New International Version
Judges 18:7
7So 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.
Judges 18:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- 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
5Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to learn whether our journey will be successful.” 6The priest answered them, “Go in peace. Your journey has the Lord’s approval.” 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. 8When they returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their fellow Danites asked them, “How did you find things?” 9They answered, “Come on, let’s attack them! We have seen the land, and it is very good. Aren’t you going to do something? Don’t hesitate to go there and take it over.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- 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 19:47(When the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their ancestor.)
- Judges 18:27Then they took what Micah had made, and his priest, and went on to Laish, against a people at peace and secure. They attacked them with the sword and burned down their city.
- Revelation 18:7Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn.’
- 1 Samuel 3:13For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them.
- 1 Kings 1:6(His father had never rebuked him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)
- Romans 13:3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.
- 1 Peter 2:14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
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
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
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