mh_parser/vol_split/7 - Judges/Chapter 18.xml

<div2 id="Jud.xix" n="xix" next="Jud.xx" prev="Jud.xviii" progress="20.27%" title="Chapter XVIII">
<h2 id="Jud.xix-p0.1">J U D G E S</h2>
<h3 id="Jud.xix-p0.2">CHAP. XVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Jud.xix-p1">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, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.19.47" parsed="|Josh|19|47|0|0" passage="Jos 19:47">Josh. xix.
47</scripRef>. 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, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.1-Judg.18.6" parsed="|Judg|18|1|18|6" passage="Jdg 18:1-6">ver.
1-6</scripRef>. II. What an encouraging report these spies brought
back, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.7-Judg.18.10" parsed="|Judg|18|7|18|10" passage="Jdg 18:7-10">ver. 7-10</scripRef>. III.
What forces were sent to conquer Laish, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.11-Judg.18.13" parsed="|Judg|18|11|18|13" passage="Jdg 18:11-13">ver. 11-13</scripRef>. IV. How they, by the way,
plundered Micah of his gods, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.14-Judg.18.26" parsed="|Judg|18|14|18|26" passage="Jdg 18:14-26">ver.
14-26</scripRef>. V. How easily they conquered Laish (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.27-Judg.18.29" parsed="|Judg|18|27|18|29" passage="Jdg 18:27-29">ver. 27-29</scripRef>), and, when they had
it, set up the graven image in it, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.30-Judg.18.31" parsed="|Judg|18|30|18|31" passage="Jdg 18:30,31">ver. 30, 31</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Jud.xix-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18" parsed="|Judg|18|0|0|0" passage="Jud 18" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Jud.xix-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.1-Judg.18.6" parsed="|Judg|18|1|18|6" passage="Jud 18:1-6" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.18.1-Judg.18.6">
<h4 id="Jud.xix-p1.10">The Expedition of the
Danites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xix-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1406.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xix-p2">1 In those days <i>there was</i> no king in
Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an
inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day <i>all their</i>
inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.
  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.   3 When they <i>were</i> 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 <i>place?</i> and what hast
thou here?   4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth
Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.   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.   6 And
the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xix-p2.1">Lord</span> <i>is</i> your way wherein ye go.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p3">Here is, 1. The eye which these Danites had
upon Laish, not the whole tribe of Dan, but one family of them, to
whose lot, in the subdivision of Canaan, that city fell. Hitherto
this family had sojourned with their brethren, who had taken
possession of their lot, which lay between Judah and the
Philistines, and had declined going to their own city, because
there was <i>no king in Israel</i> to rule over them, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.1" parsed="|Judg|18|1|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. It lay a great way off,
separate from the rest of their tribe; it was entirely in the
enemy's hand, and therefore they would sponge upon their brethren
rather than go far to provide for themselves. But at length
necessity forced them to arouse themselves, and they began to think
of an inheritance to dwell in. It is better to have a little of
one's own than always to hang upon others. 2. The enquiry which
this family of the Danites made concerning Laish: They sent <i>five
men to search the land</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.2" parsed="|Judg|18|2|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>), that they might know the character of the country,
whether it was an inheritance worth going so far for, and the
posture of the people, whether the making of themselves masters of
it was a thing practicable, what force was necessary in order
thereunto, and which was the best way of making an attack upon it.
The men they sent were men of valour, who, if they fell into their
enemies' hands, knew how to look danger in the face. It is prudent
to look before we leap. Dan had the subtlety of <i>a serpent by the
way</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.17" parsed="|Gen|49|17|0|0" passage="Ge 49:17">Gen. xlix. 17</scripRef>), as
well as the courage of a <i>lion's whelp, leaping from Bashan,</i>
<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.22" parsed="|Deut|33|22|0|0" passage="De 33:22">Deut. xxxiii. 22</scripRef>. 3. The
acquaintance which their spies got with Micah's priest, and the use
they made of that acquaintance. It seems, they had know this Levite
formerly, he having in his rambles been sometimes in their country;
and, though his countenance might be altered, they knew him again
by his voice, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.3" parsed="|Judg|18|3|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.
They were surprised to find him so far off, enquired what brought
him thither, and he told them (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.4" parsed="|Judg|18|4|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>) what business he had there, and
what encouragement. They, understanding that he had an oracle in
his custody, desired he would tell them whether they should prosper
in their present undertaking, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.5" parsed="|Judg|18|5|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. See their carelessness and
regardlessness of God and his providence; they would not have
enquired of the Lord at all if this Levite's mentioning the
teraphim he had with him had not put it into their heads. Many
never think of religion but just when it falls in their way and
they cannot avoid it, like chance customers. See their ignorance of
the divine law, that they thought God, who had forbidden the
religious use of graven images, would yet own them in consulting an
image, and give them an answer of peace. <i>Should he be enquired
of by them?</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p3.8" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.14.3" parsed="|Ezek|14|3|0|0" passage="Eze 14:3">Ezek. xiv.
3</scripRef>. They seem to have had a greater opinion of Micah's
teraphim than of God's urim; for they had passed by Shiloh, and,
for aught that appears, had not enquired there of God's high
priest, but Micah's shabby Levite shall be an oracle to them. He
betakes himself to his usual method of consulting his teraphim;
and, whether he himself believed it or no, he humoured the thing so
well that he made them believe he had an answer from God
encouraging them to go on, and assuring them of good success
(<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p3.9" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.6" parsed="|Judg|18|6|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): "<i>Go in
peace,</i> you shall be safe, and may be easy, for <i>before the
Lord is your way,</i>" that is, "he approves it" (as the Lord is
said to <i>know the way of the righteous</i> with acceptation),
"and therefore he will make it prosperous, his eye will be upon you
for good, he will direct your way, and preserve your <i>going out
and coming in."</i> Note, Our great care should be that our way be
such as God approves, and, if it be so, we may <i>go in peace.</i>
If God care for us, on him let us cast our care, and be satisfied
that we cannot miss our way if he <i>go before us.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Jud.xix-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.7-Judg.18.13" parsed="|Judg|18|7|18|13" passage="Jud 18:7-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.18.7-Judg.18.13">
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xix-p4">7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish,
and saw the people that <i>were</i> therein, how they dwelt
careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and
<i>there was</i> no magistrate in the land, that might put
<i>them</i> to shame in <i>any</i> thing; and they <i>were</i> far
from the Zidonians, and had no business with <i>any</i> man.  
8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their
brethren said unto them, What <i>say</i> ye?   9 And they
said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the
land, and, behold, it <i>is</i> very good: and <i>are</i> ye still?
be not slothful to go, <i>and</i> to enter to possess the land.
  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
<i>there is</i> no want of any thing that <i>is</i> in the earth.
  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.   12 And they went up, and pitched in
Kirjath-jearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place
Mahaneh-dan unto this day: behold, <i>it is</i> behind
Kirjath-jearim.   13 And they passed thence unto mount
Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p5">Here is, I. The observation which the spies
made upon the city of Laish, and the posture of its inhabitants,
<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.7" parsed="|Judg|18|7|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Never was
place so ill governed and so ill guarded, which would make it a
very easy prey to the invader.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p6">1. It was ill governed, for every man might
be as bad as he would, and there was no magistrate, no <i>heir of
restraint</i> (as the word is), that might so much as <i>put them
to shame in any thing,</i> much less <i>put them to death,</i> so
that by the most impudent immoralities they provoked God's wrath,
and by all manner of mutual mischiefs weakened and consumed one
another. See here, (1.) What the office of magistrates is. They are
to be <i>heirs of restraint,</i> that is, to preserve a constant
entail of power, as heirs to an inheritance, in the places where
they are, for the restraining of that which is evil. They are
<i>possessors of restraint,</i> entrusted with their authority for
this end, that they may check and suppress every thing that is
vicious and be <i>a terror to evil doers.</i> It is only God's
grace that can renew men's depraved minds and turn their hearts;
but the magistrate's power may restrain their bad practices and tie
their hands, so that the wickedness of the wicked may not be either
so injurious or so infectious as otherwise it would be. Though the
sword of justice cannot cut up the root of bitterness, it may cut
off its branches and hinder its growth and spreading, that vice may
not go without a check, for then it becomes daring and dangerous,
and the community shares in the guilt. (2.) See what method must be
used for the restraint of wickedness. Sinners must be put to shame,
that those who will not be restrained by the shamefulness of the
sin before God and their own consciences may be restrained by the
shamefulness of the punishment before men. All ways must be tried
to dash sin out of countenance and cover it with contempt, to make
people ashamed of their idleness, drunkenness, cheating, lying, and
other sins, by making reputation always appear on virtue's side.
(3.) See how miserable, and how near to ruin, those places are that
either have no magistrates or none that bear the sword to any
purpose; the wicked then <i>walk on every side,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.12.8" parsed="|Ps|12|8|0|0" passage="Ps 12:8">Ps. xii. 8</scripRef>. And how happy we are in
good laws and a good government.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p7">2. It was ill guarded. The people of Laish
were careless, quiet, and secure, their gates left open, their
walls out of repair, because under no apprehension of danger in any
way, though their wickedness was so great that they had reason to
fear divine vengeance every day. It was a sign that the Israelites,
through their sloth and cowardice, were not now such a terror to
the Canaanites as they were when they first came among them, else
the city of Laish, which probably knew itself to be assigned to
them, would not have been so very secure. Though they were an open
and inland town, they <i>lived secure, like the Zidonians</i> (who
were surrounded with the sea and were well fortified both by art
and nature), but were <i>far from the Zidonians,</i> who therefore
could not come in to their assistance, nor help to defend them from
the danger which, by debauching their manners, they had helped to
bring them into. And, <i>lastly,</i> they had <i>no business with
any man,</i> which bespeaks either the idleness they affected (they
followed no trade, and so grew lazy and luxurious, and utterly
unable to defend themselves) or the independency they affected:
they scorned to be either in subjection to or alliance with any of
their neighbours, and so they had none to protect them nor bring in
any aid to them. They cared for nobody and therefore nobody cared
for them. Such as these were the men of Laish.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p8">II. The encouragement which they
consequently gave to their countrymen that sent them to prosecute
their design upon this city, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.8-Judg.18.10" parsed="|Judg|18|8|18|10" passage="Jdg 18:8-10"><i>v.</i> 8-10</scripRef>. Probably the Danites had
formed notions of the insuperable difficulties of the enterprise,
thought it impossible ever to make themselves masters of Laish, and
therefore had kept themselves so long out of the possession of it,
perhaps suggesting likewise to one another, in their unbelief, that
it was not a country worth going so far and running such a risk
for, which jealousies the spies (and they were not, in this, evil
spies) had an eye to in their report. 1. They represent the place
as desirable: "If you will trust our judgments, <i>we have seen the
land,</i> and we are agreed in our verdict upon the view, that,
behold, <i>it is very good</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.9" parsed="|Judg|18|9|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), better than this mountainous
country into which we are here crowded by the Philistines. You need
not doubt of living comfortably in it, for it is a place <i>where
there is no want of any thing,</i>" <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.10" parsed="|Judg|18|10|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. See what a good land Canaan
was, that this city which lay furthest of all northward, in the
utmost corner of the country, stood on such a fruitful spot. 2.
They represent it as attainable. They do not at all question but,
with God's blessing, they may soon get possession of it; for <i>the
people are secure,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.10" parsed="|Judg|18|10|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. And the more secure always the less safe. "God
<i>has given it into your hands,</i> and you may have it for the
taking." They stir them up to the undertaking: "<i>Arise, that we
may go up against them,</i> let us go about it speedily and
resolutely." They expostulate with them for their delays, and chide
them out of their sluggishness: <i>Are you still? Be not slothful
to go.</i> Men need to be thus stirred up to mind even their
interest. Heaven is <i>a very good land, where there is no want of
any thing;</i> our God has, by the promise, <i>given it into our
hands;</i> let us not then be slothful in making it sure, and
<i>laying hold on eternal life,</i> but <i>strive to enter.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p9">III. The Danites' expedition against Laish.
This particular family of them, to whose lot that city fell, now at
length make towards it, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.11-Judg.18.13" parsed="|Judg|18|11|18|13" passage="Jdg 18:11-13"><i>v.</i>
11-13</scripRef>. The military men were but 600 in all, not a
hundredth part of that tribe, for when they entered Canaan the
Danites were above 64,000, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.43" parsed="|Num|26|43|0|0" passage="Nu 26:43">Num. xxvi.
43</scripRef>. It was strange that none of their brethren of their
own tribe, much less of any other, came in to their assistance; but
it was long after Israel came to Canaan before there appeared among
them any thing of a public spirit, or concern for a common
interest, which was the reason why they seldom united in a common
head, and this kept them low and inconsiderable. It appears (by
<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.21" parsed="|Judg|18|21|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>) that these
600 were the whole number that went to settle there, for they had
their families and effects with them, their <i>little ones and
cattle,</i> so confident were they of success. The other tribes
gave them a free passage through their country. Their first day's
march brought them to Kirjath-jearim (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.12" parsed="|Judg|18|12|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), and such rare things had
military encampments now become in Israel that the place where they
rested that night was thence called <i>Mahaneh-dan, the camp of
Dan,</i> and probably the place whence they began their march
between Zorah and Eshtaol was called by the same name, and is
meant, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.25" parsed="|Judg|13|25|0|0" passage="Jdg 13:25"><i>ch.</i> xiii.
25</scripRef>. The second day's march brought them to Mount
Ephraim, near Micah's house (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p9.6" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.13" parsed="|Judg|18|13|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), and there we must pause
awhile.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Jud.xix-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.14-Judg.18.26" parsed="|Judg|18|14|18|26" passage="Jud 18:14-26" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.18.14-Judg.18.26">
<h4 id="Jud.xix-p9.8">Micah's Gods Stolen; Micah's Attempt to
Recover His Idols. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xix-p9.9">b. c.</span> 1406.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xix-p10">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.   15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of
the young man the Levite, <i>even</i> unto the house of Micah, and
saluted him.   16 And the six hundred men appointed with their
weapons of war, which <i>were</i> of the children of Dan, stood by
the entering of the gate.   17 And the five men that went to
spy out the land went up, <i>and</i> came in thither, <i>and</i>
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 <i>that were</i> appointed with weapons of war.
  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?   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: <i>is it</i> 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?   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.   21 So they
turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the
carriage before them.   22 <i>And</i> when they were a good
way from the house of Micah, the men that <i>were</i> in the houses
near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the
children of <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.23" parsed="|Dan|23|0|0|0" passage="Dan. 23">Dan.   23</scripRef> 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?   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 <i>is</i> this
<i>that</i> ye say unto me, What aileth thee?   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.   26 And the children of Dan went
their way: and when Micah saw that they <i>were</i> too strong for
him, he turned and went back unto his house.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p11">The Danites had sent out their spies to
find out a country for them, and they sped well in their search;
but here, now that they came to the place (for till this brought it
to their mind it does not appear that they had mentioned it to
their brethren), they oblige them with a further discovery—they
can tell them where there are gods: "Here, <i>in these houses,</i>
there are an ephod, and teraphim, and a great many fine things for
devotion, such as we have not the like in our country; <i>now
therefore consider what you have to do,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.14" parsed="|Judg|18|14|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. We consulted them, and had a
good answer from them; they are worth having, nay, they are worth
stealing (that is, having upon the worst terms), and, if we can but
make ourselves masters of these gods, we may the better hope to
prosper, and make ourselves masters of Laish." So far they were in
the right, that it was desirable to have God's presence with them,
but wretchedly mistaken when they took these images (which were
fitter to be used in a puppet-play than in acts of devotion) for
tokens of God's presence. They thought an oracle would be pretty
company for them in their enterprise, and instead of a council of
war to consult upon every emergency; and, the place they were going
to settle in being so far from Shiloh, they thought they had more
need of a <i>house of gods</i> among themselves than Micah had that
lived so near to it. They might have made as good an ephod and
teraphim themselves as these were, and such as would have served
their purpose every whit as well; but the reputation which they
found them in possession of (though they had had that reputation
but a while) amused them into a strange veneration for this
<i>house of gods,</i> which they would soon have dropped if they
had had so much sense as to enquire into its origin, and examine
whether there were any thing divine in its institution. Being
determined to take these gods along with them, we are here told how
they stole the images, cajoled the priest, and frightened Micah
from attempting to rescue them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p12">I. The five men that knew the house and the
avenues to it, and particularly the chapel, went in and fetched out
the images, with the ephod, and teraphim, and all the
appurtenances, while the 600 kept the priest in talk at the gate,
<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.16-Judg.18.18" parsed="|Judg|18|16|18|18" passage="Jdg 18:16-18"><i>v.</i> 16-18</scripRef>. See
what little care this sorry priest took of his gods; while he was
sauntering at the gate, and gazing at the strangers, his treasure
(such as it was) was gone. See how impotent these sorry gods were,
that could not keep themselves from being stolen. It is mentioned
as the reproach of idols that they <i>themselves had gone into
captivity,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.46.2" parsed="|Isa|46|2|0|0" passage="Isa 46:2">Isa. xlvi.
2</scripRef>. O the sottishness of these Danites! How could they
imagine those gods should protect them that could not keep
themselves from being stolen? Yet because they went by the name of
gods, as if it were not enough that they had with them the presence
of the invisible God, nor that they stood in relation to the
tabernacle, where there were even visible tokens of his presence,
nothing will serve them but they must have <i>gods to go before
them,</i> not of their own making indeed, but, which was as bad, of
their own stealing. Their idolatry began in theft, a proper
prologue for such an opera. In order to the breaking of the second
commandment, they begin with the eighth, and take their neighbour's
goods to make them their gods. The holy God <i>hates robbery for
burnt-offerings,</i> but the devil loves it. Had these Danites
seized the images to deface and abolish them, and the priest to
punish him, they would have done like Israelites indeed, and would
have appeared jealous for their God as their fathers had done
(<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Josh.22.16" parsed="|Josh|22|16|0|0" passage="Jos 22:16">Josh. xxii. 16</scripRef>); but to
take them for their own use was such a complicated crime as showed
that they neither feared God nor regarded man, but were perfectly
lost both to godliness and honesty.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p13">II. They set upon the priest, and flattered
him into a good humour, not only to let the gods go, but to go
himself along with them; for without him they knew not well how to
make use of the gods. Observe, 1. How they tempted him, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.19" parsed="|Judg|18|19|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. They assured him of
better preferment with them than what he now had. It would be more
honour and profit to be chaplain to a regiment (for they were no
more, though they called themselves a <i>tribe</i>) than to be only
a domestic chaplain to a private gentleman. Let him go with them,
and he shall have more dependants on him, more sacrifices brought
to his altar, and more fees for consulting his teraphim, than he
had here. 2. How they won him. A little persuasion served: <i>His
heart was glad,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.20" parsed="|Judg|18|20|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>. The proposal took well enough with his rambling
fancy, which would never let him stay long at a place, and
gratified his covetousness and ambition. He had no reason to say
but that he was well off where he was; Micah had not <i>deceived
him, nor changed his wages.</i> He was not moved with any remorse
of conscience for attending on a graven image: had he gone away to
Shiloh to minister to the Lord's priests, according to the duty of
a Levite, he might have been welcome there (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.6" parsed="|Deut|18|6|0|0" passage="De 18:6">Deut. xviii. 6</scripRef>), and his removal would have
been commendable; but, instead of this, he takes the images with
him, and carries the infection of the idolatry into a whole city.
It would have been very unjust and ungrateful to Micah if he had
only gone away himself, but it was much more so to take the images
along with him, which he knew the heart of Micah was set upon. Yet
better could not be expected from a treacherous Levite. What house
can be sure of him who has forsaken the house of the Lord? Or what
friend will he be true to that has been false to his God? He could
not pretend that he was under compulsive force, for he was <i>glad
in his heart</i> to go. If ten shekels won him (as bishop Hall
expresses it), eleven would lose him; for what can hold those that
have made shipwreck of a good conscience? <i>The hireling flees
because he is a hireling.</i> The priest and his gods went in
<i>the midst of the people.</i> There they placed him, that they
might secure him either from going back himself, if his mind should
change, or from being fetched back by Micah; or perhaps this post
was assigned to him in imitation of the order of Israel's march
through the wilderness, in which the ark and the priests went in
the midst of their camp.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p14">III. They frightened Micah back when he
pursued them to recover his gods. As soon as ever he perceived that
his chapel was plundered, and his chaplain had run away from him,
he mustered all the forces he could and pursued the robbers,
<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.22" parsed="|Judg|18|22|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. His
neighbours, and perhaps tenants, that used to join with him in his
devotions, were forward to help him on this occasion; they got
together, and pursued the robbers, who, having their children and
cattle before them (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.21" parsed="|Judg|18|21|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>), could make no great haste, so that they soon
overtook them, hoping by strength of reason to recover what was
stolen, for the disproportion of their numbers was such that they
could not hope to do it by strength of arm. The pursuers called
after them, desiring to speak a word with them; those in the rear
(where it is probable they posted the fiercest and strongest of
their company, expecting there to be attacked) turned about and
asked Micah what ailed him that he was so much concerned, and what
he would have, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.23" parsed="|Judg|18|23|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. He argues with them, and pleads his right, which he
thought should prevail; but they, in answer, plead their might,
which, it proved, did prevail; for it is common that might
overcomes right.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p15">1. He insists upon the wrong they had
certainly done him (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.24" parsed="|Judg|18|24|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>): "<i>You have taken away my gods,</i> my images of
God, which I have an incontestable title to, for I made them
myself, and which I have such an affection for that I am undone if
I lose them; for what have I more that will do me any good if these
be lost?" Now, (1.) This discovers to us the folly of idolaters,
and the power that Satan has over them. What a folly was it for him
to call those his <i>gods</i> which he had made, when he only that
made us is to be worshipped by us as a God! Folly indeed to set his
heart upon such silly idle things, and to look upon himself as
undone when he had lost them! (2.) This may discover to us our
spiritual idolatry. That creature which we place our happiness in,
which we set our affections inordinately upon, and which we can by
no means find in our hearts to part with, of which we say, "What
have we more?" <i>that</i> we make an idol of. That is put in God's
place, and is a usurper, which we are concerned about as if our
life and comfort, our hope and happiness, and our all, were bound
up in it. But, (3.) If all people will thus walk in the name of
their god, shall we not be in like manner affected towards our God,
the true God? Let us reckon the having of an interest in God and
communion with him incomparably the richest portion, and the loss
of God the sorest loss. Woe unto us if he depart, for what have we
more? Deserted souls that are lamenting after the Lord may well
wonder, as Micah did, that you should ask what ails them; for the
tokens of God's favour are suspended, his comforts are withdrawn,
and what have they more?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p16">2. They insist upon the mischief they would
certainly do him if he prosecuted his demand. They would not hear
reason, nor do justice, nor so much as offer to pay him the prime
cost he had been at upon those images, nor promise to make
restitution of what they had taken when they had served their
present purpose with them in this expedition and had time to copy
them and make others like them for themselves: much less had they
any compassion for a loss he so bitterly lamented. They would not
so much as give him good words, but resolved to justify their
robbery with murder if he did not immediately let fall his claims,
<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.25" parsed="|Judg|18|25|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. "Take heed
<i>lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life,</i>
and that is worse than losing thy gods." Wicked and unreasonable
men reckon it a great provocation to be asked to do justice, and
support themselves by their power against right and reason. Micah's
crime is asking his own, yet, for this, he is in danger of losing
his life and the lives of his household. Micah has not courage
enough to venture his life for the rescue of his gods, so little
opinion has he of their being able to protect him and bear him out,
and therefore tamely gives them up (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.26" parsed="|Judg|18|26|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>): <i>He turned and went back to
his house;</i> and if the loss of his idols did but convince him
(as, one would think, it should) of their vanity and impotency, and
his own folly in setting his heart upon them, and send him back to
the true God from whom he had revolted, he that lost them had a
much better bargain than those that by force of arms carried them
off. If the loss of our idols cure us of the love of them, and make
us say, <i>What have we to do any more with idols?</i> the loss
will be unspeakable gain. See <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p16.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.2.20 Bible:Isa.30.22" parsed="|Isa|2|20|0|0;|Isa|30|22|0|0" passage="Isa 2:20,30:22">Isa. ii. 20; xxx. 22</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Jud.xix-p0.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.27-Judg.18.31" parsed="|Judg|18|27|18|31" passage="Jud 18:27-31" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.18.27-Judg.18.31">
<h4 id="Jud.xix-p16.5">The Conquest of Laish. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xix-p16.6">b. c.</span> 1406.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xix-p17">27 And they took <i>the things</i> which Micah
had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a
people <i>that were</i> at quiet and secure: and they smote them
with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.   28
And <i>there was</i> no deliverer, because it <i>was</i> far from
Zidon, and they had no business with <i>any</i> man; and it was in
the valley that <i>lieth</i> by Beth-rehob. And they built a city,
and dwelt therein.   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 <i>was</i> Laish at the first.  
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.   31 And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he
made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p18">Here is, I. Laish conquered by the Danites.
They proceeded on their march, and, because they met with no
disaster, perhaps concluded they had not done amiss in robbing
Micah. Many justify themselves in their impiety by their
prosperity. Observe, 1. What posture they found the people of Laish
in, both those of the city and those of the country about. They
were quiet and secure, not jealous of the five spies that had been
among them to search out the land, nor had they any intelligence of
the approach of this enemy, which made them a very easy prey to
this little handful of men that came upon them, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.27" parsed="|Judg|18|27|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Note, Many are brought to
destruction by their security. Satan gets advantage against us when
we are careless and off our watch. Happy therefore is the man that
feareth always. 2. What a complete victory they obtained over them:
They <i>put all the people to the sword,</i> and burnt down so much
of the city as they thought fit to rebuild (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p18.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.27-Judg.18.28" parsed="|Judg|18|27|18|28" passage="Jdg 18:27,28"><i>v.</i> 27, 28</scripRef>), and, for aught that
appears, herein they met with no resistance; for the measure of the
iniquity of the Canaanites was full, that of the Danites was but
beginning to fill. 3. How the conquerors settled themselves in
their room, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p18.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.28-Judg.18.29" parsed="|Judg|18|28|18|29" passage="Jdg 18:28,29"><i>v.</i> 28,
29</scripRef>. They built the city, or much of it, anew (the old
buildings having gone to decay), and <i>called the name of it
Dan,</i> to be a witness for them that, though separated so far off
from their brethren, they were nevertheless Danites by birth, which
might hereafter, by reason of their distance, be called in
question. We should feel concerned not to lose the privilege of our
relation to God's Israel, and therefore should take all occasions
to own it and preserve the remembrance of it to ours after us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xix-p19">II. Idolatry immediately set up there. God
had graciously performed his promise, in putting them in possession
of that which fell to their lot, obliging them thereby to be
faithful to him who had been so to them. They <i>inherited the
labour of the people, that they might observe his statues,</i>
<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p19.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.44-Ps.105.45" parsed="|Ps|105|44|105|45" passage="Ps 105:44,45">Ps. cv. 44, 45</scripRef>. But the
first thing they do after they are settled is to break his statues.
As soon as they began to settle themselves they <i>set up the
graven image</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xix-p19.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.30" parsed="|Judg|18|30|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>), perversely attributing their success to that idol
which, if God had not been infinitely patient, would have been
their ruin. Thus a prosperous idolater goes on to offend,
<i>imputing this his power unto his god,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p19.3" osisRef="Bible:Hab.1.11" parsed="|Hab|1|11|0|0" passage="Hab 1:11">Hab. i. 11</scripRef>. Their Levite, who officiated as
priest, is at length <i>named</i> here—<i>Jonathan, the son of
Gershom, the son of Manasseh.</i> The word <i>Manasseh,</i> in the
original, has the letter <i>n,</i> set over the head, which, some
of the Jewish rabbin say, is an intimation that it should be left
out, and then <i>Manasseh</i> will be <i>Moses,</i> and this
Levite, they say, was grandson to the famous Moses, who indeed had
a son named Gershom; but, say they, the historian, in honour of
Moses, by a half interposition of that letter, turned the name into
Manasseh. The vulgar Latin reads it <i>Moses.</i> And if indeed
Moses had a grandson that was rakish, and was picked up as a fit
tool to be made use of in the setting up of idolatry, it is not the
only instance (would to God it were!) of the unhappy degenerating
of the posterity of great and good men. Children's children are not
always the crown of old men. But the learned bishop Patrick takes
this to be an idle conceit of the rabbin, and supposes this
Jonathan to be of some other family of the Levites. How long these
corruptions continued we are told in the close. 1. That the
posterity of this Jonathan continued to act as priests to this
family of Dan that was seated at Laish, and in the country about,
till the captivity, <scripRef id="Jud.xix-p19.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.30" parsed="|Judg|18|30|0|0" passage="Jdg 18:30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>. After Micah's image was removed this family retained
the character of priests, and had respect paid them as such by that
city, and it is very probable that Jeroboam had an eye to them when
he set up one of his calves there (which they could welcome at Can,
and put some reputation upon, when the priests of the Lord would
have nothing to do with them), and that this family officiated as
some of his priests. 2. That these images continued till Samuel's
time, for so long <i>the ark of God was at Shiloh;</i> and it is
probable that in him time effectual care was taken to suppress and
abolish this idolatry. See how dangerous it is to admit an
infection, for spiritual distempers are not so soon cured as
caught.</p>
</div></div2>