Judges 18:22

_AND WHEN THEY WERE A GOOD WAY FROM THE HOUSE OF MICAH, THE MEN THAT WERE IN THE HOUSES NEAR TO MICAH'S HOUSE WERE GATHERED TOGETHER, AND OVERTOOK THE CHILDREN OF DAN._ The men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together. The robbery of the chapel having been discovered, though not until the expeditionary party were a considerable way on their journey, a hot pursuit was forthwith commenced by Micah, at the head of a considerable body of followers. The readiness with which they joined in the attempt to recover the stolen articles affords a presumption that the advantages of the chapel had been open to all in the neighbourhood; and the importance which Micah, like Laban, attached to his teraphim, is seen by the urgency with which he pursued the thieves, and the risk of his life in attempting to procure their restoration....

WERE GATHERED TOGETHER - literally, “were called together.” The men, who were all Micah’s workmen, were probably in the fields with their master at the time of the robbery. When the women saw what was done they gave the alarm, and Micah called the men together as quickly as possible, and pursued the Danites and overtook them....

EXPOSITION JUDGES 18:1 IN THOSE DAYS, etc. See Judges 17:6. THE TRIBE OF THE DANITES SOUGHT THEM AN INHERITANCE, etc. This does not mean that the whole tribe of Dan were still seeking their inheritance. The bulk of the tribe, as we read in Joshua 19:40-6, did receive their inheritance by lot before the death of Joshua (Joshua 19:49) and Eleazar (Joshua 19:51). But as long as any part of the tribe was not settled, the tribe as such, in its unity, was still seeking a settlement. The land for

AND WHEN THEY WERE A GOOD WAY FROM THE HOUSE OF MICAH,.... For it might be some time before Micah knew that his gods were stolen, and his priest was decoyed from him; and it must take up more time still to get his servants and neighbours together to pursue after those that injured him: THE MEN THAT WERE IN THE HOUSES NEAR TO MICAH'S HOUSE WERE GATHERED TOGETHER; no doubt at the request of Micah, who informed them of what had happened to him: and they being not only his neighbours, but deeply involved in the same superstition and idolatry, and closely addicted to it, and to whom it might in some respects be advantageous at it brought people from various parts to worship, or to consult the oracle: these being got together in a body, pursued AND OVERTOOK THE CHILDREN OF DAN; who were obliged to move but slowly, because of their wives, little ones, and heavy substance they carried with the...

CHAPTER 18 THE DANITE IDOLATRY _ 1. The Danites seek an inheritance (Judges 18:1)_ 2. Their robbery (Judges 18:13) 3. Laish taken and idolatry consummated (Judges 18:27) The history of this chapter is closely linked with the preceding. The tribe of Dan had failed to take the God-given inheritance (Joshua 19:40). “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

JUDGES 17-18. This section is the first of two supplements. It explains the origin of the famous shrine at Dan, and the _naî veté_ of its moral and religious ideas proves how ancient it is. In not a few places the text has evidently been tampered with by scribes, who took offence at practices which were from a later point of view irregular. The events in question must have occurred before the time of Deborah (Judges 5:17)....

_the men that were in the houses_ The sense is much improved by following the LXX _behold Micaiah and the men that were_etc. We need some mention of Micah joining the pursuit (Judges 18:23)....

_Micah and the Danites Judges 18:1-31_ In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel. 2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there, 3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here? 4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest. 5 And they said un

THE DANITES GO IN QUEST OF AN INHERITANCE. THEY ROB MICAH OF HIS IMAGES, CAPTURE AND SETTLE IN LAISH, AND SET UP IDOL-WORSHIP THERE 1-10. The Danite Spies....

LIFE WITHOUT LAW JUDGES _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 18 V1 At that time, *Israel’s people had no king. Dan’s *tribe were looking for a place where they might live. They had not yet received any area that was their own among *Israel’s *tribes. V2 So Dan’s *tribe sent out 5 fighting men from Zorah and Eshtaol. They were trying to get secret information about the country. They wanted to discover what it was like. These men acted for all their families. The families had told them to discover what the land was like. The men came to the hilly country where Ephraim’s *tribe lived. And they spent the night at Micah’s house. V3 While they were near Micah’s house, they recognised someone’s voice. It was the voice of the young man from Levi’s *tribe. They went over to him. They asked him, ‘Who brought yo