Judges 18 14

Judges 18:14 kjv

Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.

Judges 18:14 nkjv

Then the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brethren, "Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, household idols, a carved image, and a molded image? Now therefore, consider what you should do."

Judges 18:14 niv

Then the five men who had spied out the land of Laish said to their fellow Danites, "Do you know that one of these houses has an ephod, some household gods and an image overlaid with silver? Now you know what to do."

Judges 18:14 esv

Then the five men who had gone to scout out the country of Laish said to their brothers, "Do you know that in these houses there are an ephod, household gods, a carved image, and a metal image? Now therefore consider what you will do."

Judges 18:14 nlt

The five men who had scouted out the land around Laish explained to the others, "These buildings contain a sacred ephod, as well as some household idols, a carved image, and a cast idol. What do you think you should do?"

Judges 18 verses

Judges 18 14 Meaning

Judges 18:14 captures a pivotal moment where five Danite spies reveal their discovery of cultic objects within Micah’s house in Ephraim to their tribal brethren. These items include an ephod, household gods (teraphim), and carved and molded images, all indicative of illicit worship. The spies’ rhetorical question, "Do you know...?", implies the significance and opportunity they see in acquiring these items. The final exhortation, "Now therefore, consider what you will do," serves as a direct call to action, urging the Danites to seize these objects for their own opportunistic establishment of a tribal sanctuary, reflecting their pragmatic and lawless mindset in the chaotic period of the Judges.

Judges 18 14 Context

Judges chapter 18 details the Danite tribe's quest for an inheritance. They, being confined to a small, often embattled territory (Jdg 1:34-35), sent five spies to scout for suitable land. These spies arrived at Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim (Jdg 17), where they recognized the voice of a Levite serving as Micah's private priest. Aware of Micah's unauthorized sanctuary, complete with an ephod, teraphim, and cultic images, the spies returned to their brethren with a strategy. Verse 14 is their direct report to the 600 armed Danites, proposing to seize these idolatrous objects and the Levite himself. This verse directly precipitates the Danites' raid on Micah's home, their acquisition of the religious paraphernalia, and their establishment of an illegitimate religious center at Laish, which they renamed Dan, becoming a persistent site of idolatry in Israel. This account powerfully illustrates the moral and religious deterioration characteristic of the period, where personal gain and convenience trumped God's covenant laws.

Judges 18 14 Word analysis

• Then the five men who went to spy out the country:

  • five men: Refers to the specific scouts mentioned in Jdg 18:2, demonstrating a small, dedicated reconnaissance party acting on behalf of the tribe.
  • spy out the country: Their original mission was purely geographic, to find suitable land. Their subsequent discovery and appropriation of religious objects highlight a deviation and corruption of their mandate, shifting from land acquisition to religious opportunism.

• said to their brethren:

  • said: Simple statement of communication, yet significant in that this report becomes the catalyst for the tribe's actions.
  • their brethren: Indicates the solidarity and shared purpose within the Danite tribe, representing the 600 armed men ready to conquer.

• 'Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, household gods, and a carved image, and a molded image?

  • Do you know: This rhetorical question is not seeking new information from the audience but aims to emphasize the shocking and potentially valuable discovery made by the spies. It builds anticipation and draws the listeners into the immediate implication of their finding.
  • in these houses: Refers specifically to Micah’s dwelling, which the spies had observed (Jdg 18:3).
  • ephod (Hebrew: אֵפוֹד, ephod):
    • Historically, a legitimate priestly vestment used in consulting Yahweh (Exo 28:4, 1 Sam 2:28).
    • In this context, like Gideon's ephod (Jdg 8:27), it refers to an object used for illicit divination or as part of an idolatrous cult. It symbolizes a corrupted religious practice. Micah himself fashioned this ephod (Jdg 17:5). Its presence highlights the pervasive syncretism where legitimate forms (the ephod) were mixed with illegitimate practices and objects (teraphim, idols).
  • household gods (Hebrew: תְּרָפִים, teraphim):
    • Small, anthropomorphic idols often associated with divination, protection, or indicating legal rights of inheritance (Gen 31:19, 34; 1 Sam 19:13).
    • Forbidden by Yahweh's law (Deut 18:10-12). Their presence further confirms Micah’s domestic sanctuary as an apostate site. They represent a blend of Canaanite customs and perverted Israelite worship.
  • carved image (Hebrew: פֶּסֶל, pesel):
    • An idol sculptured or carved, typically from wood or stone. Directly forbidden by the second commandment (Exo 20:4, Deut 5:8).
    • This and the molten image represent tangible, graven idolatry.
  • molded image (Hebrew: מַסֵּכָה, massekah):
    • An idol cast from metal (Exo 34:17).
    • Also explicitly forbidden (Lev 19:4). The inclusion of both a carved and molded image emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Micah’s illicit cultic setup, reflecting a blatant disregard for God’s explicit commands.

• Now therefore, consider what you will do.'"

  • Now therefore: A logical transition indicating a conclusion based on the preceding information, prompting immediate action.
  • consider what you will do: This is a direct command or urgent invitation to strategic thought and decisive action. It is less about moral contemplation and more about practical opportunity. The spies, seeing these objects, recognize potential for themselves – instruments that could legitimize or aid their new settlement. Their interest is purely pragmatic and self-serving, without regard for the sacredness or illegitimacy of these items in God's eyes. They imply that these items possess spiritual efficacy, even if that efficacy is perverted, and therefore are desirable assets.

Judges 18 14 Bonus section

• The Danites' actions in Judges 18 are not just opportunistic but display a clear "might makes right" mentality, entirely consistent with the moral chaos described in the closing verses of Judges. They act without consulting the Lord, unlike previous generations (e.g., Jdg 1:1, Jdg 20:27-28), and simply appropriate what they deem useful, demonstrating spiritual blindness and tribal self-interest.
• The emphasis on "these houses" plural for "Micah's house" might be a literary device to enhance the picture of Micah's substantial dwelling and illicit shrine, underscoring the wealth and permanence of his apostate worship. Alternatively, it could broadly refer to the location rather than implying multiple separate buildings housing these items.
• The acquisition of this existing, "turnkey" religious apparatus is an expedient solution for the Danites, who had no Levites or priestly line within their new territory. It demonstrates their preference for adopting an already established, albeit corrupt, religious infrastructure rather than establishing true Yahwistic worship in their new land.
• The items found (ephod, teraphim, carved image, molded image) systematically violate different aspects of the Second Commandment (Exo 20:4-6), showing a comprehensive break with Yahweh's covenant stipulations. The narrative subtly indicts not just Micah, but also the Danites who knowingly propagate this apostasy.

Judges 18 14 Commentary

Judges 18:14 acts as the instigating pivot for the Danites' moral and religious decline, central to the Judges period's "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" theme. The five Danite spies, whose original mandate was land reconnaissance, unexpectedly uncover a ready-made "spiritual kit" in Micah's house: an ephod, teraphim, and carved and molded images. These objects represent a syncretistic amalgam of forbidden pagan practices and misused forms of Israelite worship, highlighting Israel's pervasive idolatry. The spies’ enthusiastic report and pragmatic directive, "Now therefore, consider what you will do," reveal a profound lack of spiritual discernment. They do not view these objects as an abomination to be destroyed according to the Mosaic Law (Deut 7:25), but as valuable assets to be acquired for their own gain and perceived religious legitimacy in their future settlement. This instrumentalization of the sacred, however perverted, underlines the moral decay and opportunistic behavior characteristic of this era, setting the stage for the establishment of a rival cult center at Dan that would plague Israel for centuries.