Judges 18:21

21 And when they went forth, and had made their little children, and their work beasts, and all thing that was precious, to go before them; (And so they all went forth, and made their little children, and their work beasts, and all the things that were precious to them, to go before them;)

Judges 18:21 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 18:21

So they turned and departed
Turned from the gate of the city where Micah dwelt, and marched forward to Laish:

and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the carriage, before them;
partly for safety from Micah, and his friends and neighbours, and partly that they might not be overdriven: their wives, who doubtless were with them, though not mentioned, and their children, and also their flocks and herds, they brought with them from Zorah and Eshtaol, as never intending to return again thither, and being fully assured they should take Laish, and the country about, and settle there; and also all their wealth and substance, as the Targum renders the word for "carriage", whatever they were possessed of that was movable; their vessels, silver and gold, and other movables, as Kimchi interprets it, whatever was weighty, valuable and glorious, as the word signifies, or that was of any importance and worth.

Judges 18:21 In-Context

19 To whom they answered, Be thou still, and put thy finger on thy mouth, and come with us, that we have thee (for a) father and (a) priest. What is better to thee, that thou be priest in the house of one man, either (a priest) in a lineage and (a) family of Israel? (What is better for thee, that thou be a priest in the house of one man, or a priest in a tribe and a family of Israel?)

20 And when he had heard this, he assented to their words, and he took the ephod, and idols, and the graven image, and went forth with them. (And when he had heard this, he agreed with what they said, and he himself took hold of the ephod, and the carved idol, and the teraphim, and the cast image, and went away with them.)

21 And when they went forth, and had made their little children, and their work beasts, and all thing that was precious, to go before them; (And so they all went forth, and made their little children, and their work beasts, and all the things that were precious to them, to go before them;)

22 and when they were now far from the house of Micah, [the] men that dwelled in the houses of Micah cried together, and followed (after them), (and when they had gone some distance from Micah's house, Micah gathered together the men who lived in the houses nearby; and they followed after the Danites,)

23 and began to cry after the back(s) (of them). Which when they had beheld, [they] said to Micah, What wilt thou to thee? why criest thou? (and shouted at them behind their backs. And when the Danites had seen them, they said to Micah, What is the matter with thee? why shoutest thou at us?)