King James Version
Judges 18:7
7Then 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.12
Judges 18:7 in other versions
- New International Version (NIV)So the five men left and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living in safety, like the Sidonians, at peace and secure. And since their land lacked nothing, they were prosperous. Also, they lived a long way from the Sidonians and had no relationship with anyone else.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting, lacking nothing that is in the earth and possessing wealth, and how they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the five men departed and went to Laish. They saw the people who were there, how they dwelt safely, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. There were no rulers in the land who might put them to shame for anything. They were far from the Sidonians, and they had no ties with anyone.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So the five men went on to the town of Laish, where they noticed the people living carefree lives, like the Sidonians; they were peaceful and secure. The people were also wealthy because their land was very fertile. And they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby.
Context of Judges 18:7
5And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous. 6And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the Lord is your way wherein ye go. 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. 8And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye? 9And 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.
Read all of Judges 18Judges 18:7 word by word
וַיֵּלְכוּ֙ חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ לָ֑יְשָׁה וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ יוֹשֶֽׁבֶת־לָ֠בֶטַח כְּמִשְׁפַּ֨ט צִדֹנִ֜ים שֹׁקֵ֣ט׀ וּבֹטֵ֗חַ וְאֵין־מַכְלִ֨ים דָּבָ֤ר בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ יוֹרֵ֣שׁ עֶ֔צֶר וּרְחֹקִ֥ים הֵ֙מָּה֙ מִצִּ֣דֹנִ֔ים וְדָבָ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם עִם־אָדָֽם׃Read the interlinear
- Then the fiveחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- departedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- and cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to Laishלַ֫יִשׁlayish · LaishH3919
- and sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- thereinקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
- how they dweltיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- carelessבֶּ֫טַחbeţach · securityH983
- after the mannerמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941
- of the Zidoniansצִידֹנִיtsîydônîy tsidônîy · SidonianH6722
- quietשָׁקַטshâqaţ · to quietH8252
- and secureבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
- no magistrateעֶ֫צֶר‛etser · magistrateH6114
- no magistrateיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: possessH3423
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- to shameכָּלַםkâlam · be humiliatedH3637
- thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- farרָחֹקrâchôq râchôq · distantH7350
- manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
Cross-references for Judges 18:7
- Joshua 19:47And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
- Judges 18:27And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.
- Revelation 18:7How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
- 1 Samuel 3:13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
- 1 Kings 1:6And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.
- Romans 13:3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
- 1 Peter 2:14Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Commentaries on Judges 18:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7After the manner of the Zidonians - Probably the people of Laish or Leshem were originally a colony of the Sidonians, who, it appears, were an opulent people; and, being in possession of a strong city, lived in a state of security, not being afraid of their neighbors. In this the Leshemites imitated them, though the sequel proves they had not the same reason for their confidence. They were far from the Zidonians - Being, as above supposed, a Sidonian…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Laish - Afterward called “Dan” Judges 18:29. The exact site has not been identified, but it was the northern extremity of Israel, near the sources of the Jordan, and about four miles from Panium, or Caesarea-Philippi. It is thought to have stood where the village Tell-el-Kadi now stands. After the manner of the Zidonians - The genius of the Zidonians being mechanical and commercial, not military, their colonists were apt to neglect fortifications and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Laish has been thoroughly excavated and was an impressive city at that time. The description of Laish and its connection to the port of Sidon is not entirely clear in the text or historical records. The people of Laish, as Phoenicians, might have expected to be exempt from Israel's attack on the Canaanites. This language is largely repeated in Judges 18:28.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-107-10. the five men departed, and came to Laish--or, "Leshem" (Jos 19:47), supposed to have been peopled by a colony of Zidonians. The place was very secluded--the soil rich in the abundance and variety of its produce, and the inhabitants, following the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, lived in their fertile and sequestered valley, according to the Zidonian style of ease and security, happy among themselves, and maintaining little or no communication with…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 18:7
In the dictionaries
Notes
Commentaries on Judges 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries