Judges 18

PLUS

Judges 18:27-29 . THEY WIN LAISH.

27. they . . . came unto Laish . . . smote them--the inhabitants.
and burnt the city--"We are revolted by this inroad and massacre of a quiet and secure people. Nevertheless, if the original grant of Canaan to the Israelites gave them the warrant of a divine commission and command for this enterprise, that sanctifies all and legalizes all" [CHALMERS]. This place seems to have been a dependency of Zidon, the distance of which, however, rendered it impossible to obtain aid thence in the sudden emergency.

28, 29. they built a city, and . . . call the name of that city Dan--It was in the northern extremity of the land, and hence the origin of the phrase, "from Dan to Beer-sheba."

Judges 18:30 Judges 18:31 . THEY SET UP IDOLATRY.

30, 31. the children of Dan set up the graven image--Their distance secluded them from the rest of the Israelites, and doubtless this, which was their apology for not going to Shiloh, was the cause of perpetuating idolatry among them for many generations.