Keraia
Judges 18

Judges 18:22

The Danites Take Micah’s Idols · Judges 18:14–31
Read Judges 18

Translations

Modern
After they were some distance from Micah’s house, the men in the houses near Micah’s house mobilized and overtook the Danites.
Traditional
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.
Literal
They were far off from the house of Micah, and the men who were in the houses that were near the house of Micah gathered together, and they overtook the sons of Dan.
Latin
…et jam a domo Michæ essent procul, viri qui habitabant in ædibus Michæ conclamantes secuti sunt,

Original

Hebrew
English
After they were some distance from Micah’s house, the men in the houses near Micah’s house mobilized and overtook the Danites.

Notes

Judges 18:22

Some of Micah's neighbors had joined the religious group at his shrine.

Judges 18:14–26

This dishonest exchange reveals the lack of integrity in everyone involved.

Judges 18:1–31

The migration of the Danites (compare Joshua 19:40–48) shows the tribe's failure to follow God's covenant and reflects Israel's decline. Micah's personal heresy (Judges 17:4–5) grew into the apostasy of the entire tribe (18:30–31). The initial covenant failure (Judges 17:19–36) led to social breakdown during the time of Jephthah and Samson (Judges 11–16). Eventually, law and order gave way to banditry and pillaging (Judges 18:27–28).

Judges 17:1–21:25

These two epilogues (Judges 17–18 and 19–21) show that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot last. As society moved toward chaos and civil war, the phrase, In those days there was no king in Israel appears four times. The phrase, everyone did what was right in his own eyes is added twice (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The era of inspired leadership declined and ended in disorder. Something important was missing.

Theme notes and profiles

Social Chaos in Judges

People

Micah: A man from Ephraim who set up idolatrous worship

Places

Dan: Israelite tribe; city in northern Israel; originally called Laish/Leshem

Glossary

Allotment of the Land Eshtaol Idols, Idolatry Jeroboam Joshua, Book of Judges, Book of Laish (Place) Micah (Person) Priests and Levites Teraphim Travel Tribe of Dan

Topics

Jonathan: A Levite of Bethlehem, Who Becomes a Priest for Micah Theft and Thieves: The Spies of Laish