Focused Passage

Judges 18:27-29

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

27After they had taken Micah’s idols and his priest, they went to Laish, to a quiet and unsuspecting people, and they struck them with their swords and burned down the city.

28There was no one to deliver them, because the city was far from Sidon and had no alliance with anyone; it was in a valley near Beth-rehob. And the Danites rebuilt the city and lived there.

29They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 27

Original words

After theyוְהֵ֨מָּהH1992Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine pluralhad takenלָקְח֜וּH3947Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralMicah’sמִיכָ֗הH4318Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֵ֧תH853Direct object marker[idols]אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative-וְֽאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-עָשָׂ֣הH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularand his priestהַכֹּהֵן֮H3548Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relative-הָיָה־H1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .לוֹ֒Preposition | third person masculine singularthey wentוַיָּבֹ֣אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltoעַל־H5921PrepositionLaishלַ֗יִשׁH3919Noun - proper - feminine singulartoעַל־H5921Prepositiona quietשֹׁקֵ֣טH8252Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularand unsuspectingוּבֹטֵ֔חַH982Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularpeopleעַם֙H5971Noun - masculine singularand they struckוַיַּכּ֥וּH5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthemאוֹתָ֖םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine plural. . .לְפִי־H6310Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructwith their swordsחָ֑רֶבH2719Noun - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand burned downשָׂרְפ֥וּH8313Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural. . .בָאֵֽשׁ׃H784Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularthe cityהָעִ֖ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 28

Original words

There was no oneוְאֵ֨יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverbto deliver themמַצִּ֜ילH5337Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularbecauseכִּ֧יH3588Conjunction[the city was ]הִ֣יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularfarרְֽחוֹקָה־H7350Adjective - feminine singularfrom Sidonמִצִּיד֗וֹןH6721Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singularand had noאֵין־H369Adverb. . .לָהֶם֙Preposition | third person masculine pluralallianceוְדָבָ֤רH1697Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularwithעִם־H5973Prepositionanyoneאָדָ֔םH120Noun - masculine singularitוְהִ֕יאH1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person feminine singularwas in a valleyבָּעֵ֖מֶקH6010Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularnearאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativevvvלְבֵית־H1050PrepositionBeth-rehobרְח֑וֹבH1050Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singularAnd the Danites rebuiltוַיִּבְנ֥וּH1129Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe cityהָעִ֖ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularand livedוַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthereבָֽהּ׃Preposition | third person feminine singular
Verse 29

Original words

They namedוַיִּקְרְא֤וּH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .שֵׁם־H8034Noun - masculine singular construct[it]הָעִיר֙H5892Article | Noun - feminine singularDanדָּ֔ןH1835Noun - proper - masculine singularafterבְּשֵׁם֙H8034Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructtheir forefatherאֲבִיהֶ֔םH1Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralDanדָּ֣ןH1835Noun - proper - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativewas bornיוּלַּ֖דH3205Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person masculine singularto Israelלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularthoughוְאוּלָ֛םH199Conjunctionthe cityהָעִ֖ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularwas formerlyלָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃H7223Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - feminine singularnamedשֵׁם־H8034Noun - masculine singular constructLaishלַ֥יִשׁH3919Noun - proper - 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.