Judges 18:7

Translations

Modern

So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone.

Traditional

Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.

Literal

And the five men departed and went to Laish, and they saw the people who were in its midst, dwelling securely, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure, and nothing was lacking in the land in anything, possessing restraint, and they were far off from the Sidonians, and were no ties to them with man.

Latin

Euntes igitur quinque viri venerunt Lais: videruntque populum habitantem in ea absque ullo timore, juxta consuetudinem Sidoniorum, securum et quietum, nullo ei penitus resistente, magnarumque opum, et procul a Sidone atque a cunctis hominibus separatum.

Original

Hebrew

English

So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone.

Notes

Judges 18:7

Laish has been thoroughly excavated and was an impressive city at that time. The description of Laish and its connection to the port of Sidon is not entirely clear in the text or historical records. The people of Laish, as Phoenicians, might have expected to be exempt from Israel's attack on the Canaanites. This language is largely repeated in Judges 18:28.

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

Joshua 19:47
(Later, when the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and fought against Leshem, captured it, and put it to the sword. So they took possession of Leshem, settled there, and renamed it after their father Dan.)
Judges 18:27–28
After they had taken Micah’s idols and his priest, they went to Laish, to a quiet and unsuspecting people, and they struck them with their swords and burned down the city.
1 Samuel 3:13
I told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knows, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not restrain them.
Revelation 18:7
As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’
1 Peter 2:14
…or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.
1 Kings 1:6
(His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.)
Romans 13:3
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.

Places

Dan: Israelite tribe; city in northern Israel; originally called Laish/Leshem Sidon: Phoenician city; home of Jezebel

Glossary

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

Topics

Armies: March in Ranks of Laish Jonathan: A Levite of Bethlehem, Who Becomes a Priest for Micah Magistrate: An officer of Civil Law Phenicia: Called Zidonians Reconnoissance: Laish Sidon: A City on the Northern Boundary of the Canaanites: Inhabitants of, Lived in Security and Without a Worry The Sidonians: Character of Careless and Secure

Judges 18:7

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