New King James Version
Judges 18:7
7So 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.
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.
- 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 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
5So they said to him, “Please inquire of God, that we may know whether the journey on which we go will be prosperous.” 6And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The presence of the Lord be with you on your way.” 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. 8Then the spies came back to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, “What is your report?” 9So they said, “Arise, let us go up against them. For we have seen the land, and indeed it is very good. Would you do nothing? Do not hesitate to go, and 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
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
People and places in Judges 18:7
Cross-references for Judges 18:7
- Joshua 19:47And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
- Judges 18:27So they took the things Micah had made, and the priest who had belonged to him, and went to Laish, to a people quiet and secure; and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.
- Revelation 18:7In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’
- 1 Samuel 3:13For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.
- 1 Kings 1:6(And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.)
- Romans 13:3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
- 1 Peter 2:14or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries