Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Judges · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
HERE againe it is first repeated, that there was in those dayes no King in Israel, to denote this to bee the originall of the wickednesse here spoken of, viz. the violence done by the Danites unto Micah, and the corrupting of that whole tribe with idolatry. Next the Danites seeke them some more inheritance, V. 1.for all their inheritance had not yet falne unto them, this was soone after Joshua his death, Ch. 1. 34. the Amorites held the chiefe part of their inheritance and so straightened them, and of this they complained even in Ioshua his life time, Iosh. 19. 47. and there this expedition is briefly set downe by anticipation, but here more largely. The Danites send out five men to seeke V. 2.for more roome to inhabit in, they passe by Micahs house, and lodge there, for hee as it seemeth, was a great man, and wealthy, and therefore they being Israelites, he entertaineth them, which shewed his hospitality. Being there they saw V. 3, 4, 5.the Levite, and were by him informed of the Images and the Teraphim, wherefore they pray him to inquire of their way, which hee did, and promised them prosperity. It is said, they knew the Levites voyce, and turned in thither, that is, saith Lyra, they knew by his voyce, that hee was of Bethlehem Iudah, Lyra.because although all the Israelites spake one language, yet they of one place differed in their dialect, from those of another, so Lyra, as our north countrey men differ from us in their speach, and hereby may easily be known from the southerne. And hee saith, that they turned in thither, that is, to the lodging assigned to the Levite. But by what meanes could he consulting with a dumb Idoll foretell, what successe they should have in their way? To this Lyra, some hold, that hee spake thus to please them having no answer from the Idoll, but the Hebrews, that the Devill answered out of the Idoll, God permitting it for their greater delusion, who were addicted to Idols, that they might be the further gone in errour, who loved not the truth, and so finally bee damned therefore. Ferus saith, that God might answer by this Priest, as hee used the mouth Ferus.of Balaam, and Caiaphas to speake the truth, and oft times of wicked Pastors, to try these Danites. And it seemeth that they were hereby drawne away to Idolatry, because it fell out truly according to his prediction, and by their meanes the whole tribe; for hereby they gathered that this service before Images here pleased God, as well as that which according to his word was done before the Tabernacle. But this was their ignorance of the word which had given warning here-against, Deut. 13. And they were worthy to bee thus given over, because they would inquire in an unlawfull place, and of an unlawfull person.
Then the five Men came to Laish, and saw the people how they dwelt carelesse, V. 7.&c. This Laish is also called Leshem, Josh. 19. 47. and being taken, Dan, after the name of Dan, the father of the Danites. It was furthest north of all the Land of Canaan, since called Caesarea Philippi, because re-built by Philip the Tetrarch in the honour of Tiberius Caesar; and because it lay furthest northward, this speech is sometime used to set forth the north and south bounds of the holy Land, that is, the whole longitude from Dan to Beersheba; and here afterwards Jeroboam set up ome of his golden Calves. From Micah's house in Mount Ephraim to this Laish, saith Hen. Bunting, were 104 miles, from Zorah H. Bunt. patriar travailes.and Eshtaol to Mount Ephraim 24 miles. And this people is said to have dwelt securely like the Zidonians, that is, a people having a very strong City, and so fearing no enemies, and farre from Zidon, so that the Zidonians could not readily helpe them, and farre from all others that might rescue them; and had no businesse with any man, that is, they were in no league with any other people; for businesse, Hebr. foreign a word or matter is put. Now besides all these things that might encourage the Danites to this expedition, it is inserted. And there was no Magistrate in the Land, which might put them to shame in any thing; Hebr. there was none destroying any thing in the Land, the possessor of that Kingdome; for this exposition is nearest unto these words, foreign And it was one reason rendred of their secure dwelling, whereby the Danites might the more confidently come against them; there was none of the destroyers of any thing in the Land, as in other places, that possessed or dwelt in that Kingdome. They had no enemies either domesticall or foraine that annoyed them, and as no enemies, so no confederates to helpe them in case they should bee set upon: for both the Zidonians and all other people dwelt fast from them; which is the full meaning of this verse, and expresseth a state more secure. The Vulg. Latine, Nullo eis penitus resistente; the Sept. Not able to speake a word in the Land, inheriting treasure. Junius, Necesse quenquam, qui de re ulla pudore afficer…t in ea terra haeredem imperii: in stead of which two last words the Vulg. Latine translation hath it, and of great riches, following the Septuagint. Why a Magistrate putting to shame or not, should be spoken of here, I cannot see; because if there had bin none among them to punish misdemeanors, they could not have lived securely, but in continuall feare of violence from the evil-minded; wherefore I preferre the first. Or if we take foreign for putting to shame, of foreign, the two last words may be expounded inhabitant of that Kingdome, or inheritor there, and so being joyned with foreign the sentence will bee this, There was none inheritor in that Kingdom confounding a matter in the Land; that is, there were no domesticall troubles by reason of any hotspirited, or doing violence, but all quietnesse.
The five searchers returning, informe their brethren how they had found V. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.this Land, and incite them to goe to possesse it, which they doe, and march out of Zorah and Eshtaol, 600 men of warre; first to Kiriath-jearim in Judah, then to Micahs house. From Zorah to Kiriah-jearim were 16 miles, from H. B. Patriarks travailes.thence to Mount Ephraim where Micah dwelt 8 miles. Of Kiriath-jearim, see before, Josh. 15. & Josh. 18. here they lodged by the way without the City, not within it, as the words v. 12. doe declare, Behold it is behinde Kiriathjearim; Lyra.and as Lyra noteth.
When they were come to the house of Micah, the five searchers informe V. 14, 15.them that there was a Molten and graven Image, and a Teraphim, and Ephod, all which they tooke away with them; and when they were about it, being expostulated with by the Levite, they easily perswaded him for greater dignity, to joyne with them in this their robbery, and to goe away with them to become a Priest unto their whole tribe. The phrase used to the Levite, when they would have him to hold his peace, was this, Lay thy hand upon thy mouth; For V. 19. Plinius. Macrobius. Pierius.thus silence was wont to bee expressed, Job 21. 5. Job 29. 9. Pliny and Macrobius say, that the Romans had a Goddesse called Angerona, the Goddesse of Silence, with her finger laid upon her mouth. In a Temple at Egypt, where Isis and Serapis were worshipped, there was an Image with the finger upon the mouth also, to shew, that it should bee kept in silence that these were mortals. And Harpocrates the God of Silence was also amongst them thus pictured. Whereas they perswade him rather to bee Priest unto a tribe, then to one man, it is not to bee understood, that the whole tribe removed their seat to Laish; for the tribe of Dan for a great part dwelt still in Zorah and Eshtaol, and these were onelyonly 600 men of war, whereas the whole consisted of many thousands; by a tribe then, they understand a good part of a tribe, and that of good note. In this Levite we may see, how ambition and covetousnesse work in those that Note. bee worldly minded in the Ministery, they are altogether led by dignities and profits here, and care not for Gods glory, or to keep a good conscience.
Micah seeing what was done, gathereth his neighbours together, and pursueth V. 22.after the Danites, and cryeth out unto them, and chargeth them, saying, Yee have taken away my Gods and my Priest, and what have I more? the Vulg. V. 24.Latine for the last words, hath, And all that I have: the meaning being, according to Lyra, not that they had taken any thing away from him, saving Lyra.those things which pertained to idolatrous worship; but of these hee made such account, as that hee made no reckoning of all that hee had in comparison hereof. But Micah being threatened by them, returneth home, and they passe on to Laish, and destroy the people destitute of all helpe, and burne the City, V. 28.and this is said to have been in the valley by Bethrehob. Rehob was a City in the north, nigh unto Mount Libanus, Numb. 13. 22. being part of the lot of Asher, Josh. 19. 28. but it was not subdued by them, Judg. 1. 31.
And they set up the Image, and Jonathan the sonne of Gershom, the sonne of Manasseh, hee and his sonnes were Priests unto the tribe of Dan, untill the time V. 30.of the captivity of the Land. Here two questions may bee made: 1 How Jonathan a Levite, could come of Manasseh, of which somewhat hath been said before, Chap. 17. 1. 2 What captivity is meant, untill the time whereof, hee Qu. and his are said to have been Priests unto Dan? Lyra saith, that captivity made by Salmanasar, 2 King. 17. but yet hee citeth Jerome, who saith, that the captivity of the Ark is meant, when it was carryed away by the Philistims, 1 Sam. 5. 1.and this Lyra confesseth to bee most probable, because in the next verse there is another description of the time that Micah his graven Image stood, viz. all V. 31.the time that the house of God, or Tabernacle was in Shiloh, and so long onelyonly it seemeth to be meant that Jonathan was Priest, and his sonnes, but no longer: For in Samuels dayes, the worship of God was restored to the first purity; and therefore Idols were certainly beaten downe, and idolatrous Priests were removed, and this was the time of carrying the Arke from Shiloh, to the warre against the Philistims, after which it was brought back no more thither, but to Kioiath-jearim, where it remained 20 yeares. And this is followed by Junius, who rendreth the last words of v. 30. Ʋsque ad tempus, Iuniusquo migravit e terra: in the Vulg. Latine it is, Ʋsque ad tempus captivitatis suae; but our Translation answereth verbatim to the Hebrew. Wherefore I thinke rather, that two times are in these two verses described, the time of the Idols standing made by Micah, v. 31. and the time that Jonathan and his sonnes were Priests to the tribe of Dan, not onelyonly to minister to this Idol, but to others set up afterwards; when this was taken away, v. 30. even all the time from hence till the Babylonish captivity, there being yet intermissions, when good Judges and Kings ruled, that tooke away such abominations. For Jeroboam 2 Kings 17.set up a Calfe in Dan after Micahs Idol put downe, and other wicked Kings of Israel that succeeded him, followed him in his sinnes, till the time of that captivity.