Judges 18 28

Judges 18:28 kjv

And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.

Judges 18:28 nkjv

There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no ties with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs to Beth Rehob. So they rebuilt the city and dwelt there.

Judges 18:28 niv

There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon and had no relationship with anyone else. The city was in a valley near Beth Rehob. The Danites rebuilt the city and settled there.

Judges 18:28 esv

And there was no deliverer because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs to Beth-rehob. Then they rebuilt the city and lived in it.

Judges 18:28 nlt

There was no one to rescue the people, for they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby. This happened in the valley near Beth-rehob. Then the people of the tribe of Dan rebuilt the town and lived there.

Judges 18 verses

Judges 18 28 Meaning

Judges 18:28 describes the vulnerability of Laish, a city peaceful and isolated from potential allies, particularly the strong Phoenician city of Sidon, and without interaction with others to form defense pacts. Its location in a fertile valley near Beth-rehob further exposed it. This lack of external support and internal vigilance allowed the migrating Danites to easily conquer it, leading them to rebuild the city and establish their settlement, re-naming it Dan, which marked a new tribal territory for them.

Judges 18 28 Context

Judges 18 recounts a significant episode in the chaotic period of the Judges, characterized by a lack of central authority and a pervasive decline in Israel's fidelity to YHWH. The Danite tribe, unable to secure and expand their allotted inheritance (as mentioned in Josh 19:47), sends five spies to seek new territory. They discover Laish, a city in the far north, detached and living peacefully. Chapters 17 and 18, often referred to as an "appendix" to Judges, provide prime examples of the era's spiritual and moral depravity, culminating in widespread idolatry and civil strife. The Danites, after observing Laish's vulnerability, retrieve Micah's cultic objects and apostate priest (Jonathan, Moses' grandson, in a twisted genealogy not explicitly mentioned in this verse but crucial to the broader context of Jdg 17-18), then embark on a ruthless campaign of conquest. Judges 18:28 explains why Laish was so easily overcome, laying bare its geographical and social isolation as factors in its destruction by a seemingly insignificant raiding party from Israel.

Judges 18 28 Word analysis

• There was no deliverer:
  • Original Word: מוֹשִׁיעַ (moshia'), meaning "savior" or "rescuer."
  • Significance: This highlights Laish's utter lack of external military or political support. In the ancient Near East, city-states relied on alliances and overlords for protection. Laish had neither. The text subtly contrasts this with YHWH, Israel's true deliverer. The Danites, seeking deliverance from their constrained territory, ironically become the destructive force upon a city that lacked its own "deliverer."
• because it was far from Sidon:
  • Original Word: מִצִּידוֹן (mi-Tzidon), "from Sidon."
  • Significance: Sidon was a prominent, powerful Phoenician city-state known for its naval power and influence. Its distance from Laish (situated far to the north, near the source of the Jordan River) meant Laish was beyond Sidon's immediate protection or sphere of influence. This geographic isolation contributed significantly to Laish's vulnerability.
• and they had no dealings with anyone:
  • Original Word: מִן־אָדָם (min-'adam), literally "from man" or "from human."
  • Significance: This phrase emphasizes Laish's extreme isolation and self-sufficiency. They maintained no alliances, treaties, or trade relations that would compel others to come to their aid. While it might suggest a peaceful, unassuming existence, in a hostile world, it was a recipe for disaster, rendering them wholly exposed.
• And it was in a valley that belonged to Beth-rehob:
  • Original Word: עֵמֶק (ʿēmeq) "valley"; בֵּית־רְחוֹב (Beit Rechov), a specific place name, meaning "house of the street" or "house of the broad place."
  • Significance: This provides a specific geographical detail. Valleys, while often fertile, could also be strategically vulnerable, as they offered easy access for invaders, unlike cities on hilltops. Beth-rehob was likely a Syrian city or region near Laish. Identifying its location as "in a valley that belonged to Beth-rehob" places it clearly in the trans-Jordanian sphere or the northern reaches of Canaan, away from typical Israelite settlement patterns and immediate Phoenician coastal influence.
• So they rebuilt the city:
  • Original Word: וַיִּבְנוּ אֶת־הָעִיר (vayyivnu et-ha-ʿir), "and they built the city."
  • Significance: This action signifies the complete conquest and subsequent appropriation of Laish. The Danites immediately transformed it into their own dwelling place. The choice to rebuild suggests they found the site advantageous and secure for their purposes, contrasting with Laish's previous lack of security.
• and lived in it:
  • Original Word: וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בָהּ (vayyeshvu vah), "and they settled/dwelled in it."
  • Significance: Marks the permanent settlement of the migrating Danite contingent. This act established the northern outpost of the Danite tribe, albeit one founded on an unholy conquest fueled by idol worship and a disregard for Israel's original land inheritance and God's law. This migration changes the map of Israel, showcasing the decentralized and disobedient nature of the period.

Words-group Analysis:

• "no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone": This tripartite explanation underscores the absolute isolation and defenselessness of Laish. It highlights their complete lack of external recourse or protective alliances, whether from powerful neighbors (Sidon) or even smaller trading partners who might have obligations. This condition made them a prime target for opportunistic raiders like the Danites. It speaks to a society so peaceful and uninvolved that it inadvertently created its own strategic weakness.
• "in a valley that belonged to Beth-rehob. So they rebuilt the city and lived in it": This phrase directly links geographical vulnerability with the subsequent actions of the conquerors. The descriptive phrase about Laish's location justifies why the Danites could easily take it and transform it for their own purposes. Their immediate rebuilding and settling underscore their successful seizure and the permanent establishment of a new tribal center, which was renamed Dan (Jdg 18:29), replacing Laish entirely.

Judges 18 28 Bonus section

The seemingly innocent state of Laish as "peaceful and unsuspecting" or "living without care" (as translated in some versions) highlights a common theme in prophetic literature where a false sense of security precedes judgment (e.g., Amos, Isa, Zeph). Laish's vulnerability wasn't just external but an internal lack of readiness due to its perceived security. The relocation of the Danite tribe from their coastal inheritance (a region they had struggled to clear of Philistines) to the far north also significantly altered Israel's geographical and spiritual landscape. This new settlement became a primary center for idolatry within Israel for centuries, famously referred to in phrases like "from Dan to Beersheba," indicating the northernmost boundary where cultic sites existed (Jdg 20:1, 1 Sam 3:20, 2 Sam 3:10, 1 Kgs 4:25). Jeroboam later solidified Dan as one of his centers for calf worship (1 Kgs 12:29-30), echoing the apostasy introduced here. The narrative of Judges 18 thus encapsulates the era's theme of "everyone did what was right in his own eyes," demonstrating both tribal fragmentation and spiritual corruption, leading to long-term national consequences.

Judges 18 28 Commentary

Judges 18:28 provides the military rationale for the easy conquest of Laish by the Danites. It was a peaceful city, existing in dangerous isolation. Its distance from Sidon meant no powerful foreign aid, and its lack of interaction with surrounding peoples meant no local allies would come to its defense. Situated in a vulnerable valley near Beth-rehob, it had no natural defenses nor strategic vigilance. The phrase "no deliverer" subtly points to the city's self-reliance, contrasting with Israel's heritage where YHWH was the ultimate deliverer, often through human instruments (like the Judges themselves). This verse sets the stage for the unrighteous occupation and the establishment of an idolatrous sanctuary, marking a further moral descent for Israel as the Danites brought Micah's idol and Levite with them, cementing pagan worship in a major northern Israelite center. This move also shows the breakdown of the tribal inheritance system, as one tribe seized land belonging to others, without seeking God's guidance.