Judg. 18 Those of the tribe of Dan, having not sufficient inheritance, send forth five men to spy out a place; they come to the house of Micah, and desire the Levite to ask counsel of God touching their journey, Judg. 18:1–5.

In those days; not long after Joshua’s death, of which See Poole on “Judg. 17:6”. The tribe of the Danites; a part or branch of that tribe, consisting only of six hundred men of war, Judg. 18:16, with their families, Judg.

Of their family; which shows that it was but one, though a large family, which was engaged in this expedition. Eshtaol; of which see Josh. 19:41, Judg. 13:2, Judg. 13:25. They lodged there; not in the same house, but near it, as appears from the next verse, in a neighbouring place.

They knew the voice of the young man; either, 1. By his manner of pronunciation, which was differing and distinguishable in several tribes, as appears from Judg. 12:6, Mark 14:70. Or, 2.

Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, to wit, by thine ephod, or teraphim, or images, which they knew he had, Judg. 18:14.

Your way, i.e. your journey or design, is under the eye of God, i.e. under his care, and protection, and direction, which the eye of God being upon a person commonly notes in Scripture, as Ps. 32:8, Ps. 34:15, Jer. 39:12, Jer. 40:4.

Laish, called also Leshem, Josh. 19:47. After the manner of the Zidonians, who living in a very strong place, and abounding in wealth, and understanding that they were not a part of that land which God gave to his people, and perceiving that the Israelites never attempted any thing against them,…

Are ye still, Heb. silent? Silence is oft put for stillness or cessation from action or motion, as Ex. 14:14, Isa. 62:1, Lam. 2:18. For they do not accuse them for want of speaking, for that they did; but for want of doing, and putting their words and resolves into execution.

God hath given it into your hands: this they gather partly from God’s word or promise, which they supposed they had from the Levite’s mouth; and partly from his providence, which hath so disposed them, that they will be an easy prey to you.

Of the family; by which it again appears, that the tribe, Judg. 18:1, is put forfamily.

Kirjath-jearim, called Kirjath-baal, Josh. 15:60; a city lying in the northern parts of Judah, in the road to Laish; yet not in the city, but in the fields belonging to it, as the following words evince. Behind Kirjath-jearim, i.e.

i.e. To the town in which his house was, for they were not yet entered into it.

Then answered, i.e. spake, the word answering being oft used in Scripture of the first speaker, as 1 Kings 1:28, 1 Kings 13:6, Ezra 10:2, Isa. 14:10. In those houses, i.e. in one of these houses, the plural number for the singular, as Judg. 12:7. Consider what ye have to do, i.e.

Heb. asked him of peace, i.e. if he were in peace, peace being commonly put for health and prosperity.

Come in thither, to wit, into the house, and that part of it where those things were. In the entering of the gate; whither they had drawn him forth that they might without noise or hinderance take them away.

These, to wit, the five mentioned Judg. 18:17. What do ye? what do you mean to do? I hope you will not do so impious and injurious an action.

Lay thy hand upon thy mouth, i.e. be silent, as this phrase is used, Job 21:5, Job 29:9, Job 40:4, Prov. 30:32. The same thing repeated in other words. A father and a priest: see Poole on “Judg. 17:10”. A family in Israel, to wit, a tribe that is (and being oft put for that is) a family.

The priest’s heart was glad; being wholly governed by his own interest, and making all his obligations of justice and gratitude give place to it. But it is not strange, if he who was before perfidious to God, should prove so to men. In the midst of the people, i.e.

For their greater security, if Micah should pursue them.

So far was he besotted with superstition and idolatry, that he esteemed those gods which were man’s work. But he could not be so stupid as to think these were indeed the great Jehovah that made heaven and earth; but only a lower sort of gods, by whom, as mediators, he offered up his worship unto…

Thy voice; thy complaints and reproaches. Angry fellows; the soldiers, who are in themselves sharp and fierce, and will soon be inflamed by thy provoking words.

Not wholly, but in great measure, to strike the greater terror into the inhabitants, and to make their conquest of the place more easy.

Beth-rehob; a place near Libanus and Hamath; of which see Num. 13:21, Josh. 19:28, Josh. 21:31, Judg. 1:31.

After the name of Dan their father; that it might be manifest that they belonged to the tribe of Dan, though they were seated at a great distance from them, even in the most northerly part of the land; whereas the lot of their tribe was in the southern part of Canaan.

Having succeeded in their expedition according to the prediction which, as they supposed, they had from this image, they had a great veneration for it. Until the day of the captivity of the land; either, 1. When the ark and the Israelites were taken captives by the Philistines, 1 Sam.