JUDGES LESSON 20


     We will begin this lesson in Judges 18:1 "In those days [there
was] no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites
sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day [all their]
inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel."

     The Danites had the northern most inheritance. They had an
uncertain northern border. The bulk of the tribe of Dan had already
received their inheritance, but some of the people were still trying
to settle in land in that area for themselves. The Danites, we are
reading of here, are dwelling in Zorah and Eshtaol.

     Judges 18:2 "And the children of Dan sent of their family five
men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to
spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go,
search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of
Micah, they lodged there."

     We see that they have gone around the Philistines, so they would
not have to fight with them. These five men are spies, to see how
easily it would be to take the land. We read of Micah in the last
lesson. This seems to be a place, where they were welcomed to rest for
a while.

     Judges 18:3 "When they [were] by the house of Micah, they knew
the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and
said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this
[place]? and what hast thou here?"

     It appears, these five spies know the Levite that went to work
for Micah in his house as his priest. They hear him, and go in to talk
for a moment with him. These men inquire of the Levite, what is he
doing here?

     Judges 18:4 "And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah
with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest."

     He explains to these five men, how he came to be in Micah's
house. Micah had hired him to serve in the office of priest.

     Judges 18:5 "And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee,
of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be
prosperous."

     We do not read it here, but perhaps, this Levite had already been
one of the priests, because these men accept him as a priest. They ask
his guidance on whether this will be a rewarding journey for them, or
not. They want him to pray to God for them.

     Judges 18:6 "And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before
the LORD [is] your way wherein ye go."

     His answer was that the LORD would be with them on their journey.
He, probably, had on the ephod which the LORD spoke to the people
through. When the high priest had on the ephod, God spoke through the
Urim and Thummim.

     Judges 18:7  "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."

     It seems, the people of Laish were living a quiet peacable life
of semi-luxury. They did not even have a magistrate in the land. This
is speaking of easy living. They did not get acquainted with them.
They just spied out their information, and left the populace alone.

     Judges 18:8 "And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and
Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What [say] ye?"

     The spies came back to Eshtaol and Zorah, and gave their report
of what they had seen.

     Judges 18:9 "And they said, Arise, that we may go up against
them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it [is] very good: and
[are] ye still? be not slothful to go, [and] to enter to possess the
land."

     The five spies encourage them to go into the land, and take it
over. They believe the people are so at ease, that it will be easily
taken. They have witnessed the fact that the people have a comfortable
living, because the land is fertile. They are encouraging their
brethren to get up, and go now to take the city.

     Judges 18:10 "When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and
to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where
[there is] no want of any thing that [is] in the earth."

     The people have a large fertile land, and they have want of
nothing. They are living the easy life, not expecting anyone to come
against them. The 5 spies believe it will be very easy to take them.

     Judges 18:11  "And there went from thence of the family of the
Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed
with weapons of war."

     This is a small army, but they believe they will not encounter
much opposition, so these are all they need.

     Judges 18:12 "And they went up, and pitched in Kirjath-jearim, in
Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan unto this day:
behold, [it is] behind Kirjath-jearim."

     It seems, the army stopped here to rest, before going the entire
way. "Kirjath-jearim" means city of forests. Perhaps, that is why they
stopped here, so they would not be out in the open. "Mahaneh-dan"
means camp of Dan.

     Judges 18:13 "And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came
unto the house of Micah."  Judges 18:14  "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."

     These same five spies had sought advice from the priest that was
in this house of Micah. They were not very grateful for the
hospitality that Micah had shown them. You would think, if they were
to do anything, it would be to destroy the graven image and the molten
image. We will see in the next few verses what they do.

     Judges 18:15 "And they turned thitherward, and came to the house
of the young man the Levite, [even] unto the house of Micah, and
saluted him."

     It seemed, the house of Micah was actually several houses that
were connected. They greeted him, as if nothing is wrong.

     Judges 18:16 "And the six hundred men appointed with their
weapons of war, which [were] of the children of Dan, stood by the
entering of the gate." Judges 18:17 "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."

     They have taken these things by force. The priest could do
nothing but look on, because there are 600 armed men there, to see
that the five get what they want. The 600 men stood at the gate
waiting, until the five spies came out with the things.

     Judges 18:18 "And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the
carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then
said the priest unto them, What do ye?"

     This is speaking of the five spies. The priest protested, to no
avail. This is stealing of the worst sort. Micah had befriended them
when they came through the first time, and now, they are stealing from
him.

     Judges 18:19 "And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine
hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a
priest: [is it] better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one
man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?"

     They are speaking to the priest, and offering him the opportunity
to go with them and minister to their new community. He is priest to
just one man here. If he goes with them, he will be priest to the
whole family, that these 600 represent.

     Judges 18:20 "And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the
ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst
of the people."

     The idea that he would be priest over this large family of people
appealed to the priest. He seemed not to care that the things, he
would serve with, were stolen from Micah, who had befriended him.

     Judges 18:21 "So they turned and departed, and put the little
ones and the cattle and the carriage before them."

     We see from this verse that, the wives and children of the 600
fighting men were with them. They put them and the carriage which had
the ephod and the other things they had stolen, in front. They were
expecting Micah to attack them from the rear.

     Judges 18:22   "[And] when they were a good way from the house of
Micah, the men that [were] in the houses near to Micah's house were
gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan."

     This does not explain how many there were, but certainly they
were fewer than the 600 of Dan. They could move faster, and they
caught the men of Dan.

     Judges 18:23 "And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they
turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou
comest with such a company?"

     These with Micah are his family, who lived with and near him. The
men of Dan are accusing Micah and his men of being sick, to come with
such a group to go against 600 fighting men.

     Judges 18:24 "And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I
made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and
what [is] this [that] ye say unto me, What aileth thee?"

     This is such a sad thing, that people he had befriended would do
this to him. They have stolen things that belonged to him, and even
run off with his priest.

     Judges 18:25 "And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy
voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou
lose thy life, with the lives of thy household."

     This is the age old story of the bully. Just because they were
stronger than he was, they had taken these things. If he complains too
loudly, his family will die. If he tries to take his things back, it
is certain death. He has no alternative, but to let them have them.

     Judges 18:26 "And the children of Dan went their way: and when
Micah saw that they [were] too strong for him, he turned and went back
unto his house."
     At least, Micah and his men went home with their lives. They were
disappointed, but alive.

     Judges 18:27 "And they took [the things] which Micah had made,
and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people [that
were] at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the
sword, and burnt the city with fire."

     These cruel men of Dan came in, and brutally killed these quiet
people of Laish. They burned the city, as well. They are a violent,
ruthless people.

     Judges 18:28 "And [there was] no deliverer, because it [was] far
from Zidon, and they had no business with [any] man; and it was in the
valley that [lieth] by Beth-rehob. And they built a city, and dwelt
therein."

     This is just saying that, there was no one who came to their
rescue. They lived far away from others, who might have helped. They
had been a quiet, private people. They are now dead, and these cruel
men of Dan have taken over their city, and rebuilt it.

     Judges 18:29 "And they called the name of the city Dan, after the
name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name
of the city [was] Laish at the first."

     This is speaking of the new city that they built on the sight of
the old city. Laish was named Dan for the ancestor their tribe was
named for.

     Judges 18:30  "And the children of Dan set up the graven image:
and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons
were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the
land."

     The graven image was not of a false god, but God had forbidden
the making of graven images. Jonathan was the idolatrous priest of
this group of vicious men. It seems, Jonathan and his sons were the
priests here for a very long time.

     Judges 18:31 "And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he
made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh."

     This graven image was supposed to be a visible sign of the One
True God. God is Spirit. The tabernacle of God was in Shiloh from the
time of Joshua, until the time of Levi. Micah's graven image was not
of himself. They tried to worship God, but their worship was mixed in
with idolatry. God does not approve of this type of worship.






                         Judges 20 Questions


1.  In those days there was no _________ in Israel.
2.  What is the tribe of Dan still seeking?
3.  The ____________ are the northern most tribe.
4.  They had an ____________ northern border.
5.  How many spies did they send to search for more land?
6.  Where did these spies lodge on their way?
7.  Whose voice did they recognize in Micah's house?
8.  What questions did they ask him?
9.  What did the Levite tell them was the reason for him being in
    Micah's house?
10. What did they ask of the Levite?
11. How did the priest advise them?
12. Where did the spies go?
13. What was the condition of the people in Laish?
14. Who did they go back and report to?
15. How did they get their brethren to go?
16. How many men went as an army?
17. Where did they pitch their tents?
18. What does "Kirjath-jarim" mean?
19. Where did they go, before they went to Laish?
20. What did they steal from Micah's house?
21. Why did the priest go with them?
22. Why did they put their little ones and their cattle ahead?
23. What did Micah do, about this?
24. Why were Micah's men able to catch them?
25. What did Micah do when he caught them?
26. Why did they say for Micah not to raise his voice in complaint?
27. What caused Micah to turn and leave?
28. What did the men of Dan do to Laish and its population?
29. Why did no one come to help them?
30. What did the army name the new town?
31. Who was their priest?
32. What happened to Micah's graven image?
33. How long was it in the place of worship in Dan?