The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 129
SECT. CXXIX.
IN the next place we are to ſhew how the Danites took Micah's Idol from him, and ſet it up publickly in their own Tribe, and ſo the firſt publick Idolatry was begun among them, and therefore that Tribe is not named among the ſealed of the Lord, Rev. 7. The Hiſtory of this matter was thus; The Danites by reaſon of the Amorites (who had cooped them up in the Mountains, ſee Ch. 1.34.) were not got into the poſſeſſion of a good part of the Inheritance that fell to them by lot. And ſo their preſent poſſeſſions being too ſcant and ſtrait for them, they began to think of enlarging their Borders. And accordingly ſent out five men of their Family as Spies to ſearch the Land poſſeſſed by their Enemies, that they might (where they could conveniently) drive them out, and ſo ſettle part of their Tribe in their room. Theſe Spies coming to Mount Ephraim, and near to Micah's houſe, they meet with this Levite, whom (it ſeems) ſome of them knew, and poſſibly upon His invitation they turned in thither to lodge. They ask him, What he did there? He tells them, Micah had hired him to he his Prieſt. They underſtanding that Micah had a Chappel, or Houſe of gods there, and an Ephod and Teraphim, (which uſed by Idolaters to be conſulted, as Oracles and Anſwers ſometimes were given by the ſubtilty of the Devil or the Prieſts,) they being (as it ſeems) addicted to Idolatry, deſired him to inquire of God concerning the Succeſs of the buſineſs they were going about: He does ſo, or pretends to do ſo, and encouragingly bids them go in peace, for the way wherein they went was before the Lord; that is, his Eyes were upon their way, He ſaw what they were going about, and would favour, direct, and proſper them in their way. The Spies much encouraged hereby departed, and came to Laiſh or Leſhem [Joſh. 19.47.] in the utmoſt Northern Border of the Land, far remote from the body of their own Tribe. Here they obſerved ſeveral things: Firſt, That the people of this place dwelt careleſs and ſecure after the manner of the Sidonians, (who by reaſon of the great ſtrength of their City, and their great Wealth, lived voluptuouſly without fear of any Enemy,) and after the ſame manner lived the Inhabitants of Laiſh. 2ly, They obſerved they had no Magiſtrate in the Land that might put them to ſhame in any thing, and ſo reſtrain them from Vice; for ſhame doth oftentimes more reſtrain men from ſin, than ſmart or corporal puniſhment. 3ly, They obſerved they were far from the Sidonians (with whom poſſibly they had a League, or had ſome dependance on them,) and therefore they could not ſuddainly come to aid them. 4ly, They obſerved they had neither League nor Commerce with their Neighbours; either of which might have obliged them to afford them help in their need. Having taken notice of theſe things, they return to their Brethren who ſent them out, and tell them what they had obſerved concerning this people. They tell them the Land was a very good Land, a place where there was no want of any thing that is in the Earth, and if they would go up they need not doubt of obtaining it; for (ſay they) God hath given it into your hands. This confidence of theirs poſſibly was grounded partly on what they obſerved when they were among the people, and partly from the encouragement that Micah's Prieſt had given them. Whereupon 600 men of them well armed went up from thence upon this Expedition.
In their march they firſt pitched at Kirjath-jearim, in the Confines of Judah, Dan, and Benjamin. Thence they paſſed to Mount Ephraim, and came near the houſe of Micah. When they came thither, the five Spies told them there was in one of thoſe houſes of Micah an Ephod and Teraphim, a graven and a molten Image. Now therefore conſider (ſay they) what ye have to do, conſider whither this will not be a good Booty for us, and whither we ſhould not take all theſe along with us, to uſe them in the Places where we ſhall come; as in our former Journey we asked Counſel by them of God, and received an Anſwer, that our Journey ſhould be Proſperous. The Souldiers hearing theſe things, went preſently to Micah's houſe, and the 600 Men placing themſelves at the Gate, the five Spies went in, and ſaluted Micah, and probably acquainted him with their deſign, and then brought out his Prieſt to their Brethren, whom He kindly ſaluted, and (as 'tis probable) wiſhed them good ſucceſs in their Enterpriſe, and diſcourſed with them. In the mean time the five Spies went back into the houſe, and took away the Ephod and Teraphim, and the Images graven and molten. The Prieſt ſeeing this, asked them what they did? They bid him hold his peace, and go along with them, and be to them a Father and a Prieſt. They tell him, It was much better for him to be a Prieſt to a whole Tribe than to one man. The Prieſt, notwithſtanding the kindneſs and reſpect Micah had ſhewen him, hoping to have more advantage by theſe Danites, than He had by Him, away he goes with them, and immediatly placed himſelf with this Idolatrous Traſh in the midſt of their Army, either for the better defence of his Perſon and theſe Trinkets, or elſe in a kind of Apiſh imitation of the Iſraelites, who carried the Ark in the midſt of their Hoſt. When they departed from Micah's houſe, they ordered that their Wives, *The bringing of their Wives, little Ones, and Cattel with them, ſhews with what aſſurance of ſucceſs they went up againſt Laiſh.little Ones, and Cattel, and their Carriages ſhould march before their Army. For they feared not any Enemy before them, but ſuppoſed that Micah, with all the ſtrength he could make, would purſue after them. Micah accordingly, with what Company of his Neighbours he could get together, purſued after them, and when He came up to them, the Danites asked Him, What ailed him? and why He came after them with ſuch a great Company? He cries out, Ye have taken away my gods, and my Prieſt, and do you now ask me, What aileth me? Alas! I eſteem all that ye have left me as nothing, now my gods and my Prieſt are gone. The Danites anſwered, Let not thy Cry be heard among us, leſt ſome angry Fellows of our Company run upon thee and deſtroy thee and thy Houſhold. When Micah ſaw they were too ſtrong for him, he turned back; and ſo the Danites carried away the Prieſt and the Images with them to Laiſh. When they came thither, they eaſily took the City, and ſmote the Inhabitants thereof with the edge of the Sword, there being none to deliver them out of their hands. And though in taking of it, they burnt it, yet afterwards they built it again, and called it Dan, in honour of Dan, from whom they were deſcended. And then they ſet up the graven Image there which they had taken from Micah, and eſtabliſhed this Idolatrous Worſhip of their falſe gods among them, and ſo this Levite (whoſe Name was Jonathan, the Son of Gerſhom) and his Poſterity were Prieſts unto theſe Idolatrous Danites all the time the Tabernacle remained at Shiloh, till the Captivity of the Land; that is, till the Ark was taken and carried away by the Philiſtines, 1 Sam. 4.10, 11. which was at the death of Eli, at which time there was a great ſlaughter of the Iſraelites, and no doubt many of them were carried away Captive, together with the Ark; and all this befel them, becauſe of the Idolatry that was then practiſed in the Land, Pſal. 78.58, 59. But though this Idol was pulled down (as 'tis probable) in Samuel's time, or Saul's, when the Tabernacle was at Nob, [1 Sam. 21.] yet theſe Idolatrous Prieſts might (in ſecret eſpecially) continue to do this impious Service for the Danites unto the times of Jeroboam, and then might be employed as Prieſts for his golden Calf, which he here erected, 1 Kings 12.29. and ſo they might continue till the general Captivity of the ten Tribes.
Judg. Ch. 18. whole Chapter.