Read Judges 18 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
18:1 {p} There was no king in Israel/ the Danites were seeking an inheritance to dwell in
18:2-6 {p} Five spies of Dan came upon the house of Micah and lodged there
18:7-31 {p} They spied out Laish/ stole Micah’s images and priest/ took Laish and dwelt there
Judges 18:1-19:1a Chiastic Structure:
Over and over we are seeing Judges mention that there was no king in Israel, and the Danites were able to take Laish because there was no one possessing authority there.
To possess is Strong’s H3423 ירש yarash, a primitive verb meaning, “to take possession of, to occupy by force.” The 3-letter root is yud + resh + shin.
yud י = closed hand, thus work, throw, worship
resh ר = head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
shin ש = two front teeth, thus sharp, press, eat, two, again
The resh – shin pair occurs in numerous words having to do with the chiefest, or inheritance. The head (resh) gives his assent or denial (shin, i.e., a head nod of assent or shake of denial is a movement made again and again), that is, the tribal chief is the head who divides the inheritance among the tribe. Therefore, the parable told by the Hebrew Root Word is of work (yud, in this context by means of warfare) to gain an inheritance (resh + shin), to possess.
Authority is from Strong’s H6113 עצר atsar, a primitive verb meaning, “to restrain.” The ancient pictographs are ayin + tsadey + resh.
ayin ע = eye, thus watch, know, shade
tsadey צ, ץ = trail, thus a man concealed, journey, chase, hunt
resh ר = head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
The parable being told is of one who watches for or seeks out (ayin) what is concealed (tsadey) by the man (resh), since those who do evil conceal their deeds, but the ruler watches for evil deeds in order to restrain it.
For 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. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Rom 13:3-4
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