Matthew Poole and continuators on Judges 18

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.

Not long after Ioshua's death, of which see on Iudg. 17. 6▪

i. e. A part or branch of that Tribe, consisting onely of 600 men of War, v. 16. with their Families, v. 21. or, a Family of the Danites; for the word, Schebet, which properly signifies a Tribe, is sometimes taken for a Family, as Iudg. 20. 12. as elsewhere Family is put for a Tribe, as Zech. 12. 13.

The Lot had fallen to them before this time, Ios. 19. 40, &c. but not the actual possession of their Lot, because therein the Philistines and Amorites opposed them, not without success. See Ios. 19. 40. Iudg. 1. 34.

Marginal references: Chap. 17. 6. and 21. 25.; Josh. 19. 47.

2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, 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 .

Which shews that it was but one, though a large Family, which was engaged in this Expedition.

Of which see Ios. 19. 41. Iudg. 13. 2, 25.

Not in the same House, but near it, as appears from the next Verse, in a neighbouring place.

Marginal references: Heb. sons.

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?

Either, 1. By his manner of pronunciation, which was differing and distinguishable in several Tribes, as appears from Iudg. 12. 6. Mork 14. 70. Or 2. By the celebration of some part of his Office, which they then lodging in the neighbourhood, might be invited to. Or rather, 3. By some acquaintance which some of them formerly had with him, which they might have upon many occasions.

This being not thy usual place, nor proper for thy employment.

5 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.

To wit, by thine Ephod▪ or Teraphim, or Images, which they knew he had, v. 14.

6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.

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 Psal. 32. 8. and 34. 15. Compare Ier. 39. 12. and 40. 4. So the phrase is here taken in a restrained sense, which is elsewhere taken more largely, as Prov. 5. 21. This Answer he either feigns to gratify their humour; or, did indeed receive from the Devil, who transformed himself into an Angel of Light, and in Gods name gave them Answers, and those not seldom very true, which God suffered for the tryal of his people: See Deut. 13. 1, 2, 3. But it is observable, that his Answer was, as the Devils Oracles usually were, ambiguous, and such as might have been interpreted either way, as they had success or disappointment.

7 ¶ Then the five men departed, and came to Laish , and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians , quiet, and secure, and there was no magistrate in the land that might put them to shame in any thing, and they were far from the Zidonians , and had no business with any man.

Called also Leshem, Ios. 19. 47.

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, were grown secure and careless.

Or, that might rebuke or punish any thing, i. e. any crime; Heb. that might put any thing to shame, or, make any thing shameful. Putting to shame seems to be used Metonymically for inflicting Civil Punishment, because shame is generally the adjunct or effect of it.

Who otherwise could have succoured them, and would have been ready to do it.

No League or Confederacy, nor much Converse with other Cities, it being in a pleasant and plentiful Soil, between the two Rivolets of Ior and Dan, not needing Supplies from others, and therefore minding onely their own case and pleasure.

Marginal references: Heb. possessor, [illegible: 1 word] heir of r[illegible: 1+ letters]straint, 1 Sam. 9. 17.

9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good: and are ye still ? Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.

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

10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hand : a place where there is no want of any thing, that is in the earth.

This they gather partly from Gods Word or Promise, which they supposed they had from the Levites mouth; and partly from his Providence, which hath so disposed them, that they will be an easy Prey to you.

11 ¶ And there went from thence of the family of the Danites out of Zorah, and out of Esh▪ taol six hundred men, appointed with weapons of war.

By which it again appears, That the Tribe, v. 1. is put for Family.

Marginal references: Heb. girded.

12 And they went up and pitched in Kirjathjearim in [illegible: 1+ letters]udah: wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan, unto this day: behold it is behind Kirjath-jearim .

Called Kiriath-baal, Ios. 15. 60. a City lying in the Northern parts of Iudah, in the Road to Laish; yet not in the City, but in the Fields belonging to it, as the following words evince.

i. e. Westward from it, as the Western Sea is called the hindermost Sea, Deut. 11. 24. and as on the contrary, the East is called Kedem, which signifies the fore-part.

13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

i. e. To the Town in which his House was, for they were not yet entred into it.

14 ¶ Then answered the five men that went to spie out the countrey of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in those houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? Now therefore consider what ye have to do .

i. e. Spake, the word answering being oft used in Scripture of the first speaker, as 1 King. 1. 28. and 13. 7. Ezra 10. 2. Isa. 14. 10.

i. e. In one of these Houses, the Plural number for the Singular, as Iudg. 12. 7.

Whether it be not expedient; either, 1. To consult them again for your own satisfaction; or, rather, 2. To take them away for your further use, as you shall have occasion; for their action is the best Comment upon their words.

15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.

Heb. asked him of Peace, i. e. if he were in peace, Peace being commonly put for Health and Prosperity.

Marginal references: Heb. ask[illegible: 1+ letters] him of pe[illegible: 1+ letters]

17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither , and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, and the priest stood in the entring of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.

To wit, into the House, and that part of it, where those things were.

Whither they had drawn him forth, that they might without noise or hindrance take them away.

18 And these went into Micahs house: and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; then said the priest unto them, What do ye?

To wit, the five mentioned, v. 17.

What do you mean to do? I hope you will not do so Impious and Injurious an action.

19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth , and go with us, and be to us a father, and a priest: 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?

i. e. Be silent, as this Phrase is used, Iob 21. 5. and 29. 9. and 40. 4. Prov. 30. 32. The same thing repeated in other words.

See on Iudg. 17. 10.

To wit, a tribe, that is, (and being oft put for that is) a family. For it is certain this was not an expedition of the whole tribe, which numbred 64000 men, Num. 26. 43. but only of one family, which it seems were more vexed with the Philistines or Amorites, and therefore resolved to seek new habitations at a great distance from them. And after this time we find the Body of the Danites in their old and proper portions in Sampson's time, which, though placed before this, was long after it.

20 And the priests heart was glad , and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people .

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.

i. e. Among the People: or properly in the midst, both for the greater security of such precious things, and that Micah might not be able to come at him, either to injure or upbraid him; and, it may be, because that was the place where the Ark used to be carried.

21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones, and the cattel, and the carriage before them .

For their greater security, if Micah should pursue them.

24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made , and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?

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 Iehovah that made Heaven and Earth; but only a lower sort of gods, by whom, as Mediators, he offered up his Worship unto the true God, as it is manifest divers of the Heathens did.

I value nothing I have in comparison of what you have taken away. Which zeal for Idolatrous trash may shame multitudes that call themselves Christians, and yet apparently value their Worldly conveniences more than all the concerns even of the true Religion, and of their own Salvation.

25 ¶ And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us: lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life , with the lives of thy houshold.

The complaints and reproaches.

The Soldiers, who are in themselves sharp and fierce, and will soon be enflamed by thy provoking words.

Which, notwithstanding all thy pretences, thou dost value more than thy Images, as indeed appeared from his following practice.

Marginal references: Hebr. bitter of soul.

27 And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet, and secure, and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire .

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

28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man: and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob , and they built a city, and dwelt therein.

A place near Libanus and Hamath: of which see Numb. 13. 21. Ios. 19. 28. and 21. 31. Iudg. 1. 31.

29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their Father , who was born unto Israel: howbeit, the name of the city was Laish at the first.

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.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters]osh. 19. 47.

30 ¶ And the children of Dan set them up the graven image: and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he, and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan, until the day of the captivity of the land.

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.

Either 1. When the Ark and the Israelites were taken captives by the Philistines, 1 Sam. 4. 10, 11. Though there is no mention of any who were then taken captives, or that the Philistines did pursue the Victory, and Conquer the Land at that time, for their Victory was quickly damped, and turned to Mourning, 1 Sam. 5. Or 2. After that time, when the Philistines slew Saul and Ionathan, and discomfited the whole Host of Israel, and made the rest of the People flee out of their Cities, and took possession of their Cities and Land. Or 3. When the whole Land of the ten Tribes, whereof Dan was one, was Conquered, and the People carried Captive by the Assyrian, 2 King. 17. 6, 23. which is called by way of Eminency, the Captivity, 1 Chron. 5. 22. But against this it is Objected, That it is not probable, that this Idolatry should continue so long in such a publick place and manner: or that David and Solomon would suffer it. Ans. It is not said, that the graven Image was there so long, for that is restrained to a shorter date, even to the continuance of the Ark in Shiloh, v. 31. which was removed thence, 1 Sam. 4. But only that Ionathan's posterity were Priests to this Tribe or Family of Dan, which they might be under all the changes, even till the Assyrian Captivity, sometimes more openly and allowedly, sometimes more cunningly, sometimes more secretly, sometimes in one way of Superstition or Idolatry, and sometimes in another; and, in and after Ieroboam's time, in the Worship of the Calves, for which service though he did make Priests of the meanest of the People, 1 King. 12. 31. yet that was not by choice, but out of necessity, because the Priests and Levites generally forsook him, 2 Chron. 11. 13, 14. and therefore when he could engage any of the Priests or Levites in that service, he was doubtless very glad of them to gain reputation to his Impious and absurd device.