Judges 18 · Verse 7

Judges 18:7

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.
Judges 18:7, King James Version

Judges 18:7 in other translations

BSBSo the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, tranquil and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone.
WEBThen the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in safety, in the way of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no one in the land possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with anyone else.
ASVThen the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was none in the land, possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with any man.
YLTAnd the five men go, and come in to Laish, and see the people which is in its midst, dwelling confidently, according to the custom of Zidonians, quiet and confident; and there is none putting to shame in the land in any thing, possessing restraint, and they are far off from the Zidonians, and have no word with any man.
DARBYAnd the five men departed, and came to Laish; and they saw the people that were therein, dwelling securely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and no one was in the land who possessed authority, that might put them to shame in anything; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had nothing to do with any man.
BBEThen the five men went on their way and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, living without thought of danger, like the Zidonians, quiet and safe; for they had everything on earth for their needs, and they were far from the Zidonians and had no business with Aram.
WebsterThen the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were in it, 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.

What does Judges 18:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 18:7-10
7-10. 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 the rest of the world. The discovery of this northern paradise seemed, to the delight of the Danite spies, an accomplishment of the priest's prediction. They hastened back to inform their brethren in the south both of the value of their prize, and how easily it could be made their prey.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 After 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 colony, they might naturally expect help from their countrymen; but, as they dwelt a considerable distance from Sidon, the Danites saw that they could strike the blow before the news of invasion could reach Sidon; and, consequently, before the people of Laish could receive any succours from that city. And had no business with any man - In the most correct copies of the Septuagint, this clause is thus translated: Και λογος ουκ ην αυτοις μετα Συριας; and they had no transactions with Syria. Now it is most evident that, instead of אדם adam, Man, they read ארם aram, Syria; words which are so nearly similar that the difference which exists is only between the ר resh and ד daleth, and this, both in MSS. and printed books, is often indiscernible. This reading is found in the Codex Alexandrinus, in the Complutensian Polyglot, in the Spanish Polyglot, and in the edition of the Septuagint published by Aldus. It may be proper to observe, that Laish was on the frontiers of Syria; but as they had no intercourse with the Syrians, from whom they might have received the promptest assistance, this was an additional reason why the Danites might expect success.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Judges 18:7 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּלְכוּ֙vai.ye.le.Khuand they wentH1980
חֲמֵ֣שֶׁתcha.Me.shet[the] fiveH2568
הָאֲנָשִׁ֔יםha.'a.na.Shimthe menH582
וַיָּבֹ֖אוּvai.ya.Vo.'uand they cameH935
לָ֑יְשָׁהLa.ye.shahLaish towardsH3919
וַיִּרְא֣וּvai.yir.'Uand they sawH7200
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָעָ֣םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whichH834
בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּbe.kir.Bahin midst itsH7130
יוֹשֶֽׁבֶת\־yo.she.vet-[was] dwellingH3427
לָ֠בֶטַחLa.ve.tachto securityH983
כְּמִשְׁפַּ֨טke.mish.Pataccording to [the] custom ofH4941
צִדֹנִ֜יםtzi.do.Nim[the] SidoniansH6722
שֹׁקֵ֣ט\׀sho.Ketat peaceH8252
וּבֹטֵ֗חַu.vo.Te.achand secureH982
וְאֵין\־ve.'ein-and there notH369
מַכְלִ֨יםmakh.Lim[was one] putting to shameH3637
דָּבָ֤רda.VaranythingH1697
בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ba.'A.retzin the landH776
יוֹרֵ֣שׁyo.Resh[one] possessingH3423
עֶ֔צֶר'E.tzeroppressionH6114
וּרְחֹקִ֥יםu.re.cho.Kimand [were] farH7350
הֵ֙מָּה֙he.mahtheyH1992
מִצִּ֣דֹנִ֔יםmi.Tzi.do.Nimfrom [the] SidoniansH6722
וְדָבָ֥רve.da.Varand anythingH1697
אֵין\־'ein-notH369
לָהֶ֖םla.Hem[belonged] to <the> them
עִם\־'im-withH5973
אָדָֽם\׃'a.DamanyoneH120

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 18:7

  • Joshua 19:47

    And 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.

  • 1 Samuel 3:13

    For 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.

  • Judges 18:27-28

    And 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. 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 Beth–rehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.

  • 1 Kings 1:6

    And 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 13:3

    For 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 2:14

    Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

  • Revelation 18:7

    How 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Laish.
Jos 19:47
called Leshem. how they.
27,28; Re 18:7
magistrate. Heb. possessor, or, heir of restraint.
1Sa 3:13; 1Ki 1:6; Ro 13:3; 1Pe 2:14
and had no.In the most correct copies of the LXX. this clause stands thus; [kai logos ouk en autois meta Syrias;] "and they had no transactions with Syria;" evidently reading instead of ['âdâm ] {adam,} man, ['Arâm ] {aram,} Syria; words so nearly similar that the only difference between them is in the [Rêysh,] {raish,} and [Dâleth,] daleth, which in both MSS. and printed books is sometimes indiscernible. Laish was situated on the frontiers of Syria.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 18:6

    And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the Lord is your way wherein ye go.

  • Judges 18:7

    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.

  • Judges 18:8

    And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?

Read all of Judges 18

Judges 18:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces aquellos cinco hombres se partieron, y vinieron á Lais: y vieron que el pueblo que habitaba en ella estaba seguro, ocioso y confiado, conforme á la costumbre de los de Sidón; no había nadie en aquella región que los perturbase en cosa alguna para poseer aquel estado; demás de esto, estaban lejos de los Sidonios, y no tenían negocios con nadie.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les cinq hommes s’en allèrent, et vinrent à Laïs; et ils virent le peuple qui était au milieu d’elle, habitant en sécurité, à la manière des Sidoniens, tranquille et confiant; et il n’y avait dans le pays personne qui, possédant la domination, les moleste en aucune chose; et ils étaient éloignés des Sidoniens, et n’avaient commerce avec personne.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die fünf Männer gingen hin und kamen nach Lais; und sie sahen das Volk, das darin war, in Sicherheit wohnen, nach Art der Zidonier, ruhig und sicher; und niemand, der die Herrschaft besessen hätte im Lande, tat ihnen irgend etwas zuleide; und sie waren fern von den Zidoniern und hatten mit Menschen nichts zu schaffen. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Euntes igitur quinque viri venerunt Lais: videruntque populum habitantem in ea absque ullo timore, juxta consuetudinem Sidoniorum, securum et quietum, nullo ei penitus resistente, magnarumque opum, et procul a Sidone atque a cunctis hominibus separatum.