King James Version

What Does Judges 18:7 Mean?

“Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man. magistrate: Heb. possessor, or, heir of restraint”

Context

And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.

Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man. magistrate: Heb. possessor, or, heir of restraint

And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?

And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(7) **Laish.**—It is called *Leshem *in Joshua 19:47, and is now called *Tel el-Kadi, *“the mound of *the judge,” *possibly (though not probably) with some reference to the name of Dan (Genesis 49:16). It is four miles from Paneas and Cæsarea Philippi, and was the northernmost city of Palestine (Judges 20:1). As such, its name recurs in Isaiah 10:30, if our version is there correct. It is sometimes called *el-Leddan, *because it is at the source of the Leddan, the chief stream of the Jordan. The position of the town, on a round hill girt with trees, is very striking, and fully bears out the description of this chapter (Robinson, *Bible Res. *3:392). The *name “*Dan” in Genesis 14:14 may have been altered from Laish at a later date (Ewald, *Gesch. *1:73). **After the manner of the Zidonians**—*i.e.,* *in luxurious commercial ease. *There can be little doubt that they were a colony from Zidon. **Quiet and secure . . . There are three peculiarities in this clause:**—(1) Although the word for “people” (*am*) is masculine, yet the word for “dwelling” (*yoshebeth*) is feminine, perhaps because the writer had the word “city” in his mind, just as αὺτὴν is feminine in Acts 27:14, though the word for “ship” has been neuter, because the writer has *ναῦς* in his mind. (2) The word for “careless” and the word for “secure” are from the same root, and are tautological. (3) The clause “no magistrate,” &c., is curiously expressed. It is difficult not to suppose that the text is in some way corrupt. **There was no magistrate . . . **This difficult clause seems to mean, “no one possessing wealth” (LXX., “heir of treasure”) “among them doing harm in the land in any matter.” The various versions differ widely from each other, and the text is almost certainly corrupt. **They were far from the Zidonians.**—As Josephus says, the town is a day’s journey distant from Zidon. **No business with any man.**—The reading of some MSS. of the LXX., “They had no business with Syria,” rises from reading *Aram *for *Adam.*

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Judges 18:7 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.