Judges 18:5
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Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to determine whether we will have a successful journey.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The Image-Worship Removed to Laish-Dan. - Jdg 18:1-10. Spies sent out by the tribe of Dan, to seek for a place suitable for a settlement, and their success.
Open source ↗How idolatry crept into the family of Micah we read in the preceding chapter, how it was translated thence into the tribe of Dan we have an account in this chapter, and how it gained a settlement in a city of note; for how great a matter does a little fire kindle! The tribe of Dan had their lot assigned them last of all the tribes, and, it happening to be too strait for them, a considerable city in the utmost corner of Canaan northward was added to it. "Let them get it, and take it;" it was called Laish or Leshem, Jos 19:47. Now here we are told, I. How they sent spies to bring them an account of the place, who, by the way, got acquainted with Micah's priest (Jdg 18:1-6). II. What an encouraging report these spies brought back (Jdg 18:7-10). III. What forces were sent to conquer Laish (Jdg 18:11-13). IV. How they, by the way, plundered Micah of his gods (Jdg 18:14-26). V. How easily they conquered Laish (Jdg 18:27-29), and, when they had it, set up the graven image in it (Jdg 18:30, Jdg 18:31).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin.
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.”
My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.
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.”
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, “Offer on the great altar the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, and the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, as well as the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings of all the people of the land. Sprinkle on the altar all the blood of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar to seek guidance.”
For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He shakes the arrows, he consults the idols, he examines the liver.
Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”