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. 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.” (Judges 18:1-2)
Dan, Benjamin, Issachar and Zebulon had received the smallest portions of land. Four hundred fifty years later, Dan was becoming overpopulated, so they began to look for a place to expand. They did not think they could drive out the Philistines to expand to the southwest, and that land already belonged to Judah anyway, so they sent five men from along the Philistine border where Samson was because they were experienced fighters and would have a good idea how well defended a city was. On their way north, they spent the night at Micah’s house.
“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?
And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.
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.
And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.” (Judges 18:3-6)
Zorah and Eshtaol were only about fifteen miles from Bethlehem, and they had traded and perhaps competed in sporting events, so they recognized Micah’s priest right away, and struck up a conversation about what he was doing.
“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.” (Judges 18:7)
About a hundred miles northeast of Mount Ephraim, north of the Sea of Galilee, between the borders of Manasseh and Naphtali in present day Syria was the Zidonian city of Laish or Leshem. Cut off from the Zidonian settlements along the Mediteranean coast by a ridge of mountains, and protected by Manasseh on the East and Naphtali on the west, they were a self contained community with little contact with outsiders. As a result, they didn’t even find it necessary to have even a police force of their own.
“And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?
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. When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.” (Judges 18:8-10)
When they returned to Dan, the five spies described the land as a good place with a lot of land, and encouraged them to go immediately and take it before someone else did. It would be entirely satisfactory to their needs, and was largely undefended.
“And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war. And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim. And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.
Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.
And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him. And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.
“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 entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war. And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image.” (Judges 18:11-18)
Six hundred armed men were sent to attack Laish, swinging east to spend the night at Kirjathjearim before turning north and arriving in Mount Ephraim at Micah’s house the second day. The five spies then described what Micah had and suggested they would need a priest and religious supplies later. They then went to Micah’s house and the spies stole the images, the priest’s garment and the family idol since they knew where to look, while the priest talked to the six hundred men.
“Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?
And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine 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? And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.” (Judges 18:18b-20)
When the priest questioned their actions, they convinced him that preaching to a larger group was far more important than obeying some minor commandment like “Thou shalt not steal.” Clearly Samson’s attitude had spread far beyond just him. Leaders set the attitude of their followers. Proverbs 29:4 states, “The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.” Verse 12 warns, “If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.” I John 4:5 tells us that we can check the attitudes of a leader’s followers to tell if the leader is really led of the Spirit of God or by another spirit.
“So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them. 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. And they cried unto the children of Dan.
And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?
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?
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 household.
And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.” (Judges 18:21-26)
When Micah complained about what they were doing, they threatened to kill him and any who helped him. Knowing he and his neighbors could not defeat six hundred of them, Micah was forced to drop his complaints.
“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. 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. 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.” (Judges 18:27-29)
Because Laish was so far from the other Zidonian cities and had no commercial ties, they were unable to get help and were quickly destroyed. The city was rebuilt and named Dan. Joshua 19:47 describes this incident, making it clear that Joshua was based on records kept rather than by someone during the time. It states, “And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.”
“And the children of Dan set 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. And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.” (Judges 18:30-31)
Located at the extreme north edge of Israel, this group was led in a mixed religion of Judaism and idolatry by the young Levite and his descendants until Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians some two hundred fifty years later.
“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. 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.” (Judges 18:1-2)
Dan, Benjamin, Issachar and Zebulon had received the smallest portions of land. Four hundred fifty years later, Dan was becoming overpopulated, so they began to look for a place to expand. They did not think they could drive out the Philistines to expand to the southwest, and that land already belonged to Judah anyway, so they sent five men from along the Philistine border where Samson was because they were experienced fighters and would have a good idea how well defended a city was. On their way north, they spent the night at Micah’s house.
“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?
And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.
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.
And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.” (Judges 18:3-6)
Zorah and Eshtaol were only about fifteen miles from Bethlehem, and they had traded and perhaps competed in sporting events, so they recognized Micah’s priest right away, and struck up a conversation about what he was doing.
“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.” (Judges 18:7)
About a hundred miles northeast of Mount Ephraim, north of the Sea of Galilee, between the borders of Manasseh and Naphtali in present day Syria was the Zidonian city of Laish or Leshem. Cut off from the Zidonian settlements along the Mediteranean coast by a ridge of mountains, and protected by Manasseh on the East and Naphtali on the west, they were a self contained community with little contact with outsiders. As a result, they didn’t even find it necessary to have even a police force of their own.
“And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?
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. When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.” (Judges 18:8-10)
When they returned to Dan, the five spies described the land as a good place with a lot of land, and encouraged them to go immediately and take it before someone else did. It would be entirely satisfactory to their needs, and was largely undefended.
“And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war. And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim. And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.
Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.
And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him. And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.
“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 entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war. And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image.” (Judges 18:11-18)
Six hundred armed men were sent to attack Laish, swinging east to spend the night at Kirjathjearim before turning north and arriving in Mount Ephraim at Micah’s house the second day. The five spies then described what Micah had and suggested they would need a priest and religious supplies later. They then went to Micah’s house and the spies stole the images, the priest’s garment and the family idol since they knew where to look, while the priest talked to the six hundred men.
“Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?
And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine 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? And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.” (Judges 18:18b-20)
When the priest questioned their actions, they convinced him that preaching to a larger group was far more important than obeying some minor commandment like “Thou shalt not steal.” Clearly Samson’s attitude had spread far beyond just him. Leaders set the attitude of their followers. Proverbs 29:4 states, “The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.” Verse 12 warns, “If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.” I John 4:5 tells us that we can check the attitudes of a leader’s followers to tell if the leader is really led of the Spirit of God or by another spirit.
“So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them. 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. And they cried unto the children of Dan.
And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?
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?
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 household.
And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.” (Judges 18:21-26)
When Micah complained about what they were doing, they threatened to kill him and any who helped him. Knowing he and his neighbors could not defeat six hundred of them, Micah was forced to drop his complaints.
“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. 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. 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.” (Judges 18:27-29)
Because Laish was so far from the other Zidonian cities and had no commercial ties, they were unable to get help and were quickly destroyed. The city was rebuilt and named Dan. Joshua 19:47 describes this incident, making it clear that Joshua was based on records kept rather than by someone during the time. It states, “And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.”
“And the children of Dan set 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. And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.” (Judges 18:30-31)
Located at the extreme north edge of Israel, this group was led in a mixed religion of Judaism and idolatry by the young Levite and his descendants until Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians some two hundred fifty years later.
Excellent post, Donald -- by their fruits, ye shall know them. If a ruler's followers are corrupt, it is reasonable to examine whether that ruler led them into that corruption through his own example. That does not absolve each of us from taking responsibility for our own actions, however, especially now when so many rulers set a less than Godly example. Jesus must be our role model, and we must be His faithful remnant.
ReplyDeleteGod bless,
Laurie
Very true, Laurie. In general if the leader is not corrupt the majority of his followers will not be either. A corrupt leader does not excuse the corrupt followers, it only demonstrates they are following him instead of the Lord.
DeleteThis is one reason why I'm dubious of Christian churches that pattern their doctrines after men such as Luther, Calvin, etc. We have one Lord and Savior, and injecting their names into the mix has to cause a little confusion, to be sure.
ReplyDeleteI would say that I feel bad for Micah, but God seemed to be using the Danites to discipline the man by taking from him what he should not have had; God was merciful that Micah was permitted to live. The fact that the Levite was fine with all of it is even more bizarre.
I agree. Paul, Peter and the other apostles focused on Christ. When we begin to focus on someone else that Him, we have moved away from the gospel they preached.
ReplyDeleteMicah is just an example of the attitude throughout Israel that resulted from Samson's relaxing of God's standards. It carried on over into Eli's judgeship.