Judges 18 13

Judges 18:13 kjv

And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.

Judges 18:13 nkjv

And they passed from there to the mountains of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

Judges 18:13 niv

From there they went on to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah's house.

Judges 18:13 esv

And they passed on from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

Judges 18:13 nlt

Then they went on from there into the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.

Judges 18 verses

Judges 18 13 Meaning

Judges 18:13 details the deliberate turning and journey of the six hundred Danite men as they progressed towards finding new territory. After their initial stop at Kirjath-jearim, they redirected their course and specifically aimed for the hill country of Ephraim, ultimately reaching the house of Micah. This act was not accidental, but a premeditated return to acquire the religious items and the Levite priest discovered by their scouts, signaling their intention to establish an independent, albeit syncretistic, religious system to accompany their tribal migration.

Judges 18 13 Context

Judges 18:13 is a crucial transition point in the narrative of the Danite migration. Chapter 18 describes how the tribe of Dan, unable to secure its assigned inheritance in the southwestern coastal plain (as detailed in Judges 1:34), dispatched spies to scout new territory. These five spies, during their journey, encountered the private religious sanctuary of Micah in the hill country of Ephraim, complete with a cultic image, an ephod, household gods, and a young Levite functioning as a private priest. Upon their return, the spies informed their tribe not only of the fertile, undefended land of Laish, but also of Micah's cultic objects and priest. This verse marks the physical movement of the entire 600-strong Danite armed contingent, who, after gathering at Kirjath-jearim, intentionally deviated from a direct path to Laish to acquire these items. This episode perfectly encapsulates the moral and spiritual decay of the period of the Judges, where each tribe, lacking central divine authority, "did what was right in its own eyes" (Jdg 17:6, 21:25), even to the point of theft and the promotion of idolatry, further illustrating Israel's departure from God's covenant laws.

Judges 18 13 Word analysis

• They turned (וַיַּסֻּרוּ, wayyassuru): From the Hebrew root sur, meaning "to turn aside," "depart," or "deviate." This implies a deliberate change of direction, not merely a continuation of travel. It signifies a choice to alter their path from a more direct route to Laish, highlighting their intention to stop at Micah's. Spiritually, "turning aside" can often connote turning away from the path of righteousness or God's commandments, reflecting the deeper spiritual drift of the Danites.
• from there (מִשָּׁם, misham): Refers directly to Kirjath-jearim, the gathering point mentioned in the preceding verse (Jdg 18:12). This pinpointing of their departure emphasizes the planned nature of their journey and detour.
• and came (וַיָּבֹאוּ, wayyavo'u): From the Hebrew root bo, meaning "to come" or "to enter." A common verb of motion, here indicating their arrival at the next destination. Its repetition alongside "turned" emphasizes purposeful movement.
• to the hill country of Ephraim (הַר אֶפְרָיִם, har 'Efrayim): A geographically significant region in central Israel, known for its strategic location and often mentioned in narratives involving significant spiritual or political events. Micah's household was located within this region, as established in Judges 17:1. The explicit mention confirms the spies' detailed reconnaissance and the Danites' precise objective.
• and came (וַיָּבֹאוּ, wayyavo'u): Again, the verb of coming, further emphasizing the final arrival at the specific objective within the larger region.
• to the house of Micah (אֶל בֵּית מִיכָה, 'el beit Mikah): The definitive destination of their detour. "House" (בַּיִת, bayit) here refers not only to Micah's dwelling but implicitly to his entire household, including the cultic shrine and the Levite priest. This deliberate targeting underscores that their purpose was to appropriate these religious items and personnel, recognizing their potential value in establishing legitimacy for their new settlement, even though the objects and the priesthood were contrary to the true worship of Yahweh. The action illustrates a self-serving desire for religious legitimization, even if corrupted, aligning with the "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" mentality.

Judges 18 13 Bonus section

The phrase "hill country of Ephraim" also carried connotations of accessibility and the very center of Israel's tribal structure, implying that this act of spiritual theft was not committed in some remote, ignorant frontier, but within a somewhat established area of Israel. The Danites, a recognized tribe, directly defied Mosaic law concerning idols and stolen property (Ex 20:4-5, 15) and implicitly God's intended structure for the Levites. Their actions here contribute to a wider pattern of apostasy within the book of Judges, showcasing a progressive decline from covenant obedience and loyalty to Yahweh. The subsequent history of Dan's idolatry, explicitly noted in Judges 18:31, roots its corrupt religious foundation in this very act, enduring throughout the period the Tabernacle was in Shiloh.

Judges 18 13 Commentary

Judges 18:13 unveils the methodical and self-serving nature of the Danites' migration. This verse details their calculated detour from their primary goal of finding land to strategically acquire Micah's unauthorized cult and his mercenary Levite priest. This was not a spontaneous decision but a direct outcome of their spies' reconnaissance, which had identified these "assets." The narrative exposes the depth of spiritual compromise within Israel: a tribe, instead of seeking divine guidance from the tabernacle or prophets, stoops to robbery and coercion to establish a rival, idolatrous religious center. Their journey is a microcosm of Israel's descent into lawlessness, where immediate convenience and perceived spiritual validation, however illegitimate, superseded adherence to God's commands. This act sets the stage for the theft of Micah's cult objects and the Levite's conscription, demonstrating the moral decay and the prioritization of pragmatic "religious" benefits over true covenant fidelity during this turbulent era.