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Judges Chapter Eighteen（ESV）

18 And when these went into Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19 And they said to him, “Keep quiet; put your hand on your mouth and come with us and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?” 20 And the priest’s heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.

21 So they turned and departed, putting the little ones and the livestock and the goods in front of them. 22 When they had gone a distance from the home of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house were called out, and they overtook the people of Dan. 23 And they shouted to the people of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you come with such a company?” 24 And he said, “You take my gods that I made and the priest, and go away, and what have I left? How then do you ask me, ‘What is the matter with you?’” 25 And the people of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and you lose your life with the lives of your household.” 26 Then the people of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home.

27 But the people of Dan took what Micah had made, and the priest who belonged to him, and they came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, and struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.

 

REFLECTION

1. The ridiculous behavior seen in ch 17 continues here. Although the Danites appear to have divine sanction for their quest (v6), the blessing comes from a bogus priest, who later reveals his true character by abandoning Micah when he receives a better offer (vv18-20).  The Danites proceed to steal Micah’s idol, using it to perpetuate the idolatrous worship that Micah had started.  They installed the descendants of Moses to preside over the worship of an idolatrous shrine (vv30-31)
2. Furthermore, the utterly repulsive behavior of the Danites includes the slaughter of the people of Laish, who are identified as “quiet” (vv7, 27). It is another powerful lesson in the tragically destructive consequences of idolatry and disobedience.

 

PRAYER

(With a prayerful heart, listen to what God speaks to me and all those belong to Him)

Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—if you would only listen to me, Israel!  But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.  If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! (Ps 81:8, 11-14)