Judges 18 1

Judges 18:1 kjv

In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

Judges 18:1 nkjv

In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for itself to dwell in; for until that day their inheritance among the tribes of Israel had not fallen to them.

Judges 18:1 niv

In those days Israel had no king. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking a place of their own where they might settle, because they had not yet come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

Judges 18:1 esv

In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the people of Dan was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in, for until then no inheritance among the tribes of Israel had fallen to them.

Judges 18:1 nlt

Now in those days Israel had no king. And the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place where they could settle, for they had not yet moved into the land assigned to them when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel.

Judges 18 verses

Judges 18 1 Meaning

This opening verse of Judges chapter 18 concisely sets the historical and theological stage for the events that follow, illustrating the pervasive anarchy and moral relativism characteristic of the Judges period. The recurring phrase "In those days there was no king in Israel" signifies a severe leadership vacuum, implying that each person acted independently, often disregarding divine law, a sentiment explicitly stated later in the book. Within this context of lawlessness, the tribe of Dan is highlighted, not as pursuing a divinely commanded expansion, but as seeking an alternative inheritance. This search was not out of choice or ambition, but out of necessity and failure; they had been unable to fully conquer and settle the territory originally allotted to them by God in Canaan. This verse establishes a narrative of self-reliance, expediency, and territorial instability stemming from disobedience and a lack of central, God-ordained authority.

Judges 18 1 Context

Judges 18:1 serves as an introduction to one of the book's two "appendices" (chapters 17-18 and 19-21), narratives placed at the end of the book but describing events that likely occurred much earlier in the period of the Judges, possibly soon after Joshua's death. This positioning highlights the ultimate decay of Israelite society when divine commands were disregarded.

The overarching context of Judges is a cyclical pattern of sin (Israel turning from God), oppression (God delivering them into the hands of enemies), repentance (Israel crying out to God), and deliverance (God raising up a judge), followed by a return to sin. Chapter 18 explicitly identifies a critical component of this decline: the lack of a central, God-ordained leadership. This is a direct echo of 17:6 and repeated at the end of the book (21:25), serving as a refrain to explain the chaos.

Specifically, the Danites' situation relates to their earlier failure to dispossess the Amorites from their divinely appointed land (Jdg 1:34-35). Rather than strengthening their resolve, seeking God's help, or receiving assistance from other tribes, they eventually decided to abandon their inheritance and seek a new one for themselves. This entire movement reflects a national decline where tribal solidarity was absent, divine promises were not fully claimed, and expediency trumped fidelity to God's command.

Judges 18 1 Word analysis

• In those days: (בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, _bayamim hahem_) This phrase marks a period of time, setting a specific historical frame for the narrative. It signals a general era rather than a precise moment. It repeatedly functions as a literary device throughout the book of Judges (Jdg 17:6; 19:1; 21:25) to underscore the prevailing moral and social conditions.
• there was no king: (אֵין מֶלֶךְ, _ein melekh_) This is a profoundly significant theological and political statement in the book of Judges. "No king" is literally "no sovereign" or "no one ruling." It's not just the absence of a human monarch but points to the lack of central, divine authority guiding the nation. It reflects a state where God's ultimate kingship was functionally rejected, leading to self-rule.
• in Israel: (בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, _beYisra'el_) Refers to the collective nation chosen by God. The state of "no king" existed throughout the twelve tribes, emphasizing a national problem, not merely a localized issue. This phrase brings into sharp contrast God's ideal for His people and their fallen reality.
• and in those days: (וּבַיָּמִים הָהֵם, _uvayamim hahem_) The repetition links the state of anarchy directly to the subsequent actions of the Danites. It emphasizes that their quest for an inheritance was a product of the lawless, fragmented era.
• the tribe of the Danites: (מַטֵּה דָן, _matteh Dan_) "Matteh" literally means "rod" or "staff," denoting a branch or tribe. Dan was one of Jacob's sons, and his descendants formed one of the twelve tribes. This specific tribe is central to this narrative, indicating a shift from generalized problems to the particular manifestation of these problems within one segment of Israel.
• was seeking: (בִּקֵּשׁ, _biqqesh_) This verb implies an active search, exploration, and inquiry. The Danites were actively pursuing a new territory, signifying their proactive (though misdirected) efforts to solve their land problem. It's a human-initiated quest.
• an inheritance: (נַחֲלָה, _naḥalah_) This term refers to an allotted possession, particularly a portion of land given as a permanent heritage, often understood as God-given. In the context of Israel, it relates to the land promised by God and distributed by lot through Joshua. The fact that Dan was "seeking" one suggests their inability or failure to possess their original divine inheritance.
• for itself: This phrase emphasizes self-interest and self-reliance. The Danites were looking out for their own tribal needs independently, perhaps without seeking help from other tribes or divine guidance, reflecting the prevailing individualistic and self-centered spirit of the age of Judges.
• to dwell in: (לָשֶׁבֶת, _lashevet_) To settle down, to inhabit, to find a permanent dwelling place. This underscores their existential need for secure habitation, as they were unable to properly occupy their initial lot.
• for until that day: This temporal phrase acts as a conjunction explaining the reason for their seeking. It sets a definite period by which their problem remained unresolved.
• their inheritance among the tribes of Israel: This refers to the land allocated to them by divine lot as described in Joshua 19:40-48, geographically located southwest of Ephraim, extending to the Mediterranean coast, but often disputed with Philistines and Amorites. The phrase reinforces that they had indeed received an allocation.
• had not fallen to them: (לֹא נָפְלָה לָהֶם, _lo naflah lahem_) "Fallen" refers to the casting of lots (Num 26:55-56, Josh 13:6, Josh 19:1). It means it "had not come into their possession." While the lot had "fallen" to them in terms of divine allocation, it had not "fallen" to them in terms of actual occupation. This is explained by Judges 1:34-35, where the Amorites "pressed them into the hill country." This highlights not an oversight in God's allocation, but rather the Danites' failure—likely due to a lack of faith, courage, or tribal unity—to fully conquer and occupy what was rightfully theirs by divine decree.

Judges 18 1 Bonus section

The repetitive phrase "In those days there was no king in Israel" is critically placed within Judges 17-21, often considered the theological conclusion of the book, even though the events recounted in these chapters precede the era of most major judges. This strategic placement reveals the author's primary concern: to underscore the profound consequences of spiritual and political disarray stemming from the rejection of God's authority and the lack of a human ruler aligned with His will. The phrase argues for the necessity of kingship in Israel, though subtly pre-cautioning against any king, setting the stage for the narrative of King Saul and David. The tragedy of Dan, a tribe given a divine inheritance yet unable to fully possess it, represents a microcosm of Israel's larger failure during this chaotic period. Their abandonment of God's initial plan for self-initiated "solution" also finds a stark parallel in the book of Revelation, where the tribe of Dan is notably absent from the list of sealed tribes in chapter 7, which many interpret as a reflection of their deep descent into idolatry and apostasy later in the story.

Judges 18 1 Commentary

Judges 18:1 serves as a stark thesis statement, linking Israel's profound societal and spiritual decay directly to the absence of righteous, God-ordained leadership, succinctly expressed as "no king in Israel." This lack of a unifying authority permitted moral relativism where "everyone did what was right in his own eyes," creating fertile ground for self-interest and disobedience. Against this backdrop of spiritual anarchy, the narrative of the Danites unfolds. Their search for an inheritance was a pragmatic response to a grave failure: they had not conquered and secured their initial land allotment, which God had already apportioned to them. This situation highlights not a deficiency in God's promise or provision, but rather the tribe's lack of faith, perseverance, and possibly military prowess, alongside the broader national disunity and unwillingness of other tribes to aid them. Their desperation to "dwell in" a new territory foreshadows a trajectory of actions driven by human expediency rather than divine faithfulness, ultimately leading them to commit grave sins, including idolatry and violence, which define the latter part of the chapter.