King James Version

What Does Judges 18:9 Mean?

Judges 18:9 in the King James Version says “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 y...” — study this verse from Judges chapter 18 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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.”

Judges 18:9 · KJV

Context

7

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

8

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

9

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.

10

When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.

11

And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war. appointed: Heb. girded

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
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. The spies' exhortation mimics faithful language from conquest narratives—"arise" (qumah, קוּמָה), "go up" (na'aleh, נַעֲלֶה), "the land...is very good" (ha'arets...tovah me'od, הָאָרֶץ...טוֹבָה מְאֹד). The phrase "very good" echoes God's assessment of creation (Genesis 1:31) and Caleb's description of Canaan (Numbers 14:7), giving their proposal spiritual veneer. Yet unlike Caleb's faith-filled report about God's promised land, this describes territory God never assigned to Dan.

The rebuke "are ye still?" (attem mithmahmehim, אַתֶּם מִתְמַהְמְהִים) means "are you hesitating?" or "delaying?" The command "be not slothful" (al te'atselu, אַל־תֵּעָצְלוּ) uses atsel (עָצֵל, "lazy/sluggish"), language Proverbs applies to the fool who refuses work (Proverbs 6:6-11, 24:30-34). The irony is profound: the truly slothful course was abandoning their assigned territory to seek easier conquest elsewhere. True diligence would have been persevering to possess what God had given them. From a Reformed perspective, this illustrates how sin deceives—calling faithfulness "slothful" and disobedience "zealous."

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Historical & Cultural Context

The spies' rhetoric was persuasive precisely because it employed familiar language from Israel's conquest tradition. By framing their proposal in terms recalling Joshua's faithful leadership, they made abandonment of God's assignment seem like obedient faith. This illustrates how false teaching often succeeds by appropriating biblical language while contradicting biblical truth—a pattern warned against throughout Scripture (2 Corinthians 11:13-15, 2 Peter 2:1-3). The tribe, already predisposed toward the easier path, readily accepted this religiously packaged disobedience.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does sin deceive us by using spiritual language to justify unspiritual choices?
  2. What safeguards help us distinguish between genuine zeal for God's purposes and worldly ambition dressed in religious vocabulary?
  3. In what areas might you be calling God's difficult assignment 'impossible' while calling your preferred easier path 'faithful'?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 20 words
וַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ1 of 20

“And they said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

ק֚וּמָה2 of 20

“Arise”

H6965

to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

וְנַֽעֲלֶ֣ה3 of 20

“that we may go up”

H5927

to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם4 of 20
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

כִּ֤י5 of 20
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

רָאִ֙ינוּ֙6 of 20

“against them for we have seen”

H7200

to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)

אֶת7 of 20
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

הָאָֽרֶץ׃8 of 20

“the land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

וְהִנֵּ֥ה9 of 20
H2009

lo!

טוֹבָ֖ה10 of 20

“good”

H2896

good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good

מְאֹ֑ד11 of 20

“and behold it is very”

H3966

properly, vehemence, i.e., (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or

וְאַתֶּ֣ם12 of 20
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

מַחְשִׁ֔ים13 of 20

“and are ye still”

H2814

to hush or keep quiet

אַל14 of 20
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

תֵּעָ֣צְל֔וּ15 of 20

“be not slothful”

H6101

to lean idly, i.e., to be indolent or slack

לָלֶ֥כֶת16 of 20
H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

לָבֹ֖א17 of 20

“and to enter”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

לָרֶ֥שֶׁת18 of 20

“to possess”

H3423

to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish

אֶת19 of 20
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

הָאָֽרֶץ׃20 of 20

“the land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

Study Guide

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 18:9 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Judges 18:9 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Numbers 13:30Joshua 2:23-24Joshua 18:31 Kings 22:231 Kings 22:31 Samuel 4:9

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