---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Judges 18:1. There was no king in Israel — See Judges 17:6. The circumstances related here show that this must have happened about the time of the p"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/judges/18"
---

Verse [Judges 18:1](../../../kjv/judges/18/1). **There was*****no king in Israel*** — See [Judges 17:6](../../../kjv/judges/17/6). The circumstances related here show that this must have happened about the time of the preceding transactions.
***The tribe of the Danites*** — That is, a part of this tribe; some families of it.
**All their*****inheritance*** — That is, they had not got an extent of country sufficient for them. Some families were still unprovided for, or had not sufficient territory; for we find from [Joshua 19:40](../../../kjv/joshua/19/40), &c., that, although the tribe of Dan did receive their inheritance with the rest of the tribes of Israel, yet *their coasts went out* *too little for them, and they went and fought against LESHEM*, (called here *Laish*,) *and took it*, &c. This circumstance is marked here more particularly than in the book of Joshua. See on [Joshua 19:47](../../../kjv/joshua/19/47).

Verse [Judges 18:2](../../../kjv/judges/18/2). ***Five men - men of valour*** — The Hebrew word חיל *chayil* has been applied to *personal prowess*, to *mental energy*, and to *earthly possessions*. They sent those in whose courage, judgment, and prudence, they could safely confide.

Verse [Judges 18:3](../../../kjv/judges/18/3). ***They knew the voice of the young man*** — They knew, by his dialect or mode of *pronunciation*, that he was not an Ephraimite. We have already seen ([Judges 12:6](../../../kjv/judges/12/6)) that the Ephraimites could not pronounce certain letters. [See the note there](#c7.12.6).

Verse [Judges 18:5](../../../kjv/judges/18/5). ***Ask counsel - of God*** — As the Danites use the word אלהים *Elohim* here for *God*, we are necessarily led to believe that they meant the true God; especially as the Levite answers, [Judges 18:6](../../../kjv/judges/18/6), *Before the LORD* (יהוה Yehovah) *is your way*. Though the former word may be sometimes applied to *idols*, whom their votaries clothed with the *attributes* of God; yet the latter is never applied but to the *true God* alone. As the Danites succeeded according to the oracle delivered by the Levite, it is a strong presumption that the *worship* established by Micah was not of an *idolatrous* kind. It is really begging the question to assert, as many commentators have done, that the answer was either a *trick of* *the Levite*, or *suggested by the devil*; and that the success of the Danites was merely *accidental*. This is taking the thing by the worst handle, to support an hypothesis, and to serve a system. See the end of the preceding chapter. [Judges 17:13](../../../kjv/judges/17/13) ([note](#c7.17.13))

Verse [Judges 18:7](../../../kjv/judges/18/7). ***After the manner of the Zidonians*** — Probably the people of *Laish* or *Leshem* were originally a colony of the *Sidonians*, who, it appears, were an opulent people; and, being in possession of a *strong city*, lived in a state of security, not being afraid of their neighbours. In this the Leshemites imitated them, though the sequel proves they had not the same reason for their confidence.
***They*****were*****far from the Zidonians*** — Being, as above supposed, a *Sidonian colony*, they might naturally expect help from their countrymen; but, as they dwelt a considerable distance from Sidon, the Danites saw that they could strike the blow before the news of invasion could reach *Sidon*; and, consequently, before the people of Laish could receive any succours from that city.
***And had no business with*****any*****man.*** — In the most correct copies of the Septuagint, this clause is thus translated: Και λογος ουκ ην αυτοις μετα Συριας; *and they had no transactions with SYRIA*. Now it is most evident that, instead of אדם *adam*, MAN, they read ארם *aram*, SYRIA; words which are so nearly similar that the difference which exists is only between the ר *resh* and ד *daleth*, and this, both in MSS. and printed books, is often indiscernible. This reading is found in the *Codex Alexandrinus*, in the *Complutensian* Polyglot, in the *Spanish* Polyglot, and in the edition of the Septuagint published by *Aldus*. It may be proper to observe, that *Laish* was on the frontiers of Syria; but as they had no intercourse with the *Syrians*, from whom they might have received the promptest assistance, this was an additional reason why the Danites might expect success.

Verse [Judges 18:9](../../../kjv/judges/18/9). ***Arise, c.*** — This is a very plain and nervous address full of good sense, and well adapted to the purpose. It seems to have produced an instantaneous effect.

Verse [Judges 18:11](../../../kjv/judges/18/11). ***Six hundred men*** — These were not the whole, for we find they had children, c., [Judges 18:21](../../../kjv/judges/18/21) but these appear to have been six hundred *armed* men.

Verse [Judges 18:12](../../../kjv/judges/18/12). ***Mahaneh-dan*** — "The camp of Dan;" so called from the circumstance of this armament *encamping* there. See Jdg 13:25, which affords some proof that this transaction was previous to the days of Samson.

Verse [Judges 18:14](../../../kjv/judges/18/14). ***Consider what ye have to do.*** — They probably had formed the design to carry off the priest and his sacred utensils.

Verse [Judges 18:18](../../../kjv/judges/18/18). ***These went unto Micah's house*** — The five men went in, while the six hundred armed men stood at the gate.

Verse [Judges 18:19](../../../kjv/judges/18/19). ***Lay thine hand upon thy mouth*** — This was the token of *silence*. The god of silence, *Harpocrates*, is represented on ancient statues with *his finger pressed on his lips*.

Verse [Judges 18:20](../../../kjv/judges/18/20). ***Went to the midst of the people.*** — He was glad to be employed by the Danites; and went into the *crowd*, that he might not be discovered by Micah or his family.

Verse [Judges 18:21](../../../kjv/judges/18/21). ***The little ones and the cattle, c.*** — These men were so confident of success that they removed their whole families, household goods, cattle, and all.
***And the carriage*** — כבודה *kebudah*, their *substance, precious* *things*, or *valuables omne quod erat pretiosum*, VULGATE: or rather the *luggage* or *baggage*; what *Caesar* calls in his commentaries *impedimenta*; and what the *Septuagint* here translate βαρος, *weight* or *baggage*. We are not to suppose that any *wheel carriage* is meant.

Verse [Judges 18:24](../../../kjv/judges/18/24). ***Ye have taken away my gods*** — As Micah was a worshipper of the true God, as we have seen, he cannot mean any kind of idols by the word אלהי *elohai* here used. He undoubtedly means those *representations* of Divine things, and symbols of the Divine presence such as the teraphim, ephod, c. for they are all evidently included under the word *elohai*, which we translate *my* *gods*.

Verse [Judges 18:25](../../../kjv/judges/18/25). ***And thou lose thy life*** — This was *argumentum ad* *hominem*; he must put up with the loss of his substance, or else lose his life! It was the mere language of a modern highwayman: *Your life or your money*.

Verse [Judges 18:27](../../../kjv/judges/18/27). ***Unto a people - at quiet and secure*** — They found the report given by the spies to be correct. The people were apprehensive of no danger, and were unprepared for resistance; hence they were all put to the sword, and their city burnt up.

Verse [Judges 18:28](../../../kjv/judges/18/28). **There was*****no deliverer*** — They had no succour, because the Sidonians, from whom they might have expected it, were at too great a *distance*.

Verse [Judges 18:29](../../../kjv/judges/18/29). ***Called the name of the city Dan*** — This city was afterwards very remarkable as one of the *extremities* of the promised land. The extent of the Jewish territories was generally expressed by the phrase, *From DAN to BEER-SHEBA*; that is, From the most *northern* to the *southern* extremity.

Verse [Judges 18:30](../../../kjv/judges/18/30). ***The children of Dan set up the graven image*** — They erected a chapel, or temple, among themselves, as Micah had done before; having the same implements and the same priest.
***And Jonathan the son of Gershom*** — Either this was the name of the young *Levite*; or they had turned him off, and got this Jonathan in his place.
***The son Manasseh*** — Who this Manasseh was, none can tell; nor does the reading appear to be genuine. He could not be Manasseh the son of *Joseph*, for he had no son called *Gershom* nor could it be Manasseh king of *Israel*, for he lived *eight hundred* years afterwards.
Instead of מנשה *Manasseh*, the word should be read משה *Mosheh,* MOSES, as it is found in some MSS., in the *Vulgate*, and in the *concessions* of the most intelligent Jews. The Jews, as *R. D.* *Kimchi* acknowledges, have suspended the letter: נ nun, over the word משה, thus,
***Until the day of the captivity of the land.*** — Calmet observes, "The posterity of this Jonathan executed the office of priest in the city of Dan, all the time that the idol of Micah (the teraphim, ephod, c.) was there. But this was only while the house of the Lord was at Shiloh and, consequently, the sons of Jonathan were priests at Dan only till the time in which the ark was taken by the Philistines, which was the last year of Eli, the high priest; for after that the ark no more returned to Shiloh." This is evident; and on this very ground *Houbigant* contends that, instead of הארץ *haarets, the LAND*, we should read הארן *haaron,* *the ARK*; for nothing is easier than the ו *vau* and ן *final* *nun* to be mistaken for the ץ *final tsade*, which is the only difference between *the captivity of the* LAND and *the captivity of* *the* ARK. And this conjecture is the more likely, because the next verse tells us that Micah's graven image, c., continued at Dan *all the time that the house of God was at Shiloh* which was, till the ark was taken by the Philistines. Those who wish to see more on this subject may consult *Calmet*, and the writers in *Pool's* *Synopsis*. This chapter is an important supplement to the conclusion of the 19th chapter of Joshua, on which it casts considerable light.
THE Danites were properly the first *dissenters* from the public *established* worship of the Jews; but they seem to have departed *as little* as possible from the Jewish *forms*, their worship being conducted in the same *way*, but not in the same place. Surely it was better to have had this, allowing it to be unconstitutional worship, than to have been wholly destitute of the ordinances of God.
I think we have not sufficient ground from the text to call these persons *idolaters*; I believe they worshipped the true God according to their light and circumstances, from a conviction that they could not prosper without his approbation, and that they could not expect that approbation if they did not offer to him a religious worship. They endeavoured to please him, though the means they adopted were not the most proper.

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