Judges 18:1

1 In those days there was no king in Israel. But also in those days, the tribe of Dan was looking for a place to settle down. They hadn't yet occupied their plot among the tribes of Israel.

Judges 18:1 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 18:1

In those days there was no king in Israel
No supreme magistrate, no judge, for it was before the time of the judges, after the death of Joshua and before Othniel the first judge; this is observed before, ( Judges 17:6 ) and here repeated to account for the evil things done by the Danites, their consulting Micah's oracle, taking away his priest and his gods, and setting up his graven image in Dan, by which means idolatry was spread in Israel, and brought on their servitude to Chushanrishathaim, from which Othniel the first judge was their deliverer:

and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance
to dwell in;
that is, a family of them, as in the next verse, not the whole tribe; for as a family is sometimes put for a tribe, ( Joshua 7:17 ) so a tribe for a family, ( Judges 20:12 )

for unto that day [all their] inheritance had not fallen to them among
the tribes of Israel:
we rightly supply the words "all their"; for otherwise an inheritance had fallen to them by lot, as the other tribes. ( Joshua 19:40 ) , but that was not only too little for them, ( Joshua 19:47 ) but all that was allotted to them did not come into their possession, but a part remained unsubdued; and some they had possession of they could not keep, either through the superior strength of the Amorites, or their own sloth and cowardice, or for want of the help of their brethren; see ( Judges 1:34 Judges 1:35 ) .

Judges 18:1 In-Context

1 In those days there was no king in Israel. But also in those days, the tribe of Dan was looking for a place to settle down. They hadn't yet occupied their plot among the tribes of Israel.

2 The Danites sent out five robust warriors from Zorah and Eshtaol to look over the land and see what was out there suitable for their families. They said, "Go and explore the land."

3 As they neared Micah's house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They went over and said to him, "How on earth did you get here? What's going on? What are you doing here?"

4 He said, "One thing led to another: Micah hired me and I'm now his priest."

5 They said, "Oh, good - inquire of God for us. Find out whether our mission will be a success."