Keraia
Judges 18

Judges 18:14

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

Translations

Modern
Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do.”
Traditional
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.
Literal
And the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brothers, “Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a carved image, and a molten image? And now, consider what you should do.”
Latin
…dixerunt quinque viri, qui prius missi fuerant ad considerandam terram Lais, ceteris fratribus suis: Nostis quod in domibus istis sit ephod, et theraphim, et sculptile, atque conflatile: videte quid vobis placeat.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do.”

Notes

Judges 18:14

an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol: See study notes on Judges 8:27 and 17:5.

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

Places

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

Glossary

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

Topics

Dishonesty: Micah's Priest Steals his Images Ephod: A Sacred Vestment Worn by the High Priest: Made by Gideon, Became an Idolatrous Snare to Israel Jonathan: A Levite of Bethlehem, Who Becomes a Priest for Micah Teraphim used by Micah, Stolen by the Danites The Ephod for the High Priest used by Idolatrous Priests Theft and Thieves: The Spies of Laish