Judges 18:17

Translations

Modern

And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.

Traditional

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.

Literal

…and the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up. Having entered there, they took the carved image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest stood at the entrance of the gate, and six hundred men girded with weapons of war.

Latin

At illi, qui ingressi fuerant domum juvenis, sculptile, et ephod, et theraphim, atque conflatile tollere nitebantur, et sacerdos stabat ante ostium, sexcentis viris fortissimis haud procul expectantibus.

Original

Hebrew

English

And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.

Notes

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

Related verses

Judges 18:14
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.”
Judges 18:2
So the Danites sent out five men from their clans, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. “Go and explore the land,” they told them. The men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night.
Judges 17:4–5
So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
Micah 5:13
I will also cut off the carved images and sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your own hands.
Genesis 31:19
Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
Exodus 32:20
Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.
1 Samuel 6:2–9
…the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how to send it back to its place.”
2 Kings 19:18–19
They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.
Isaiah 46:1–2
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal.
Judges 6:31
But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Are you contending for Baal? Are you trying to save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal is a god, let him contend for himself with the one who has torn down his altar.”
1 Samuel 4:11
The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Isaiah 46:7
They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.

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 Jonathan: A Levite of Bethlehem, Who Becomes a Priest for Micah Teraphim used by Micah, Stolen by the Danites the Tribe of Dan: A Part of Plundered Michah of his Idols and his Ephod Theft and Thieves: The Spies of Laish

Judges 18:17

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