Judges 17-18

The Migration of the Danites, courtesy of the Thomas Nelson KJV Study Bible.

CHAPTER 17:
           Because the people and events described in the book of Judges have thus far been in chronological order, we can presume that these accounts in the final five chapters occur sometime after Samson’s death. The people and their actions described in these closing chapters are meant to show the deplorable state of Israel at this time. They had strayed so far from God that “…every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (v.6) As a result, there was much chaos – both moral and civil. The first example of this is Micah, his mother, a Levite priest, and the tribe of Dan. (Chapters 17-18)
 
           Verses 1-6: Micah, an Ephraimite (v.1), steals eleven hundred shekels of silver from his mother, but then confesses his crime to her and returns the money. (v.2) His mother graciously forgives him, even calling forth a blessing of the LORD upon Micah for his confession and repentance! If we were to stop reading there, we would mistakenly think that these two were the exception to the rule of the national apostasy and immorality that has characterized all of this book thus far.
          But, sadly, we are immediately disabused of that notion in verses 3-4. Micah’s mother uses some of the silver to hire a founder to carve two idols which Micah then sets up in his house! (v.5) As if that isn’t bad enough, he chooses one of his sons to serve as a priest, even going so far as to craft an ephod for him to wear. Either Micah has no true understanding of the Levitical priesthood and the law of Moses, or he deliberately chooses to do as he pleases. The reality is probably a combination of both, as summed up by the author in the familiar refrain of verse 6.
 
            Verses 7-13: Because the nation is not following God’s law, and thus not providing for the Levitical priests as the law required, the priests are forced to find their own means of support. Each tribe was supposed to designate a share of their land for the priests to inhabit, and every Israelite was supposed to tithe of their first fruits which was then used to support the priests as they served daily in the temple at Shiloh. What we see here in the story of the Levite of Bethlehem of Judah is the consequences of Israel not obeying the law of Moses. Since every man is doing whatever he wants, no one is worshiping God by bringing their sacrifices to the temple, and therefore the priests are left to fend for themselves. The Levite described here is searching for a place to live and a means to support himself. (v.8) His journey takes him to mount Ephraim where he happens upon Micah who, when he learns of the Levite’s origins, asks the priest to stay in his house and be his own personal priest! (v.9-10) Micah offers to pay the Levite ten shekels a year in addition to housing, clothing, and daily meals. The Levite readily agrees to this, and he is treated as if he were one of Micah’s sons. (v.11)
            Micah proceeds to consecrate the Levite, believing that God will bless him and all his house just because he now has a Levitical priest living with him! (v.12-13) Everything about this situation is upside down and backwards, utterly contrary to what was set down by the Lord in the Mosaic Law! Micah is, in essence, treating the Levitical priesthood as nothing more than a good luck charm. Again, whether out of sheer ignorance of God’s law or blatant disobedience, it’s hard to tell. Either way, this account is a sobering commentary on the deplorable state of affairs in Israel during this period.

CHAPTER 18:
         Verses 1-6: Now the narrative shifts to the tribe of Dan. As you’ll recall from Joshua 19:40-41, Dan’s tribal allotment was a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the huge territories of Manasseh to the north and Judah to the south. (See my commentary on Joshua 13 and the map there.) But it’s clear from verse 1 of this chapter in Judges that the Danites had failed to eradicate their enemies from their assigned territory! God had given the promised land to His chosen people, but it was up to them to conquer and possess it. As noted in Judges 1:34-35, the Danites failed to drive out the Amorites from their allotted territory. Now, rather than seek out the Lord for His help, the Danites choose instead to seek out other territory where they might settle. This sets the stage for their encounter with Micah and his priest.
            Five men from Dan are chosen to scout out land in the north, and while on their way they happen upon the Levite priest. (v.2-3) Upon questioning him, the scouts learn of how he came to reside in the house of Micah, and they ask the priest to ask of God whether their mission will be a success. (v.5) The fact that the priest tells them that the Danites are within God’s will by seeking out other land besides that which was already allotted to them is revealing. (v.6) It’s further proof that no one in Israel is actively seeking God or even attempting to obey His commandments during this time period. This Levite is only telling these men what they want to hear.
 
            Verses 7-10: The five scouts depart Micah’s house and eventually arrive in Laish, a lush and beautiful region in the far north on the eastern side of the Jordan river. (v.7) Joshua 19:47 summarizes what happens here in Judges 18. In Joshua the name is Leshem which, according to Strong’s concordance, is another name for Laish. (Refer to the map pictured at the top of this post.) What the scouts discover here is a people living in quiet safety and security, far from the strife and ongoing conflict with the Canaanites that characterize daily life for the Danites. They report back to their elders in Zorah and Eshtaol that Laish is ripe for the conquering and will give the tribe much needed rest from their enemies as well as a fertile land that is ideal for growing crops and breeding livestock.

            Verses 11-21: The Danites choose six hundred of their best soldiers to conquer Laish and drive out the inhabitants there. Either their entire army is not very large to begin with, or the number of Canaanites dwelling in Laish is quite small. Whatever the case, these six hundred represent the best of the Danite army, and they set up camp in Kirjath-jearim, which isn’t far from Micah’s house at mount Ephraim. (v.12-13) The five scouts now reveal to the rest of the soldiers what they found at Micah’s house. (v.14) Accompanied by all six hundred men, the scouts return to Micah’s house with the intent of kidnapping the priest and seizing the ephod and idols that Micah had set up for worship in his home. (v.15-17)
            When the priest confronts the five men, they offer him a choice: stay and continue serving Micah, or come with them to serve as a priest for the whole tribe in their new home in Laish. The priest opts for the latter, and the whole company departs Micah’s house. (v.20-21) The priest is clearly acting out of his own selfish interests here. The Danites will give him more money and, probably, his own land in their new home. This whole conversation is described as nothing more than a standard business deal, again clearly showing how God is utterly ignored and excluded from daily life in Israel. The priesthood that was once considered sacred and revered by all Israelites is now treated as a common, ordinary profession that can be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
 
            Verses 22-26: Micah’s neighbors, upon witnessing the whole encounter between the Danites and the priest, summon Micah and catch up to the Danite army. When they confront them, the soldiers respond, “What’s the problem? Why are you upset?” (v.23) Micah, surprised by the question, responds with incredulity. “You’re robbing me of my idols and my personal priest, and you dare ask me why I’m upset??” (v.24) The Danites  then threaten Micah, saying essentially, “If you know what’s good for you you’ll turn around and go home lest we kill you and all your family.” (v.25) Micah reluctantly obeys, seeing he is vastly outnumbered. (v.26)
 
            Verses 27-31: The six hundred Danite soldiers succeed in wiping out the Zidonians in Laish. (v.27) Because the Zidonians are far from their own people and isolated in this small valley, they have no one to come save them. (v.28) They did not develop any alliances with the neighboring peoples, and their army is very likely outnumbered by the Danite force. The Danites proceed to resettle their tribe in Laish, building a new city upon the smoldering ruins of the old one. They name it Dan (v.29), and they set up a grove wherein they can worship the idols made by Micah. It’s unclear from verse 30 whether Jonathan is the name of the priest that was with Micah, or if this is a different man. Regardless, what is clear from this verse is that the Danites establish their own line of hereditary priesthood, started by Jonathan, who is of the tribe Manasseh. He’s not a Levite and thus not a legitimate priest according to the law of Moses, a point which the author emphasizes in verse 31: “…all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.”
          Yet, as with Samson, the hand of the LORD is clearly seen in the actions of the Danites at Laish. The Zidonians are Canaanites, and God had already judged and condemned all the heathen nations of Canaan, including this small group living quietly and peaceably in the mountains of the far north. Thus, the Danites still served God's purpose and plan, even though their actions were motivated entirely by their sinful flesh.

        This whole episode serves up an example of what happens when the Israelites completely ignore God and his law. Selfishness, greed, jealousy, and pride are all at the forefront here, and it’s nothing but chaos. Every man is for himself, and no one is bothering to consult the LORD or even attempting to obey Him. As a result, the corruption of sin can be seen in all aspects of daily life in Israel, but this episode is not even the worst. The next three chapters that close the book of Judges show just how far God’s chosen people have fallen from God’s grace, protection, provision, and mercy.