Question 1

Why was the tribe of Dan looking for a new place to live?

Accepted Answer

The tribe of Dan was not fully settled in the land first given to them, so they were looking for an inheritance they felt they could take and live in. Instead of trusting God to help them take their proper portion, they chose an easier path and sent five men to spy out another land. This shows how they were more focused on finding a comfortable place than on obeying God where they already were. Their search led them away from God’s plan and into deeper sin and idolatry.

Question 2

Who was Micah’s Levite priest, and why did he go with the Danites?

Accepted Answer

Micah’s priest was a young Levite who had agreed to serve in Micah’s house for pay, food, and clothing. He was not serving at God’s house in Shiloh but at a private shrine with an idol, an ephod, and household gods. When the Danites offered him a chance to be priest for an entire tribe instead of one man, he gladly went with them. This shows how his heart was moved by a bigger role and gain, rather than by faithfulness to God or loyalty to Micah.

Question 3

What is the meaning of the phrase “there was no king in Israel” here?

Accepted Answer

The phrase “there was no king in Israel” explains why so much confusion and sin appear in this story. There was no strong, godly leader to guide the people or restrain evil, and many people were not listening to God’s law. Each group did what seemed right to them. The Danites chased an easier inheritance, Micah set up his own shrine, and the Levite served wherever it suited him. The line reminds us how a lack of good leadership and obedience to God leads to chaos and wrong worship.

Question 4

Why did the Danites steal Micah’s idols and priest instead of going to Shiloh?

Accepted Answer

The Danites chose what looked useful and close at hand rather than seeking God where he had set his name, at his house in Shiloh. When they heard there was an ephod, teraphim, and a carved and molten image in Micah’s house, they took them and persuaded the Levite to come with them. They wanted religious support for their plans but were content with a private shrine and man-made gods. This shows how people can want God’s blessing while still clinging to wrong worship and disobedience.

Question 5

Why did the Danites attack the people of Laish, and what was wrong with it?

Accepted Answer

The Danite spies saw that the people of Laish lived quietly, felt safe, and had no strong ruler or nearby allies. They called the land very good and urged their tribe to take it, saying God had given it into their hand. The men of Dan then went, struck the city with the sword, and burned it. The passage shows they were driven by desire for an easy victory and a rich place, not by a clear command from God. They mixed God’s name with their own plans and gave no thought to justice or mercy.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about idolatry and false worship?

Accepted Answer

This story shows how idolatry grows when people stop following God’s clear way of worship. Micah set up household gods and a private shrine. The Levite agreed to serve there for hire. The Danites then stole both the idols and the priest and set them up in their new city, Dan. All of this happened while the true house of God stood in Shiloh. The passage warns that people may still speak of God and ask for his help, yet follow their own religion, mix truth with error, and hurt others in the process.

Question 7

Who is Jonathan son of Gershom in this passage, and what did he do?

Accepted Answer

Jonathan, the son of Gershom, is named as the priest who, along with his sons, served the tribe of Dan. He and his family became priests for the idol the Danites had taken from Micah and set up in their city. This service went on for a long time, even while the true house of God was in Shiloh. His role shows how a priestly line can be used to support wrong worship when people turn away from what God has clearly said about how he should be honored.

Question 8

How can this story about the Danites and Micah’s idol apply to life today?

Accepted Answer

This story warns against choosing what is easy, profitable, or impressive over what is right before God. The Danites wanted a safer land, the Levite wanted a bigger position, and Micah trusted in objects he had made. Today people can still treat success, comfort, or religious appearance as more important than true obedience. The passage calls us to seek God where he has clearly spoken, refuse to bend for gain, and not dress up selfish plans with religious words while ignoring God’s ways.

Judges 18:1

In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

The Danites Settle in Laish

The Danites Take Micah’s Idols

The Danites Settle in Laish

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Judges 18:1

In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

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The Danites Settle in Laish

The Danites Take Micah’s Idols

The Danites Settle in Laish

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