Charles Ellicott Commentary Judges 18
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Judges 18
Charles Ellicott Commentary
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 [their] inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel." — Judges 18:1 (ASV)
In those days ... —The repetition of the phrase does not necessarily prove the use of different documents. It may only emphasize the reason for the occurrence of such disorders and irregularities.
The tribe. — Shebet sometimes means a whole tribe, and sometimes apparently the division of a tribe (Judges 20:12).
The tribe of the Danites. —There seems to be a difference between “tribe of Dan” (Shebet Dan) and “tribesmen of the Danites” (Shebet had-Dani). In Judges 18:11 they are called Mishpecath had-Dani; but the distinctions between Mishpecath (“family”) and Shebet (“tribe”) do not seem to be accurately kept. (See Notes on Judges 18:19 and Judges 20:12.)
Sought them an inheritance. —See Judges 1:34; Joshua 19:47–48.
Unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them. —Their inheritance is described in Joshua 19:40-46. The inheritance had been assigned to them; but they had not been able to conquer it, owing to the opposition of the Philistines and the Amorates.
The English Version interpolates the words “all their” before “inheritance,” apparently to avoid difficulties. But these glosses, however well meant, are almost always a violation of the primary duty of translation, which is to be rigidly faithful to the original.
The failure of the Danites to conquer their allotment, and the low condition to which they dwindled, are the more remarkable because in the wilderness they were the strongest of all the tribes, numbering 62,700, and because they received the smallest assignment of land of all the tribes.
"And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their whole number, 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. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, and lodged there." — Judges 18:2 (ASV)
From their coasts. —Literally, their ends (Genesis 19:4; 1 Kings 12:31). Some explain it to mean “from their whole number.”
Men of valour. —Literally, sons of force (Judges 21:10).
To spy out the land. —As in Joshua 2:1.
They came to mount Ephraim. —It would have been an easier journey to pass along the Shephelah, but that was mainly in the hands of the original inhabitants.
To the house of Micah. —There is no necessity for the supposition that they did not actually lodge in the house, or, at any rate, in the khan which doubtless formed part of the settlement. The centre of a new and gorgeous worship was sure to have places around it where those could lodge who came to consult the pesel-ephod , just as even the ordinary synagogues had lodgings for wayfarers.
"When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; and they turned aside thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what doest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?" — Judges 18:3 (ASV)
By the house of Micah.— Literally, with — that is, lodging in it, as in Genesis 27:43.
They knew the voice of the young man the Levite.—Again the narrative is too much compressed to enable us to fill up its details with any certainty. The youthful Jonathan had lived in Bethlehem. The grandson of Moses could not be wholly unknown, and at this time there was close intercourse between the tribes of Dan and Judah.
Possibly, therefore, they were personally acquainted with him; nor do they ask (as Micah had done), Whence comest thou? They recognized his voice, possibly by some dialectic peculiarity, but more probably by hearing him performing in the upper room his service before the pesel.
Cassel renders “voice” by “sound,” and refers it to the bells on the priestly dress, as in Exodus 28:35. We notice that Micah had been reticent about the ephod, etc., perhaps out of suspicion as to their intentions.
Turned in thither. —Not necessarily into the house, but into the room—the oratory (aedicula), or Beth-Elohim (Judges 17:5). It seems to have been a kind of spurious Shiloh.
What makest thou in this place? —The accent of extreme surprise in their queries shows that they knew Jonathan, and did not expect to find a Judean Levite in Ephraim.
"And he said unto them, Thus and thus hath Micah dealt with me, and he hath hired me, and I am become his priest." — Judges 18:4 (ASV)
Thus and thus. —Literally, according to this and according to that, as in 2 Samuel 11:25; 1 Kings 14:5.
I am his priest. —See Judges 17:13. Similarly in the dearth of genuine priests Jeroboam was forced to make even Levites out of the lowest of the people (1 Kings 12:31).
"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." — Judges 18:5 (ASV)
Ask counsel ... of God. —Doubtless Jonathan showed them the glittering ephod. There were no prophets of whom to inquire, as in 1 Kings 22:5; but their unauthorized inquiry was liable to the strong censure expressed in Isaiah 30:1, Hosea 4:12. They might have at least consulted the high priest Phinehas, or some other national representative.
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