Focused Passage

Judges 18:1-6

Dan's Migration: Stolen Gods and a Tribal Shrine

Judges 18 turns Micah's private shrine into Dan's tribal cult, showing that when Israel lacks righteous covenant rule, even the search for inheritance can become theft, intimidation, idolatry, and unauthorized worship.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of the Danites was looking for territory to occupy. For up to that time they had not come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

2So the Danites sent out five men from their clans, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. “Go and explore the land,” they told them. The men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night.

3And while they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”

4“Micah has done this and that for me,” he replied, “and he has hired me to be his priest.”

5Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to determine whether we will have a successful journey.”

6And the priest told them, “Go in peace. The LORD is watching over your journey.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

In thoseהָהֵ֔םH1992Article | Pronoun - third person masculine pluraldaysבַּיָּמִ֣יםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralthere was noאֵ֥יןH369Adverbkingמֶ֖לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular[and]וּבַיָּמִ֣יםH3117Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural. . .הָהֵ֗םH1992Article | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralthe tribeשֵׁ֣בֶטH7626Noun - masculine singular constructof the Danitesהַדָּנִ֞יH1839Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularwas looking forמְבַקֶּשׁ־H1245Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular-ל֤וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularterritoryנַֽחֲלָה֙H5159Noun - feminine singularto occupyלָשֶׁ֔בֶתH3427Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructForכִּי֩H3588Conjunctionup toעַד־H5704Prepositionthatהַה֛וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulartimeהַיּ֥וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularthey had notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlecome intoנָ֨פְלָהH5307Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular-לּ֜וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularan inheritanceבְּנַחֲלָֽה׃סH5159Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singularamongבְּתוֹךְ־H8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructthe tribesשִׁבְטֵ֥יH7626Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

So the Danitesבְנֵי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .דָ֣ן׀H1835Noun - proper - masculine singularsent outוַיִּשְׁלְח֣וּH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralfiveחֲמִשָּׁ֣הH2568Number - masculine singularmenאֲנָשִׁ֣יםH582Noun - masculine pluralfrom their clansמִֽמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּ֡םH4940Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural. . .מִקְצוֹתָם֩H7098Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluralmenאֲנָשִׁ֨יםH582Noun - masculine pluralofבְּנֵי־H1121Noun - masculine plural constructvalorחַ֜יִלH2428Noun - masculine singularfrom Zorahמִצָּרְעָ֣הH6881Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singularand Eshtaolוּמֵֽאֶשְׁתָּאֹ֗לH847Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singularto spy outלְרַגֵּ֤לH7270Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe landהָאָ֙רֶץ֙H776Article | Noun - feminine singularand explore itוּלְחָקְרָ֔הּH2713Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singularGoלְכ֖וּH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluraland exploreחִקְר֣וּH2713Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe landהָאָ֑רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularthey told themוַיֹּאמְר֣וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .אֲלֵהֶ֔םH413Preposition | third person masculine plural[The men] enteredוַיָּבֹ֤אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe hill countryהַר־H2022Noun - masculine singular constructof Ephraimאֶפְרַ֙יִם֙H669Noun - proper - masculine singularand came toעַד־H5704Prepositionthe houseבֵּ֣יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructof Micahמִיכָ֔הH4318Noun - proper - masculine singularwhere they spent the nightוַיָּלִ֖ינוּH3885Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .שָֽׁם׃H8033Adverb
Verse 3

Original words

And while theyהֵ֚מָּהH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralwere nearעִם־H5973PrepositionMicah’sמִיכָ֔הH4318Noun - proper - masculine singularhouseבֵּ֣יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructtheyוְהֵ֣מָּהH1992Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralrecognizedהִכִּ֔ירוּH5234Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe voiceק֥וֹלH6963Noun - masculine singular constructof the youngהַנַּ֖עַרH5288Article | Noun - masculine singularLeviteהַלֵּוִ֑יH3881Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularso they went overוַיָּס֣וּרוּH5493Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-שָׁ֗םH8033Adverband askedוַיֹּ֤אמְרוּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralhimלוֹ֙Preposition | third person masculine singularWhoמִֽי־H4310Interrogativebroughtהֱבִיאֲךָ֣H935Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularyou hereהֲלֹ֔םH1988AdverbWhatוּמָֽה־H4100Conjunctive waw | Interrogativeare youאַתָּ֥הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singulardoingעֹשֶׂ֛הH6213Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularin this [place]בָּזֶ֖הH2088Preposition-b | Pronoun - masculine singularWhyוּמַה־H4100Conjunctive waw | Interrogativeare youלְּךָ֥Preposition | second person masculine singularhereפֹֽה׃H6311Adverb
Verse 4

Original words

Micahמִיכָ֑הH4318Noun - proper - masculine singularhas doneעָ֥שָׂהH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthisכָּזֹ֣הH2090Preposition-k | Pronoun - feminine singularand thatוְכָזֶ֔הH2088Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Pronoun - masculine singularfor meלִ֖יPreposition | first person common singularhe repliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֲלֵהֶ֔םH413Preposition | third person masculine pluraland he has hired meוַיִּשְׂכְּרֵ֕נִיH7936Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularto beוָאֱהִי־H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularhisל֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularpriestלְכֹהֵֽן׃H3548Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

Then they saidוַיֹּ֥אמְרוּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto himל֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularPleaseנָ֣אH4994Interjectioninquireשְׁאַל־H7592Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularof Godבֵאלֹהִ֑יםH430Preposition-b | Noun - masculine pluralto determineוְנֵ֣דְעָ֔הH3045Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralwhether weאֲנַ֖חְנוּH587Pronoun - first person common plural. . .הֹלְכִ֥יםH1980Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural. . .עָלֶֽיהָ׃H5921Preposition | third person feminine singularwill have a successfulהֲתַצְלִ֣יחַH6743Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singularjourneyדַּרְכֵּ֔נוּH1870Noun - common singular construct | first person common plural-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relative
Verse 6

Original words

And the priestהַכֹּהֵ֖ןH3548Article | Noun - masculine singulartoldוַיֹּ֧אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthemלָהֶ֛םPreposition | third person masculine pluralGoלְכ֣וּH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralin peaceלְשָׁל֑וֹםH7965Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularThe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularis watching overנֹ֣כַחH5227Prepositionyour journeyדַּרְכְּכֶ֖םH1870Noun - common singular construct | second person masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relative-תֵּֽלְכוּ־H1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural. . .בָֽהּ׃פPreposition | third person feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.