their coasts went out too little for them, and they went and fought against LESHEM, (called here Laish,) and took it, c. This circumstance is marked here more particularly than in the book of Joshua. See on Joshua 19:47.