Translations
Original
Notes
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).
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.
Places
Dan: Israelite tribe; city in northern Israel; originally called Laish/Leshem Eshtaol: City allotted to Judah and Dan; associated with Samson Zorah: A town in the Shephelah, home of Samson
Glossary
Allotment of the Land Eshtaol Family Life and Relations Idols, Idolatry Jeroboam Joshua, Book of Judges, Book of Laish (Place) Micah (Person) Priests and Levites Travel Tribe of Dan Zorah, Zorathite
Topics
Eshtaol: Allotted to Dan Jonathan: A Levite of Bethlehem, Who Becomes a Priest for Micah the Tribe of Dan: A Part of Tool Laish and Called It Dan War: Weapons Used In