Greek Text · Translation · Interlinear · Discourse Structure

The Book of Judges, Chapter 18ΚΡΙΤΑΙ ΙΗ′

Each verse opens with the running Greek, an English translation, and a discourse note (its connective, relation, and role in the argument). Below follows the word-by-word breakdown in six tiers: gloss, case (color), parsing, syntax, semantic force, and a lexical note.

Case Nominative Genitive Dative Accusative Vocative Verb (no case) Indeclinable

Discourse notes head each verse: relation · connective · clause-flow. Indentation marks prominence — flush-left = main line of argument; indented = supporting / subordinate material.

Theme

Dan's migration seizes Micah's cult and plants a rival shrine in a land taken by violence and false security.

Translation & textual notes

The Greek text of Judges 18 follows the standard critical text of the Septuagint as established in the Rahlfs–Hanhart edition (Septuaginta, rev. ed. 2006), an ancient and public-domain text; the critical apparatus is not reproduced. Judges is exceptional among LXX books in surviving in two markedly divergent Greek text-forms — the so-called A-text (Codex Alexandrinus and allies) and the B-text (Codex Vaticanus and allies); the annotation here follows the verbatim Rahlfs reference as supplied. Chapter 18 is the second panel of the Micah–Dan appendix (chs. 17–18) and narrates the migration of the tribe of DAN in search of an inheritance (κληρονομία) it had failed to secure within its allotted territory. Five Danite scouts (πέντε ἄνδρες υἱοὶ δυνάμεως, v. 2) lodge at Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim, recognise the voice of the young Levite, and consult him oracularly (vv. 3–6); they spy out LAISH (here Λαισα), a people dwelling in false security (καθήμενον ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι, v. 7), quiet (ἡσυχάζουσα) and far from the Sidonians, and bring back an enthusiastic report (vv. 8–10). Six hundred armed men (ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες) march out from Zorah and Eshtaol (v. 11), camp at Kiriath-jearim (the etiological 'Camp of Dan', v. 12), and at Micah's house seize the carved image (γλυπτόν), the ephod (εφωδ), the teraphim (θεραφιν), and the cast idol (χωνευτόν), luring the Levite to become priest 'to a tribe and a clan in Israel' rather than to one man's house (vv. 14–20). Micah's pursuit and his pathetic protest — τὸ γλυπτόν μου … ἐλάβετε … καὶ τί ἐμοὶ ἔτι ('you have taken my carved god … and what have I left?', v. 24) — meet only the Danites' menacing counsel, and he turns home helpless before the stronger party (vv. 25–26). Dan then puts Laish to the sword (ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας), burns the city, and rebuilds it as DAN, named for their ancestor (vv. 27–29). They set up the carved image, with Jonathan (Ιωναθαμ) son of Gershom son of Manasseh, and his sons, as priests to the tribe of Dan 'until the day of the captivity of the land' (ἕως ἡμέρας ἀποικίας τῆς γῆς, v. 30) — while the house of God remained at Shiloh (Σηλωμ, v. 31). The opening refrain ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις οὐκ ἦν βασιλεὺς ἐν Ισραηλ frames the whole as an account of covenantal and cultic anarchy in the era before the monarchy.

1

ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις οὐκ ἦν βασιλεὺς ἐν Ισραηλ καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἡ φυλὴ Δαν ἐζήτει αὑτῇ κληρονομίαν κατοικῆσαι ὅτι οὐκ ἐνέπεσεν αὐτῇ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης ἐν μέσῳ φυλῶν Ισραηλ κληρονομία

In those days there was no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of Dan was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in, because until that day no inheritance had fallen to it in the midst of the tribes of Israel.

Episode-opening temporal frame with the 'no king' refrainἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις
The chapter opens with the recurring appendix-refrain ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις οὐκ ἦν βασιλεὺς ἐν Ισραηλ (cf. 17:6; 19:1; 21:25), which frames the Danite migration as a symptom of pre-monarchic disorder; the repeated temporal phrase and the closing position of κληρονομία (the verse's key term) form a thematic envelope.
Word-by-word analysis· 34 words
ἐνinpreposition + dative (temporal)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ταῖςtheDativearticleταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέραιςdaysDativedative of time (temporal frame)ἡμέρα: 'day'; the phrase ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ('in those days') renders בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, a standard LXX narrative-setting formula locating the episode in the chaotic period of the judges.
ἐκείναιςthoseDativedemonstrative adjective (modifying ἡμέραις)ἐκεῖνος: 'that / those'; the distal demonstrative places the narrated time at a remove from the narrator, characteristic of retrospective historiography.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἦν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἦνthere wasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (existential, negated)→ stative imperfect (ongoing state of affairs)εἰμί (impf.): the existential ἦν with οὐκ renders אֵין / לֹא הָיָה; the imperfect frames the kingless condition as a sustained background state, not a momentary event.
βασιλεὺςkingNominativesubject of the existential clauseβασιλεύς: 'king'; renders מֶלֶךְ; the refrain's point is the absence of central authority, leaving each tribe and individual to act 'as was right in his own eyes' (cf. 17:6; 21:25).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΙσραηλIsraelobject of ἐν (indeclinable proper noun)Ισραηλ: transliteration of יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable in the LXX; here the corporate nation under whose name the tribes are reckoned.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (temporal, repeated)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ταῖςtheDativearticleταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέραιςdaysDativedative of time (resumptive temporal frame)the temporal phrase is repeated for emphasis, binding the kingless condition to the Danite quest that follows.
ἐκείναιςthoseDativedemonstrative adjective (modifying ἡμέραις)ἐκείναις: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
theNominativearticle (with φυλή)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλὴtribeNominativesubject of ἐζήτειφυλή: 'tribe / clan'; renders שֵׁבֶט; here the tribe of Dan acting as a corporate agent in search of territory.
Δανof Danindeclinable proper noun in apposition / attributive to φυλήΔαν: transliteration of דָּן; indeclinable; the fifth son of Jacob (by Bilhah) and the tribe descended from him, whose original coastal allotment (Josh 19:40–48) it could not hold.
ἐζήτειwas seekingImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · ζητέωmain verb (durative search)→ iterative/durative imperfect (an ongoing, unsuccessful quest)ζητέω: 'seek / look for'; renders בִּקֵּשׁ / דָּרַשׁ; the imperfect ἐζήτει portrays the search for an inheritance as a continuing, as-yet-unfulfilled effort.
αὑτῇfor itselfDativereflexive dative of advantageἑαυτοῦ (crasis αὑτῇ): the reflexive 'for itself' (dativus commodi) underlines that Dan acted on its own initiative to secure territory for its own benefit.
κληρονομίανinheritanceAccusativedirect object of ἐζήτεικληρονομία: 'inheritance / allotted possession'; renders נַחֲלָה; the leading theological term of the chapter — the divinely apportioned tribal land that Dan lacked and now sought to seize by force.
κατοικῆσαιto dwell inAor Act Inf · κατοικέωepexegetic infinitive (purpose of the inheritance)→ complementary aorist infinitive (the goal of settled habitation)κατοικέω: 'settle / dwell'; renders יָשַׁב; the infinitive defines the inheritance Dan sought as land it could permanently inhabit.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunctionὅτι: 'because / for'; introduces the explanation of Dan's quest: no inheritance had yet fallen to it.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἐνέπεσεν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐνέπεσενhad fallenAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐμπίπτωverb of the causal clause→ constative aorist (settled negative fact)ἐμπίπτω: 'fall in / fall to'; here of an allotment 'falling' to a tribe (the language of casting lots, נָפַל); the LXX uses the falling-idiom for the apportionment of territory by lot (cf. Num 34:2).
αὐτῇto itDativedative of recipient (the tribe)αὐτός: the dative 'to it' refers back to ἡ φυλὴ Δαν as the would-be recipient of an allotment.
ἕωςuntilpreposition + genitive (temporal limit)ἕως: 'until / up to'; marks the temporal boundary 'until that day,' stressing the persistence of Dan's landless condition.
τῆςtheGenitivearticleτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέραςdayGenitivegenitive object of ἕως (temporal)ἡμέρα: 'day'; the phrase ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης ('until that day') fixes the point up to which Dan remained without an allotment.
ἐκείνηςthatGenitivedemonstrative adjective (modifying ἡμέρας)ἐκείνης: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
μέσῳthe midstDativeobject of ἐν (locative: 'in the midst of')μέσος: 'middle / midst'; the phrase ἐν μέσῳ φυλῶν Ισραηλ ('in the midst of the tribes of Israel') renders בְּתוֹךְ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, locating Dan's lack among the already-settled tribes.
φυλῶνtribesGenitivepartitive/relational genitive (with μέσῳ)φυλή: 'tribe'; genitive plural with μέσῳ; Dan alone among the tribes still lacked secure possession.
Ισραηλof Israelindeclinable genitive (with φυλῶν)Ισραηλ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
κληρονομίαan inheritanceNominativesubject of ἐνέπεσεν (delayed, emphatic)κληρονομία: the verse-final, emphatic recurrence of the key term forms an envelope with κληρονομίαν above; the inheritance is the grammatical subject of 'had not fallen,' its end-placement underscoring its absence.
2

καὶ ἀπέστειλαν οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν ἀπὸ δήμων αὐτῶν πέντε ἄνδρας υἱοὺς δυνάμεως ἀπὸ Σαραα καὶ ἀπὸ Εσθαολ τοῦ κατασκέψασθαι τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐξιχνιάσαι αὐτὴν καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτούς πορεύεσθε καὶ ἐξιχνιάσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ ἦλθον ἕως ὄρους Εφραιμ ἕως οἴκου Μιχαια καὶ ηὐλίσθησαν ἐκεῖ

And the sons of Dan sent from their clans five men, sons of valor, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to scout out the land and to explore it; and they said to them, 'Go and explore the land.' And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, and lodged there.

Main narrative advance (commissioning of the reconnaissance)καὶ ἀπέστειλαν
The verse launches the migration narrative with a chain of καί-paratactic clauses typical of LXX Hebraizing narrative; the doubled verbs of reconnaissance (κατασκέψασθαι … ἐξιχνιάσαι, then ἐξιχνιάσατε) and the route to Micah's house tie this episode back to ch. 17.
Word-by-word analysis· 44 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing parataxis)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπέστειλανsentAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (dispatch of scouts)→ constative aorist (single decisive act)ἀποστέλλω: 'send out / commission'; renders שָׁלַח; the compound ἀπο- marks dispatch with a mandate, fitting the official sending of reconnaissance agents.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοί)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of ἀπέστειλανυἱός: 'son'; οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν ('the sons of Dan') renders בְּנֵי דָן, the standard idiom for the members of the tribe collectively.
Δανof Danindeclinable genitive (with υἱοί)Δαν: the tribe acting corporately to seek territory.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (source)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
δήμωνclansGenitivegenitive of source (with ἀπό)δῆμος: 'clan / district / people-group'; renders מִשְׁפָּחָה ('family / clan'); the scouts are drawn 'from their clans,' i.e. representatively from the tribal subdivisions.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivepossessive genitive (with δήμων)αὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
πέντεfiveindeclinable numeral (modifying ἄνδρας)πέντε: 'five'; indeclinable cardinal; the five scouts recur as a fixed group throughout the chapter (vv. 7, 14, 17).
ἄνδραςmenAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλανἀνήρ: 'man'; renders אִישׁ; the chosen reconnaissance party.
υἱοὺςsonsAccusativeaccusative in apposition to ἄνδραςυἱός: in the idiom υἱοὶ δυνάμεως ('sons of valor/might') the noun 'son' denotes membership in a quality-class, a Hebraism (בְּנֵי חַיִל).
δυνάμεωςof valorGenitivegenitive of quality (Hebraism: 'men of valor')δύναμις: 'power / might / valor'; the phrase υἱοὶ δυνάμεως renders בְּנֵי חַיִל ('able / valiant men'), a Hebraism for capable warriors.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (origin: town)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΣαρααZorahindeclinable place name (object of ἀπό)Σαραα: transliteration of צָרְעָה (Zorah); indeclinable; a Danite town in the Shephelah, associated also with Samson (13:2).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (origin: town)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΕσθαολEshtaolindeclinable place name (object of ἀπό)Εσθαολ: transliteration of אֶשְׁתָּאוֹל (Eshtaol); indeclinable; the paired towns Zorah and Eshtaol mark the Danite heartland (cf. v. 11).
τοῦtoGenitivearticular-infinitive marker (genitive of purpose)the articular τοῦ + infinitive expresses purpose ('in order to'), a frequent LXX construction rendering the Hebrew infinitive with לְ.
κατασκέψασθαιto scout outAor Mid Inf · κατασκέπτομαιpurpose infinitive (with τοῦ)→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose of the mission)κατασκέπτομαι: 'reconnoitre / spy out / inspect'; renders רָגַל / תּוּר; a technical term for military reconnaissance (cf. the spies of Num 13 LXX).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of κατασκέψασθαιγῆ: 'land / earth / territory'; renders אֶרֶץ; the object of reconnaissance — prospective Danite territory.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking infinitives)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξιχνιάσαιto exploreAor Act Inf · ἐξιχνιάζωsecond purpose infinitive (with τοῦ)→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose)ἐξιχνιάζω: 'track out / explore thoroughly / trace'; from ἴχνος ('footprint'); a vivid term for searching out a land step by step, intensifying κατασκέψασθαι.
αὐτὴνitAccusativedirect object of ἐξιχνιάσαι (referring to γῆν)αὐτὴν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aorist (single speech-act)λέγω: the Danite leaders give the scouts their charge; εἶπαν is the Hellenistic first-aorist plural form.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτούςthemAccusativeobject of πρός (the scouts)αὐτούς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
πορεύεσθεgoPres Mid Impv 2 Pl · πορεύομαιimperative (direct command to the scouts)→ durative present imperative (set out and proceed)πορεύομαι: 'go / journey'; renders הָלַךְ; the present imperative commands the undertaking of the journey.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking commands)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξιχνιάσατεexploreAor Act Impv 2 Pl · ἐξιχνιάζωimperative (the reconnaissance command)→ ingressive aorist imperative (carry out the search)ἐξιχνιάζω: the command resumes the purpose-infinitive of the mission, repeating the verb of thorough exploration as a direct order.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of ἐξιχνιάσατεγῆν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦλθονthey cameAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb (arrival of the scouts)→ constative aorist (completed movement)ἔρχομαι: 'come / go'; renders בּוֹא; advances the narrative from commission to arrival in Ephraim.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (spatial extent)ἕως: here spatial 'as far as / up to,' marking the limit of the scouts' journey.
ὄρουςthe hill countryGenitivegenitive object of ἕωςὄρος: 'mountain / hill country'; ὄρος Εφραιμ renders הַר אֶפְרַיִם, 'the hill country of Ephraim,' the central highlands where Micah's house lay.
Εφραιμof Ephraimindeclinable genitive (with ὄρους)Εφραιμ: transliteration of אֶפְרַיִם; indeclinable; the central-highland tribal territory.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (spatial, resumptive)ἕως: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
οἴκουthe houseGenitivegenitive object of ἕωςοἶκος: 'house / household'; renders בַּיִת; Micah's house is the narrative link with ch. 17 and the locus of the contested cult objects.
Μιχαιαof MicahGenitivegenitive of possession (with οἴκου)Μιχαιας (gen. Μιχαια): the Ephraimite of ch. 17 who fashioned a private shrine; the name is partly declined in Rahlfs (nom. Μιχαιας, gen./dat. Μιχαια), hence treated as a declinable noun; rendering מִיכָיְהוּ / מִיכָה ('who is like Yah?').
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ηὐλίσθησανthey lodgedAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · αὐλίζομαιmain verb (overnight stay)→ constative aorist (completed act of lodging)αὐλίζομαι: 'lodge / pass the night / encamp'; renders לוּן; the deponent-passive aorist marks the scouts' overnight stay at Micah's house, setting up the recognition of v. 3.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of placeἐκεῖ: 'there'; the deictic adverb fixes the lodging at Micah's house.
3

αὐτοὶ ἐν οἴκῳ Μιχαια καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπέγνωσαν τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ νεανίσκου τοῦ Λευίτου καὶ ἐξέκλιναν ἐκεῖ καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ τίς ἤνεγκέν σε ὧδε καὶ τί σὺ ποιεῖς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ καὶ τί σοι ὧδε

While they were at the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man, the Levite, and they turned aside there and said to him, 'Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what is there for you here?'

Circumstantial setting + recognition eventαὐτοὶ ἐν οἴκῳ Μιχαια
The fronted αὐτοί (twice) is a Hebraizing nominativus pendens / circumstantial construction ('they being at Micah's house … they recognized'); the recognition of the Levite's voice triggers the triple interrogation that exposes the irregular private cult of ch. 17.
Word-by-word analysis· 35 words
αὐτοὶtheyNominativesubject (fronted, circumstantial)αὐτός: the emphatic fronted pronoun, lacking an expressed verb, forms a circumstantial clause ('they being at Micah's house'), a Hebraism rendering the participial/verbless Hebrew construction.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
οἴκῳthe houseDativeobject of ἐν (locative)οἶκος: 'house'; the scouts are within Micah's household when recognition occurs.
Μιχαιαof MicahGenitivegenitive of possession (with οἴκῳ)Μιχαιας (gen. Μιχαια): see v. 2.
καὶandcoordinating conjunction (linking circumstantial to main clause)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
αὐτοὶtheyNominativesubject of ἐπέγνωσαν (resumptive emphatic)αὐτός: the resumptive αὐτοί picks up the fronted subject, a Hebraizing redundancy giving emphasis to the agents of recognition.
ἐπέγνωσανrecognizedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐπιγινώσκωmain verb (act of recognition)→ ingressive aorist (came to recognize)ἐπιγινώσκω: 'recognize / identify / know fully'; the compound ἐπι- intensifies γινώσκω; the scouts identify the Levite by his distinctive accent or speech (cf. the dialect-recognition motif at 12:6).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with φωνήν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φωνὴνvoiceAccusativedirect object of ἐπέγνωσανφωνή: 'voice / sound'; renders קוֹל; the recognized voice betrays the Levite's identity and provenance, prompting the interrogation.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with νεανίσκου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νεανίσκουyoung manGenitivepossessive genitive (with φωνήν)νεανίσκος: 'young man / youth'; renders נַעַר; the Levite of ch. 17 was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah whom Micah hired as priest.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Λευίτου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΛευίτουLeviteGenitivegenitive in apposition to νεανίσκουΛευίτης (gen. Λευίτου): 'Levite'; a declinable Greek formation from Λευί (לֵוִי); the young man's Levitical status is the crux of the chapter's cultic irony — a member of the priestly tribe serving an idolatrous private shrine.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξέκλινανthey turned asideAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐκκλίνωmain verb (movement toward the Levite)→ constative aorist (completed act)ἐκκλίνω: 'turn aside / deviate'; renders סוּר / נָטָה; the scouts turn off their path to engage the Levite (cf. v. 15).
ἐκεῖthereadverb of placeἐκεῖ: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the threefold interrogation of the Levite.
αὐτῷto himDativeindirect object (the Levite)αὐτῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τίςwhoNominativeinterrogative pronoun (subject of ἤνεγκεν)τίς: interrogative 'who?'; opens the first of three questions probing the Levite's presence.
ἤνεγκένbroughtAor Act Indic 3 Sg · φέρωverb of the question clause→ constative aoristφέρω: 'bring / carry'; the suppletive aorist ἤνεγκεν; the question 'who brought you here?' probes the Levite's origin and the circumstances of his employment.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἤνεγκενσε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ὧδεhereadverb of placeὧδε: 'here / to this place'; renders הֲלֹם / פֹּה.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking questions)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τίwhatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (object of ποιεῖς)τίς/τί: interrogative 'what?'; the second question asks what the Levite is doing in this place.
σὺyouNominativesubject (emphatic) of ποιεῖςσύ: the emphatic pronoun sharpens the interrogation: 'what are you doing here?'
ποιεῖςare doingPres Act Indic 2 Sg · ποιέωverb of the question clause→ progressive present (current activity)ποιέω: 'do / make'; the present tense asks about the Levite's ongoing function at Micah's shrine.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticle (with τόπῳ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τόπῳplaceDativeobject of ἐν (locative)τόπος: 'place / spot'; renders מָקוֹם; here Micah's house, perhaps with cultic overtones ('this [holy] place').
τούτῳthisDativedemonstrative adjective (modifying τόπῳ)οὗτος: 'this'; the proximate demonstrative points to Micah's house.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking questions)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τίwhatNominativeinterrogative pronoun (predicate in verbless question)τίς/τί: the third question, verbless: 'what (is there) for you here?' — probing what holds the Levite in this place.
σοιto youDativedative of possession/interest (verbless clause)σύ (dat. σοι): 'to/for you'; the dative of interest in the idiom τί σοι ὧδε ('what is there for you here?').
ὧδεhereadverb of placeὧδε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
4

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς οὕτως καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησέν μοι Μιχαιας καὶ ἐμισθώσατό με καὶ ἐγενόμην αὐτῷ εἰς ἱερέα

And he said to them, 'Thus and thus Micah has done for me; he hired me, and I became a priest to him.'

Reply to the scouts' interrogationκαὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς
The Levite's answer (οὕτως καὶ οὕτως, 'thus and thus') summarizes the arrangement of 17:10–12: Micah hired him and he became Micah's priest; the mercenary verb ἐμισθώσατο exposes the commercial, irregular basis of this private priesthood.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενhe saidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the Levite's reply to the scouts.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτούςthemAccusativeobject of πρός (the scouts)αὐτούς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
οὕτωςthusadverb of mannerοὕτως: 'thus / so'; the doubled οὕτως καὶ οὕτως ('thus and thus') is an idiom for summarizing an arrangement without restating its details (cf. 2 Sam 11:25 LXX), rendering כָּזֹה וְכָזֶה.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (within the idiom)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οὕτωςthusadverb of manner (repeated)οὕτως: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἐποίησένhas doneAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (Micah's action)→ constative aorist (completed arrangement)ποιέω: 'do / make / deal with'; here 'Micah has done for me,' summarizing the hiring arrangement of ch. 17.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage (the Levite)μοι: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ΜιχαιαςMicahNominativesubject of ἐποίησενΜιχαιας: the nominative form of the name (gen. Μιχαια); the Ephraimite shrine-owner who hired the Levite.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐμισθώσατόhe hiredAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · μισθόωmain verb (Micah's hiring)→ constative aorist (completed transaction)μισθόω (mid.): 'hire / engage for wages'; renders שָׂכַר; the middle voice ('hired for himself') stresses the commercial bargain by which Micah secured a Levitical priest (cf. 17:10).
μεmeAccusativedirect object of ἐμισθώσατομε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγενόμηνI becameAor Mid Indic 1 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (resultant status)→ constative aorist (achieved status)γίνομαι: 'become / come to be'; the idiom ἐγενόμην αὐτῷ εἰς ἱερέα ('I became a priest to him') uses εἰς + accusative to render the Hebrew הָיָה לְ ('became as/for'), a predicative Hebraism.
αὐτῷto himDativedative of interest (Micah)αὐτῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰςaspreposition + accusative (predicative: 'as a priest')εἰς: in the Hebraizing predicative idiom εἰς + accusative ('to become as / for'), rendering לְ; marks the role into which the Levite entered.
ἱερέαpriestAccusativepredicate accusative (with εἰς)ἱερεύς: 'priest'; renders כֹּהֵן; the Levite's priestly role in Micah's private shrine — irregular both in its location and its hireling basis.
5

καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ ἐρώτησον δὴ ἐν τῷ θεῷ καὶ γνωσόμεθα εἰ εὐοδωθήσεται ἡ ὁδὸς ἡμῶν ἐν ᾗ ἡμεῖς πορευόμεθα ἐν αὐτῇ

And they said to him, 'Inquire now of God, that we may know whether our way on which we are going will prosper.'

Request for an oracleκαὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ
The scouts ask the Levite for an oracular inquiry (ἐρώτησον … ἐν τῷ θεῷ); the construction ἐρωτάω ἐν τῷ θεῷ ('inquire by/of God') reflects Hebrew שָׁאַל בֵּאלֹהִים, the technical idiom for consulting the divine will, here through the irregular shrine.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the scouts' request for an oracle.
αὐτῷto himDativeindirect object (the Levite)αὐτῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐρώτησονinquireAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐρωτάωimperative (request for oracle)→ ingressive aorist imperative (make the inquiry)ἐρωτάω: 'ask / inquire'; here in the oracular idiom ἐρωτάω ἐν τῷ θεῷ ('inquire of God'), rendering שָׁאַל בֵּאלֹהִים, a technical term for divinatory consultation.
δὴnowentreaty particle (with imperative)δή: 'now / pray'; an enclitic particle of entreaty softening the imperative, rendering the Hebrew נָא.
ἐνofpreposition + dative (oracular: 'inquire by/of')ἐν: in the oracular idiom 'inquire of/by God,' rendering the בְּ of שָׁאַל בֵּאלֹהִים.
τῷtheDativearticle (with θεῷ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεῷGodDativeobject of ἐν (the one consulted)θεός: 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; the irony is sharp — the scouts seek a genuine divine oracle through an apostate shrine furnished with ephod, teraphim, and idols.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (result-purpose)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
γνωσόμεθαwe may knowFut Mid Indic 1 Pl · γινώσκωmain verb (purpose-result of the inquiry)→ future of intended result ('so that we shall know')γινώσκω: 'know / ascertain'; the future after καί expresses the purpose of the inquiry — to learn the outcome of their journey.
εἰwhetherconjunction introducing indirect questionεἰ: 'if / whether'; introduces the indirect question about the success of their road.
εὐοδωθήσεταιwill prosperFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · εὐοδόωverb of the indirect question→ predictive future passive (will be made prosperous)εὐοδόω: 'prosper / have a good journey'; from εὖ + ὁδός ('good way'); the passive 'be granted success on the road,' rendering צָלַח; especially apt of a journey's success.
theNominativearticle (with ὁδός)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁδὸςwayNominativesubject of εὐοδωθήσεταιὁδός: 'way / road / journey'; renders דֶּרֶךְ; the 'way' is the Danite expedition itself, whose prospering they seek to confirm.
ἡμῶνourGenitivepossessive genitive (with ὁδός)ἡμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνonpreposition + dative (within relative clause)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
whichDativerelative pronoun (object of ἐν, antecedent ὁδός)ὅς: relative pronoun; the construction ἐν ᾗ … ἐν αὐτῇ ('on which … on it') is a Hebraizing resumptive-pronoun relative clause (אֲשֶׁר … בָּהּ).
ἡμεῖςweNominativesubject (emphatic) of πορευόμεθαἡμεῖς: the emphatic pronoun underscores the scouts as the travelers whose road is in question.
πορευόμεθαare goingPres Mid Indic 1 Pl · πορεύομαιverb of the relative clause→ progressive present (journey in progress)πορεύομαι: 'go / journey'; the present marks the expedition as currently under way.
ἐνonpreposition + dative (resumptive)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτῇitDativeresumptive pronoun (with ᾗ: Hebraism)αὐτός: the resumptive 'on it' redundantly repeats the relative ᾗ, a Hebraism (אֲשֶׁר … בָּהּ).
6

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἱερεύς πορεύεσθε ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἡ ὁδὸς ὑμῶν ἐν ᾗ πορεύεσθε ἐν αὐτῇ

And the priest said to them, 'Go in peace; your way on which you go is before the LORD.'

The Levite's oracular responseκαὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἱερεύς
The priest's reassuring oracle πορεύεσθε ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἐνώπιον κυρίου ('go in peace; your way is before the LORD') is studiedly ambiguous and, in narrative irony, a hollow blessing from an illegitimate shrine; ἐνώπιον κυρίου ('before the LORD') invokes the very Tetragrammaton whose worship this cult perverts.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the priest's oracular answer.
αὐτοῖςto themDativeindirect object (the scouts)αὐτοῖς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
theNominativearticle (with ἱερεύς)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερεύςpriestNominativesubject of εἶπενἱερεύς: 'priest'; the narrator now styles the young Levite simply 'the priest,' the title he claims through Micah's irregular ordination.
πορεύεσθεgoPres Mid Impv 2 Pl · πορεύομαιimperative (the oracle's dismissal)→ durative present imperative (proceed on your way)πορεύομαι: the dismissal formula πορεύεσθε ἐν εἰρήνῃ ('go in peace') renders לְכוּ לְשָׁלוֹם, a standard sending-off blessing (cf. 1 Sam 1:17; 20:42 LXX).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (manner)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
εἰρήνῃpeaceDativedative of manner (with πορεύεσθε)εἰρήνη: 'peace / well-being'; renders שָׁלוֹם; here in the farewell idiom 'go in peace,' connoting a prosperous and safe journey.
ἐνώπιονbeforepreposition + genitive (in the presence/sight of)ἐνώπιον: 'before / in the sight of'; Hebraism rendering לִפְנֵי / נֶגֶד; the phrase ἐνώπιον κυρίου declares the journey to be under the LORD's regard — an ironic claim from this shrine.
κυρίουthe LORDGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιονκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the priest invokes the covenant LORD himself, sharpening the irony of a true divine name spoken over an idolatrous expedition.
theNominativearticle (with ὁδός)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁδὸςwayNominativesubject of the verbless predication ('your way [is] before the LORD')ὁδός: 'way / journey'; the verbless clause ἡ ὁδὸς ὑμῶν … ἐνώπιον κυρίου declares the expedition to lie under divine notice.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivepossessive genitive (with ὁδός)ὑμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνonpreposition + dative (within relative clause)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
whichDativerelative pronoun (antecedent ὁδός)ὅς: relative pronoun; again with resumptive ἐν αὐτῇ, a Hebraizing relative construction.
πορεύεσθεyou goPres Mid Indic 2 Pl · πορεύομαιverb of the relative clause→ progressive present (journey in progress)πορεύομαι: here indicative ('on which you are going'), describing the road in question.
ἐνonpreposition + dative (resumptive)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτῇitDativeresumptive pronoun (with ᾗ: Hebraism)αὐτός: resumptive 'on it,' redundantly repeating the relative — a Hebraism (אֲשֶׁר … בָּהּ).
7

καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν οἱ πέντε ἄνδρες καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Λαισα καὶ εἶδαν τὸν λαὸν τὸν ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς καθήμενον ἐπ᾿ ἐλπίδι ὡς κρίσις Σιδωνίων ἡσυχάζουσα καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν διατρέπων ἢ καταισχύνων λόγον ἐν τῇ γῇ κληρονόμος ἐκπιέζων θησαυροῦ καὶ μακράν εἰσιν Σιδωνίων καὶ λόγον οὐκ ἔχουσιν πρὸς ἄνθρωπον

And the five men went and came to Laish, and saw the people who were in its midst dwelling in security, after the manner of the Sidonians — quiet and trusting; and there was no one putting to shame or restraining a matter in the land, no heir pressing for treasure; and they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealing with anyone.

Reconnaissance of Laish (descriptive aside)καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν οἱ πέντε ἄνδρες
The scouts reach Laish and the narrator gives a notoriously difficult description of its inhabitants' false security; the textually rough cluster (κρίσις Σιδωνίων … διατρέπων … κληρονόμος ἐκπιέζων θησαυροῦ) is among the most obscure in LXX Judges, reflecting a literal rendering of an already opaque Hebrew. The thrust is clear: a quiet, isolated, unguarded people, ripe for conquest.
Word-by-word analysis· 47 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπορεύθησανwentAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (departure of the scouts)→ constative aorist (completed movement)πορεύομαι: 'go / journey'; the deponent-passive aorist resumes the scouts' journey toward their target.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄνδρες)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πέντεfiveindeclinable numeral (with ἄνδρες)πέντε: 'five'; the fixed reconnaissance group of v. 2.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of ἐπορεύθησαν / ἦλθον / εἶδανἀνήρ: 'man'; the five scouts.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦλθονcameAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb (arrival)→ constative aoristἔρχομαι: 'come'; the scouts reach Laish.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΛαισαLaishindeclinable place name (object of εἰς)Λαισα: transliteration of לַיִשׁ (Laish), also called Leshem (Josh 19:47); indeclinable; a northern town near the Jordan's headwaters, to be renamed Dan (v. 29).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶδανsawAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ὁράωmain verb (observation)→ constative aorist (act of inspection)ὁράω: 'see / observe'; the Hellenistic first-aorist εἶδαν; the scouts' inspection yields the security-assessment that follows.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with λαόν)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸνpeopleAccusativedirect object of εἶδανλαός: 'people / population'; renders עַם; the inhabitants of Laish.
τὸνthe oneAccusativearticle (attributive, governing the participial phrase)the repeated article introduces the attributive phrase 'who were in its midst dwelling...'
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
μέσῳthe midstDativeobject of ἐν (locative)μέσος: 'midst'; ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς ('in its midst') = within the city.
αὐτῆςitsGenitivegenitive (referring to the city Laish)αὐτῆς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καθήμενονdwellingPres Mid Ptcp Acc Sg Masc · κάθημαιattributive participle (modifying λαόν)→ durative present participle (settled, ongoing habitation)κάθημαι: 'sit / dwell / be settled'; renders יָשַׁב; the participle 'dwelling' conveys settled, complacent habitation, here qualified by 'in security.'
ἐπ᾿inpreposition + dative (manner/state)ἐπί + dat.: in the idiom ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι ('in security/confidence'); see next.
ἐλπίδιsecurityDativeobject of ἐπί (state: 'in confidence')ἐλπίς: 'hope / confidence / security'; here καθήμενον ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι renders יוֹשֶׁבֶת לָבֶטַח ('dwelling securely / unsuspecting'); the false sense of safety that makes Laish vulnerable.
ὡςafter the manner ofcomparative particleὡς: 'as / like'; here 'after the manner of (the Sidonians),' comparing Laish's untroubled life to Sidonian custom.
κρίσιςmanner / customNominativepredicate noun (difficult: 'as [the] custom of the Sidonians')κρίσις: usually 'judgment / decision,' here rendering מִשְׁפָּט in its sense 'custom / manner of life'; the obscure phrase ὡς κρίσις Σιδωνίων = 'after the manner of the Sidonians,' i.e. living the secure, commercial life characteristic of Phoenician cities.
Σιδωνίωνof the SidoniansGenitivegenitive (with κρίσις)Σιδώνιος: 'Sidonian'; gentilic from Σιδών (צִידוֹן); the Phoenician city whose distant security Laish imitated but from whose protection it was cut off.
ἡσυχάζουσαquietPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Fem · ἡσυχάζωparticiple (describing the city/people, fem. agreeing with κρίσις or the city)→ durative present participle (an ongoing state of tranquility)ἡσυχάζω: 'be quiet / be at rest / live undisturbed'; renders שֹׁקֵט / שָׁקֵט; a thematic word for Laish (cf. vv. 10, 27) — its peaceful, defenceless tranquility seals its doom.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἔστιν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔστινthere isPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential verb (negated)→ gnomic/descriptive present (state of affairs)εἰμί: existential 'there is (no one)'; the present tense within the report describes the conditions found at Laish.
διατρέπωνputting to shamePres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · διατρέπωsubstantival participle (subject of the negated existential)→ durative present participleδιατρέπω: 'turn about / put to shame / confound'; a rare verb; the sense of the obscure clause is that no authority in the land restrained, shamed, or interfered with anyone — Laish lacked coercive governance.
ordisjunctive conjunctionἤ: 'or'; links the two participles describing absent restraint.
καταισχύνωνrestraining / shamingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · καταισχύνωsubstantival participle (parallel to διατρέπων)→ durative present participleκαταισχύνω: 'put to shame / dishonor'; here, with λόγον as object, of suppressing or controlling 'a matter' — the picture is of a society without harsh overlords or enforced order.
λόγονa matterAccusativedirect object of καταισχύνωνλόγος: 'word / matter / affair'; renders דָּבָר; here 'a matter / business / thing,' the object of the absent restraint.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῇtheDativearticle (with γῇ)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῇlandDativeobject of ἐν (locative)γῆ: 'land'; the territory of Laish, free of coercive authority.
κληρονόμοςheirNominativesubject (in apposition to the negated existential)κληρονόμος: 'heir / possessor'; in this obscure clause likely 'no one possessing/controlling [the land] so as to extort wealth'; renders an opaque Hebrew text (cf. עֹצֵר / יוֹרֵשׁ).
ἐκπιέζωνpressingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · ἐκπιέζωparticiple (modifying κληρονόμος)→ durative present participleἐκπιέζω: 'press out / squeeze / extort'; the sense: no overlord squeezing the people for treasure — Laish was free of oppressive exaction, hence prosperous and unwary.
θησαυροῦtreasureGenitivegenitive object of ἐκπιέζων (of that which is extorted)θησαυρός: 'treasure / store'; renders אוֹצָר / עֹצֶר; the object of the (absent) extortion — no one squeezing the land for stored wealth.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
μακράνfaradverb (predicate of distance)μακράν: 'far / at a distance'; adverbial accusative; Laish's remoteness from Sidon (its natural protector) is repeated at v. 28 as the reason no deliverer came.
εἰσινthey arePres Act Indic 3 Pl · εἰμίmain verb (predicate of distance)→ descriptive presentεἰμί: 'are'; the people of Laish 'are far' from the Sidonians.
Σιδωνίωνfrom the SidoniansGenitivegenitive of separation (with μακράν)Σιδώνιος: the genitive of separation marks the distance from Sidon, the city whose alliance might have defended Laish.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
λόγονdealingAccusativedirect object of ἔχουσινλόγος: here 'word / dealing / business'; the idiom λόγον οὐκ ἔχουσιν πρὸς ἄνθρωπον ('they have no dealing with anyone') marks Laish's diplomatic isolation — no treaty or relationship with any people who might come to its aid (cf. v. 28).
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἔχουσιν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔχουσινthey havePres Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔχωmain verb (negated)→ descriptive presentἔχω: 'have / hold'; with λόγον, 'have dealings/relations,' here negated to underline Laish's total isolation.
πρὸςwithpreposition + accusative (relation)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἄνθρωπονanyoneAccusativeobject of πρόςἄνθρωπος: 'man / person'; here generic 'anyone' (אָדָם); Laish had no ally among all peoples.
8

καὶ ἦλθον οἱ πέντε ἄνδρες πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν εἰς Σαραα καὶ Εσθαολ καὶ εἶπον τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτῶν τί ὑμεῖς κάθησθε

And the five men came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers said to them, 'Why are you sitting?'

Return of the scouts and the brothers' questionκαὶ ἦλθον οἱ πέντε ἄνδρες
The scouts return to the Danite base; the abrupt question τί ὑμεῖς κάθησθε ('why do you sit?') reverses the report-flow — it is the brothers who prompt, with κάθησθε ('sit idle') contrasting the urgency the scouts will press in vv. 9–10.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦλθονcameAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb (return)→ constative aoristἔρχομαι: 'come'; the scouts return to the tribe.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄνδρες)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πέντεfiveindeclinable numeral (with ἄνδρες)πέντε: the scouting party.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of ἦλθονἀνήρ: the five scouts.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (goal of motion)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with ἀδελφούς)τοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀδελφοὺςbrothersAccusativeobject of πρόςἀδελφός: 'brother / kinsman'; renders אָח; the fellow-Danites who sent them, called 'brothers' as members of the same tribe.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivepossessive genitive (with ἀδελφούς)αὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰςatpreposition + accusative (location reached)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΣαρααZorahindeclinable place name (object of εἰς)Σαραα: Zorah; see v. 2.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ΕσθαολEshtaolindeclinable place name (with εἰς)Εσθαολ: Eshtaol; see v. 2.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπονsaidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (the brothers' question)→ constative aoristλέγω: here the brothers are the implied subject, addressing the returning scouts.
τοῖςto theDativearticle (with ἀδελφοῖς)τοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀδελφοῖςbrothersDativeindirect object of εἶπονἀδελφός: the dative marks the addressees; the verse's reciprocal 'brothers … brothers' underscores tribal solidarity.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivepossessive genitive (with ἀδελφοῖς)αὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τίwhyinterrogative (adverbial accusative: 'why?')τίς/τί: here adverbial 'why?'; the question prods the scouts for their report and rebukes idleness.
ὑμεῖςyouNominativesubject (emphatic) of κάθησθεὑμεῖς: the emphatic pronoun sharpens the rebuke: 'why are you (just) sitting?'
κάθησθεare sittingPres Mid Indic 2 Pl · κάθημαιmain verb of the question→ progressive present (current idleness)κάθημαι: 'sit / remain'; here connoting inactivity — 'why do you sit (idle)?' — the foil to the call to action in vv. 9–10.
9

καὶ εἶπαν ἀνάστητε καὶ ἀναβῶμεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς ὅτι εἴδομεν τὴν γῆν καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀγαθὴ σφόδρα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἡσυχάζετε μὴ ὀκνήσητε τοῦ πορευθῆναι καὶ εἰσελθεῖν τοῦ κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν

And they said, 'Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is exceedingly good. And you are keeping quiet? Do not hesitate to go and enter in to take possession of the land.'

The scouts' summons to actionκαὶ εἶπαν ἀνάστητε
The scouts answer with a rapid sequence of volitives (ἀνάστητε … ἀναβῶμεν … μὴ ὀκνήσητε) and an enthusiastic land-report (ἀγαθὴ σφόδρα), deliberately echoing the good-land rhetoric of Num 13–14 — but here in service of an unauthorized seizure rather than the conquest of the promised inheritance.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the scouts' urgent reply.
ἀνάστητεariseAor Act Impv 2 Pl · ἀνίστημιimperative (summons to action)→ ingressive aorist imperative (get up and act)ἀνίστημι: 'rise / get up'; renders קוּם; the summons-formula 'arise!' opens calls to decisive action throughout the OT.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀναβῶμενlet us go upAor Act Subj 1 Pl · ἀναβαίνωhortatory subjunctive→ hortatory aorist subjunctive (let us advance)ἀναβαίνω: 'go up'; renders עָלָה; the standard verb for marching up to attack (cf. v. 12); the hortatory subjunctive expresses the scouts' resolve to lead the assault.
ἐπ᾿againstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction)ἐπί + acc.: 'against' in a hostile sense, of an attack 'up against' the people of Laish.
αὐτούςthemAccusativeobject of ἐπί (the people of Laish)αὐτούς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ὅτιforcausal conjunctionὅτι: 'because / for'; grounds the summons in the favorable report that follows.
εἴδομενwe have seenAor Act Indic 1 Pl · ὁράωverb of the causal clause→ constative aorist (completed inspection)ὁράω: 'see'; the scouts attest their firsthand reconnaissance as warrant for action.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of εἴδομενγῆ: 'land'; the territory of Laish, commended as excellent.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjectionἰδού: 'behold / look'; renders הִנֵּה; a deictic attention-marker heightening the report's vividness.
ἀγαθὴgoodNominativepredicate adjective (of the land)ἀγαθός: 'good'; renders טוֹב; the land is 'exceedingly good,' echoing the good-land motif of the promised inheritance (Deut 8:7).
σφόδραexceedinglyadverb of degree (intensifying ἀγαθή)σφόδρα: 'very / exceedingly'; renders מְאֹד; intensifies the commendation of the land.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (with adversative force)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ὑμεῖςyouNominativesubject (emphatic) of ἡσυχάζετεὑμεῖς: emphatic 'you' — a reproach: 'and you are sitting still!'
ἡσυχάζετεare keeping quietPres Act Indic 2 Pl · ἡσυχάζωmain verb (reproach)→ progressive present (ongoing inactivity)ἡσυχάζω: 'be quiet / be inactive'; the same verb describing Laish (v. 7) is now turned on the Danites as a rebuke for delay.
μὴdo notnegative particle (with prohibitive subjunctive)μή: negative of prohibition with the aorist subjunctive ὀκνήσητε.
ὀκνήσητεhesitateAor Act Subj 2 Pl · ὀκνέωprohibitive subjunctive→ prohibitive aorist subjunctive (do not delay/shrink)ὀκνέω: 'hesitate / shrink / be reluctant'; renders עָצֵל / חָשָׁה; the prohibition 'do not hesitate' presses for immediate action while Laish is unguarded.
τοῦtoGenitivearticular-infinitive marker (with πορευθῆναι)the articular τοῦ + infinitive expresses the action from which they must not shrink.
πορευθῆναιto goAor Pass Inf · πορεύομαιcomplementary infinitive (with ὀκνήσητε)→ complementary aorist infinitiveπορεύομαι: 'go'; the deponent aorist infinitive defines what the Danites must not hesitate to do — set out.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking infinitives)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἰσελθεῖνto enter inAor Act Inf · εἰσέρχομαιcomplementary infinitive (parallel to πορευθῆναι)→ complementary aorist infinitiveεἰσέρχομαι: 'enter / go in'; renders בּוֹא; of entering the land to occupy it.
τοῦtoGenitivearticular-infinitive marker (purpose, with κληρονομῆσαι)τοῦ + infinitive expressing purpose: 'in order to possess.'
κληρονομῆσαιto take possession ofAor Act Inf · κληρονομέωpurpose infinitive→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose)κληρονομέω: 'inherit / take possession of'; renders יָרַשׁ; the cognate of κληρονομία (v. 1) — Dan seeks by conquest the 'inheritance' it failed to receive by lot.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of κληρονομῆσαιγῆ: the land of Laish, object of the intended seizure.
10

καὶ ἡνίκα ἂν ἔλθητε εἰσελεύσεσθε πρὸς λαὸν ἐπ᾿ ἐλπίδι καὶ ἡ γῆ πλατεῖα ὅτι ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν ὁ θεὸς ἐν χειρὶ ὑμῶν τόπος ὅπου οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκεῖ ὑστέρημα παντὸς ῥήματος τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ

When you come, you will enter in to a people secure, and the land is broad; for God has given it into your hand — a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.

Continuation of the scouts' report (theological warrant)καὶ ἡνίκα ἂν ἔλθητε
The report climaxes with a theological claim — ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν ὁ θεός ('God has given it') — the conquest formula of Joshua, here pressed into the service of an idolatrous tribal venture; the land's breadth and abundance (πλατεῖα … οὐκ … ὑστέρημα) echo Exod 3:8 and Deut 8:9.
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἡνίκαwhentemporal conjunction (with ἄν + subj.)ἡνίκα: 'when / at the time when'; with ἄν and the subjunctive it forms an indefinite-temporal clause ('whenever you come').
ἂν(would)modal particle (with subjunctive)ἄν: modal particle marking the indefinite temporal clause with the subjunctive.
ἔλθητεyou comeAor Act Subj 2 Pl · ἔρχομαιverb of the temporal clause→ aorist subjunctive (indefinite future condition)ἔρχομαι: 'come'; the subjunctive with ἡνίκα ἄν views the Danites' arrival as a future certainty whose exact timing is open.
εἰσελεύσεσθεyou will enterFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (apodosis)→ predictive futureεἰσέρχομαι: 'enter / go in'; the future apodosis assures the Danites that on arrival they will come upon an unsuspecting people.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (goal)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
λαὸνa peopleAccusativeobject of πρόςλαός: 'people'; the inhabitants of Laish.
ἐπ᾿inpreposition + dative (state)ἐπί + dat.: in the idiom ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι, repeating the security-description of v. 7.
ἐλπίδιsecurityDativeobject of ἐπί (state of the people)ἐλπίς: 'confidence / security'; λαὸν ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι = 'a people (dwelling) in false security,' resuming v. 7 (לָבֶטַח).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
theNominativearticle (with γῆ)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆlandNominativesubject of the verbless clause ('the land [is] broad')γῆ: 'land'; subject of the predicate πλατεῖα.
πλατεῖαbroadNominativepredicate adjectiveπλατύς (fem. πλατεῖα): 'broad / spacious'; renders רַחֲבַת יָדַיִם ('broad of hands' = roomy); a land of ample extent, echoing the promised-land descriptions (Exod 3:8).
ὅτιforcausal conjunctionὅτι: 'because / for'; grounds the confidence in a theological claim of divine gift.
ἔδωκενhas givenAor Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιverb of the causal clause→ proleptic/constative aorist (the gift treated as already accomplished)δίδωμι: 'give'; the conquest-formula ἔδωκεν … ὁ θεὸς ἐν χειρὶ ὑμῶν ('God has given it into your hand') renders נָתַן … בְּיֶדְכֶם, the language of holy-war assurance (cf. Josh 6:2) — here applied, ironically, to Dan's freelance venture.
αὐτὴνitAccusativedirect object of ἔδωκεν (the land)αὐτὴν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
theNominativearticle (with θεός)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativesubject of ἔδωκενθεός: 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; the scouts attribute the impending conquest to divine gift — a theological claim the narrator leaves ironically unendorsed.
ἐνintopreposition + dative (idiom: 'into the hand')ἐν: in the idiom ἐν χειρί ('into the hand of'), rendering בְּיַד, the standard expression for delivering an enemy or land over to someone's power.
χειρὶhandDativeobject of ἐν (idiom of power)χείρ: 'hand'; metonymy for power/control; 'into your hand' = under your power.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivepossessive genitive (with χειρί)ὑμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τόποςa placeNominativenominative in apposition (to the land/situation)τόπος: 'place'; renders מָקוֹם; introduces the appositional commendation of Laish as a place lacking nothing.
ὅπουwhererelative adverb of placeὅπου: 'where'; introduces the relative clause describing the place's abundance.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἔστιν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔστινthere isPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential verb (negated)→ descriptive presentεἰμί: existential 'there is (no lack)'; describes the abundance of the place.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of place (resumptive with ὅπου)ἐκεῖ: 'there'; the resumptive adverb with ὅπου is a Hebraism (אֲשֶׁר … שָׁם).
ὑστέρημαlackNominativesubject of ἔστιν (negated)ὑστέρημα: 'lack / deficiency / want'; renders מַחְסוֹר; the place wants for nothing — total provision (cf. Deut 8:9).
παντὸςof anyGenitivegenitive attributive (with ῥήματος)πᾶς: 'all / any / every'; with the negated ὑστέρημα, 'no lack of anything.'
ῥήματοςthingGenitiveobjective genitive (with ὑστέρημα)ῥῆμα: 'word / thing / matter'; here 'thing' in the Hebraizing sense of דָּבָר ('thing / matter'); 'no lack of anything that is in the land.'
τῶνof the thingsGenitivearticle (substantizing the prepositional phrase)the article τῶν substantivizes ἐν τῇ γῇ: 'of the things that are in the land/earth.'
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῇtheDativearticle (with γῇ)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῇearthDativeobject of ἐν (locative)γῆ: 'land / earth'; the totality of the land's resources — nothing found anywhere is wanting there.
11

καὶ ἀπῆραν ἐκεῖθεν ἀπὸ δήμων τοῦ Δαν ἀπὸ Σαραα καὶ ἀπὸ Εσθαολ ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες ἐζωσμένοι σκεύη παρατάξεως

And there set out from there, from the clans of Dan, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.

Mobilization of the war-party (new movement)καὶ ἀπῆραν ἐκεῖθεν
The narrative shifts from deliberation to action: six hundred armed Danites set out. The number ἑξακόσιοι recurs (v. 16) as the fixed military contingent; the participle ἐζωσμένοι σκεύη παρατάξεως ('girded with battle-gear') marks them as a war-party, not migrants merely.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπῆρανset outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀπαίρωmain verb (departure of the war-party)→ constative aorist (decampment)ἀπαίρω: 'depart / set out / break camp'; renders נָסַע; a technical term for striking camp and moving out (cf. the wilderness itineraries).
ἐκεῖθενfrom thereadverb of place (source)ἐκεῖθεν: 'from there / thence'; the deictic adverb of source, from the Danite home territory.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (source)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
δήμωνclansGenitivegenitive of source (with ἀπό)δῆμος: 'clan / family-group'; renders מִשְׁפָּחָה; the war-party is drawn from the Danite clans.
τοῦofGenitivearticle (with Δαν)the article before the indeclinable Δαν marks it as genitive ('of Dan').
ΔανDanindeclinable proper noun (genitive, with δήμων)Δαν: the tribe; here 'the clans of Dan.'
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (origin: town)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΣαρααZorahindeclinable place name (with ἀπό)Σαραα: Zorah; see v. 2.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (origin: town)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΕσθαολEshtaolindeclinable place name (with ἀπό)Εσθαολ: Eshtaol; see v. 2; the paired towns frame the Danite mobilization.
ἑξακόσιοιsix hundredNominativenumeral (modifying ἄνδρες)ἑξακόσιοι: 'six hundred'; the fixed size of the Danite war-band (cf. v. 16, 17), a substantial armed force for the seizure of Laish.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of ἀπῆρανἀνήρ: 'man'; here armed fighting-men.
ἐζωσμένοιgirded withPerf Mid Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · ζώννυμιperfect participle (describing the men)→ perfect participle (settled state: equipped and ready)ζώννυμι (perf. mid.): 'gird (oneself)'; the perfect 'having been girded / equipped' denotes a state of military readiness; with σκεύη as accusative of respect, 'girded as to weapons of war.'
σκεύηweaponsAccusativeaccusative of respect (with ἐζωσμένοι)σκεῦος (pl. σκεύη): 'implement / gear / weapon'; σκεύη παρατάξεως = 'weapons of war / battle-gear,' rendering כְּלֵי מִלְחָמָה.
παρατάξεωςof warGenitivegenitive of description (with σκεύη)παράταξις: 'battle-array / battle / war'; from παρατάσσω ('draw up in line'); the genitive describes the σκεύη as military equipment for pitched battle.
12

καὶ ἀνέβησαν καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν Καριαθιαριμ ἐν Ιουδα διὰ τοῦτο ἐκλήθη ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ τόπῳ παρεμβολὴ Δαν ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ἰδοὺ ὀπίσω Καριαθιαριμ

And they went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah; therefore that place was called 'Camp of Dan' to this day; behold, it is west of Kiriath-jearim.

March and etiological noticeκαὶ ἀνέβησαν καὶ παρενέβαλον
The verse pairs the march with an etiological aside (διὰ τοῦτο ἐκλήθη … παρεμβολὴ Δαν ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης), the standard 'to this day' formula explaining the place-name Mahaneh-dan ('Camp of Dan'); the closing ἰδού-clause gives its location relative to Kiriath-jearim.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνέβησανwent upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναβαίνωmain verb (march)→ constative aoristἀναβαίνω: 'go up'; renders עָלָה; of marching up into the hill country (cf. v. 9).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρενέβαλονencampedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · παρεμβάλλωmain verb (making camp)→ constative aoristπαρεμβάλλω: 'encamp / pitch camp'; renders חָנָה; cognate with παρεμβολή ('camp') below — the verb supplies the etiology of the place-name.
ἐνatpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΚαριαθιαριμKiriath-jearimindeclinable place name (object of ἐν)Καριαθιαριμ: transliteration of קִרְיַת יְעָרִים (Kiriath-jearim, 'city of forests'); indeclinable; a town on the Judah–Benjamin border, later the resting-place of the ark (1 Sam 7:1).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (region)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΙουδαJudahindeclinable proper noun (object of ἐν)Ιουδα: transliteration of יְהוּדָה; indeclinable; the tribal territory in which Kiriath-jearim lay.
διὰbecause ofpreposition + accusative (causal)διά + acc.: in the formula διὰ τοῦτο ('therefore / for this reason'), introducing the etiology of the place-name.
τοῦτοthisAccusativeobject of διά (causal demonstrative)οὗτος: 'this'; διὰ τοῦτο ('for this reason') marks the etiological explanation.
ἐκλήθηwas calledAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · καλέωmain verb (name-giving)→ constative aorist passive (the name conferred)καλέω (aor. pass.): 'be called / named'; the passive 'was called' is the standard LXX etiological-naming verb (renders קָרָא).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἐκείνῳthatDativedemonstrative adjective (with τόπῳ)ἐκεῖνος: 'that'; the distal demonstrative pointing to the camp-site.
τῷtheDativearticle (with τόπῳ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τόπῳplaceDativeobject of ἐν (locative)τόπος: 'place'; the named camp-site.
παρεμβολὴCamp ofNominativepredicate nominative (the conferred name)παρεμβολή: 'camp / encampment'; παρεμβολὴ Δαν renders מַחֲנֵה דָן ('Camp of Dan / Mahaneh-dan'), the place-name explained by the encamping of v. 12 (cf. 13:25).
ΔανDanindeclinable proper noun (with παρεμβολή)Δαν: the tribal name within the toponym 'Camp of Dan.'
ἕωςtopreposition + genitive (temporal extent)ἕως: temporal 'until / to'; in the formula ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ('to this day').
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with ἡμέρας)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέραςdayGenitivegenitive object of ἕως (temporal)ἡμέρα: 'day'; ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ('to this day') is a standard etiological formula attesting the name's persistence (עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה).
ταύτηςthisGenitivedemonstrative adjective (with ἡμέρας)οὗτος: 'this'; the proximate demonstrative anchoring the formula to the narrator's present.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjectionἰδού: 'behold'; renders הִנֵּה; here introducing the topographical note that follows.
ὀπίσωbehind / west ofpreposition + genitive (spatial relation)ὀπίσω: 'behind / west of'; renders אַחֲרֵי; locates Mahaneh-dan 'behind' (i.e. to the west of) Kiriath-jearim.
ΚαριαθιαριμKiriath-jearimindeclinable place name (object of ὀπίσω)Καριαθιαριμ: see above; the reference point for locating the camp-site.
13

καὶ παρῆλθον ἐκεῖθεν ὄρος Εφραιμ καὶ ἦλθον ἕως οἴκου Μιχαια

And they passed on from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came as far as the house of Micah.

Continuation of the march (arrival at Micah's house)καὶ παρῆλθον ἐκεῖθεν
A brief itinerary verse bringing the war-party to Micah's house, the pivot back to the cult-objects of ch. 17; the repetition of ἕως οἴκου Μιχαια from v. 2 closes the loop on the scouts' earlier lodging.
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρῆλθονpassed onAor Act Indic 3 Pl · παρέρχομαιmain verb (continued march)→ constative aoristπαρέρχομαι: 'pass by / pass on / cross over'; renders עָבַר; of the war-party crossing through to Ephraim's hill country.
ἐκεῖθενfrom thereadverb of place (source)ἐκεῖθεν: 'from there'; from the camp at Kiriath-jearim.
ὄροςthe hill countryAccusativeaccusative of goal/extent (with παρῆλθον)ὄρος: 'mountain / hill country'; ὄρος Εφραιμ, the Ephraimite highlands; accusative of the place traversed/reached.
Εφραιμof Ephraimindeclinable genitive (with ὄρος)Εφραιμ: see v. 2.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦλθονcameAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb (arrival)→ constative aoristἔρχομαι: 'come'; the war-party reaches Micah's house.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (spatial limit)ἕως: spatial 'as far as'; cf. v. 2.
οἴκουthe houseGenitivegenitive object of ἕωςοἶκος: 'house'; Micah's house, the destination repeated from v. 2.
Μιχαιαof MicahGenitivegenitive of possession (with οἴκου)Μιχαιας (gen. Μιχαια): see v. 2.
14

καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν οἱ πέντε ἄνδρες οἱ πεπορευμένοι κατασκέψασθαι τὴν γῆν Λαισα καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν ἔγνωτε ὅτι ἔστιν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ εφωδ καὶ θεραφιν καὶ γλυπτὸν καὶ χωνευτόν καὶ νῦν γνῶτε ὅ τι ποιήσετε

And the five men who had gone to scout out the land of Laish answered and said to their brothers, 'Do you know that there is in this house an ephod and teraphim and a carved image and a cast idol? And now consider what you will do.'

Disclosure of the cult-objects (turning point)καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν οἱ πέντε ἄνδρες
The scouts reveal what they had noted on their earlier lodging — the full inventory of Micah's shrine (εφωδ, θεραφιν, γλυπτόν, χωνευτόν) — and prompt deliberation (γνῶτε ὅ τι ποιήσετε); this disclosure motivates the theft that follows.
Word-by-word analysis· 37 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπεκρίθησανansweredAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · ἀποκρίνομαιmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristἀποκρίνομαι: 'answer / respond'; renders עָנָה; here 'answered and said,' a Hebraizing pleonastic pair introducing speech (cf. v. 14b εἶπαν).
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄνδρες)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πέντεfiveindeclinable numeral (with ἄνδρες)πέντε: the scouting party.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of ἀπεκρίθησανἀνήρ: the five scouts.
οἱthe onesNominativearticle (governing the attributive participle)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πεπορευμένοιwho had gonePerf Mid Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · πορεύομαιattributive participle (modifying ἄνδρες)→ perfect participle (completed prior journey with standing result)πορεύομαι (perf. ptcp.): 'having gone'; the perfect marks the scouts' completed reconnaissance as the basis for their present knowledge of the shrine.
κατασκέψασθαιto scout outAor Mid Inf · κατασκέπτομαιinfinitive of purpose (with πεπορευμένοι)→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose of their earlier journey)κατασκέπτομαι: 'spy out / reconnoitre'; see v. 2.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of κατασκέψασθαιγῆ: 'land'; here qualified by Λαισα.
Λαισαof Laishindeclinable place name (in apposition/attributive to γῆν)Λαισα: Laish; see v. 7; 'the land of Laish.'
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανsaidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction, paired with ἀπεκρίθησαν)→ constative aoristλέγω: completes the Hebraizing 'answered and said' formula.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with ἀδελφούς)τοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀδελφοὺςbrothersAccusativeobject of πρόςἀδελφός: the fellow-Danites; see v. 8.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivepossessive genitive (with ἀδελφούς)αὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἔγνωτεdo you knowAor Act Indic 2 Pl · γινώσκωmain verb of the disclosing question→ constative aorist (rhetorical: 'are you aware?')γινώσκω: 'know'; here as a rhetorical question ('do you know that…?') drawing the brothers' attention to the shrine's contents.
ὅτιthatconjunction (content of ἔγνωτε)ὅτι: 'that'; introduces the object-clause of ἔγνωτε.
ἔστινthere isPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential verb→ descriptive presentεἰμί: existential 'there is'; reports the present contents of Micah's house.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticle (with οἴκῳ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἴκῳhouseDativeobject of ἐν (locative)οἶκος: 'house'; Micah's shrine-household.
τούτῳthisDativedemonstrative adjective (with οἴκῳ)οὗτος: 'this'; the proximate demonstrative pointing to Micah's house.
εφωδan ephodsubject of ἔστιν (indeclinable loanword)εφωδ: indeclinable transliteration of אֵפוֹד (ephod); a priestly vestment or cultic object used in divination; the LXX often transliterates rather than translates this cultic term (cf. 8:27).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
θεραφινteraphimsubject of ἔστιν (indeclinable loanword)θεραφιν: indeclinable transliteration of תְּרָפִים (teraphim); household idols or cult-figures used for divination (cf. Gen 31:19; 1 Sam 19:13); the LXX retains the Hebrew term untranslated.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
γλυπτὸνa carved imageNominativesubject of ἔστινγλυπτός: 'carved / graven (image)'; renders פֶּסֶל; the carved idol that is the chief prize of the Danites and the central object of the chapter (vv. 18, 20, 30, 31).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
χωνευτόνa cast idolNominativesubject of ἔστινχωνευτός: 'cast / molten (image)'; from χωνεύω ('to cast metal'); renders מַסֵּכָה; a metal-cast idol, paired with the carved image (cf. 17:3–4).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (transition to exhortation)νῦν: 'now'; καὶ νῦν ('and now') marks the rhetorical turn from disclosure to the call for decision (rendering וְעַתָּה).
γνῶτεconsiderAor Act Impv 2 Pl · γινώσκωimperative (call to deliberate)→ ingressive aorist imperative (come to a decision)γινώσκω: 'know / consider / decide'; the imperative 'consider/determine what you will do' prompts the brothers to act on the disclosure.
whatAccusativerelative/interrogative pronoun (object of ποιήσετε)ὅς: in the idiom ὅ τι ('what / whatever'), the object of the deliberation.
τιthingAccusativeindefinite pronoun (with ὅ: 'what')τις: indefinite 'something'; ὅ τι = 'what / whatever (thing).'
ποιήσετεyou will doFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωverb of the indirect question→ deliberative futureποιέω: 'do'; the future in the indirect question expresses the course of action to be decided.
15

καὶ ἐξέκλιναν ἐκεῖ καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ νεανίσκου τοῦ Λευίτου οἶκον Μιχαια καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν εἰς εἰρήνην

And they turned aside there and entered into the house of the young man, the Levite — the house of Micah — and greeted him peaceably.

Approach to the Levite's quartersκαὶ ἐξέκλιναν ἐκεῖ
Echoing v. 3 (ἐξέκλιναν ἐκεῖ), the war-party now turns aside to the Levite's quarters within Micah's house; the apposition 'the house of the young Levite — the house of Micah' fuses the priest and the shrine, and the peaceable greeting (ἠρώτησαν … εἰς εἰρήνην) ironically masks the imminent plunder.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξέκλινανturned asideAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐκκλίνωmain verb (movement toward the house)→ constative aoristἐκκλίνω: 'turn aside'; see v. 3; the same verb frames both the scouts' first visit and the war-party's approach.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of placeἐκεῖ: 'there'; to Micah's house.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἰσῆλθονenteredAor Act Indic 3 Pl · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (entry)→ constative aoristεἰσέρχομαι: 'enter / go in'; renders בּוֹא; the war-party (or its representatives) enters the Levite's quarters.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal of entry)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with οἶκον)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeobject of εἰςοἶκος: 'house'; here the Levite's dwelling within Micah's compound.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with νεανίσκου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νεανίσκουyoung manGenitivepossessive genitive (with οἶκον)νεανίσκος: 'young man'; the Levite-priest; see v. 3.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Λευίτου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΛευίτουLeviteGenitivegenitive in apposition to νεανίσκουΛευίτης: 'Levite'; see v. 3.
οἶκονthe houseAccusativeaccusative in apposition to τὸν οἶκον (identifying clause)οἶκος: the appositive 'the house of Micah' identifies the Levite's quarters with Micah's household — priest and shrine are one.
Μιχαιαof MicahGenitivegenitive of possession (with the appositive οἶκον)Μιχαιας (gen. Μιχαια): see v. 2.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἠρώτησανgreetedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐρωτάωmain verb (greeting)→ constative aoristἐρωτάω: 'ask'; in the idiom ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν εἰς εἰρήνην ('asked him after peace' = greeted/saluted him), rendering שָׁאַל לְשָׁלוֹם, the standard Hebrew greeting-formula.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of ἠρώτησαν (the Levite)αὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰςafterpreposition + accusative (idiom of greeting)εἰς: in the greeting-idiom εἰς εἰρήνην ('after [his] welfare'); a Hebraism (לְשָׁלוֹם).
εἰρήνηνpeaceAccusativeobject of εἰς (the subject of inquiry)εἰρήνη: 'peace / welfare'; renders שָׁלוֹם; in the salutation 'asked him after his welfare' — a courteous greeting that ironically precedes plunder.
16

καὶ οἱ ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες οἱ ἀνεζωσμένοι τὰ σκεύη τῆς παρατάξεως αὐτῶν ἑστῶτες παρὰ θύρας τῆς πύλης οἱ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Δαν

And the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war stood at the entrance of the gate — those of the sons of Dan.

Circumstantial tableau (the armed guard at the gate)καὶ οἱ ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες
A verbless circumstantial clause sets the scene: the six hundred armed Danites stand menacingly at the gate while the five scouts go in to take the idols (v. 17). The participial heaping (ἀνεζωσμένοι … ἑστῶτες) freezes the moment of intimidation.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing circumstantial clause)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄνδρες)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἑξακόσιοιsix hundredNominativenumeral (with ἄνδρες)ἑξακόσιοι: 'six hundred'; the armed contingent of v. 11.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of the verbless circumstantial clauseἀνήρ: the armed Danites.
οἱthe onesNominativearticle (governing the attributive participle)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνεζωσμένοιgirded withPerf Mid Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · ἀναζώννυμιattributive participle (modifying ἄνδρες)→ perfect participle (state of armed readiness)ἀναζώννυμι (perf. mid.): 'gird up'; the compound ἀνα- intensifies the girding-for-action; here 'having girded on their battle-gear,' marking full military readiness (cf. ἐζωσμένοι, v. 11).
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with σκεύη)τὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σκεύηweaponsAccusativeaccusative of respect (with ἀνεζωσμένοι)σκεῦος (pl. σκεύη): 'weapons / gear'; see v. 11.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with παρατάξεως)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παρατάξεωςwarGenitivegenitive of description (with σκεύη)παράταξις: 'battle / war-array'; see v. 11.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivepossessive genitive (with σκεύη/παρατάξεως)αὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἑστῶτεςstandingPerf Act Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · ἵστημιpredicate participle (the men's posture)→ perfect participle with present sense (standing in position)ἵστημι (perf. ptcp.): 'stand / be stationed'; the perfect ἑστῶτες has present force ('standing'); the armed men are posted at the gate, a silent threat.
παρὰatpreposition + accusative (position: 'beside/at')παρά + acc.: 'beside / at'; of position at the gate's entrance.
θύραςthe entranceAccusativeobject of παράθύρα: 'door / doorway / entrance'; θύρα τῆς πύλης = the gateway-entrance; renders פֶּתַח הַשַּׁעַר.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πύλης)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πύληςgateGenitivegenitive (with θύρας)πύλη: 'gate'; renders שַׁעַר; the gate of Micah's compound or settlement, where the armed force took its stand.
οἱthoseNominativearticle (substantival, in apposition to ἄνδρες)the article substantivizes the following phrase: 'those (who were) of the sons of Dan.'
ἐκofpreposition + genitive (partitive/origin)ἐκ: 'of / from among'; partitive, identifying the men as belonging to the tribe of Dan.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with υἱῶν)τῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive (with ἐκ)υἱός: 'son'; οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν, the Danites; here 'those of the sons of Dan.'
Δανof Danindeclinable genitive (with υἱῶν)Δαν: the tribe.
17

καὶ ἀνέβησαν οἱ πέντε ἄνδρες οἱ πορευθέντες κατασκέψασθαι τὴν γῆν

And the five men who had gone to scout out the land went up.

The scouts go up to seize the cult-objectsκαὶ ἀνέβησαν οἱ πέντε ἄνδρες
While the six hundred stand guard at the gate (v. 16), the five scouts — who alone knew the layout of the shrine — go up to take the cult-objects; the verse reprises their standing identification as 'the men who had gone to scout out the land.'
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνέβησανwent upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναβαίνωmain verb (the scouts' move)→ constative aoristἀναβαίνω: 'go up'; here of going up into the shrine-house to take the idols.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄνδρες)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πέντεfiveindeclinable numeral (with ἄνδρες)πέντε: the scouting party.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of ἀνέβησανἀνήρ: the five scouts.
οἱthe onesNominativearticle (governing the attributive participle)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πορευθέντεςwho had goneAor Pass Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · πορεύομαιattributive participle (modifying ἄνδρες)→ aorist participle (antecedent action)πορεύομαι (aor. ptcp.): 'having gone'; identifies the men by their earlier reconnaissance mission (cf. v. 14 πεπορευμένοι).
κατασκέψασθαιto scout outAor Mid Inf · κατασκέπτομαιinfinitive of purpose (with πορευθέντες)→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose of their journey)κατασκέπτομαι: 'spy out'; see v. 2.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of κατασκέψασθαιγῆ: 'land'; the object of the original reconnaissance.
18

καὶ εἰσῆλθον ἐκεῖ εἰς οἶκον Μιχαια καὶ ὁ ἱερεὺς ἑστώς καὶ ἔλαβον τὸ γλυπτὸν καὶ τὸ εφωδ καὶ τὸ θεραφιν καὶ τὸ χωνευτόν καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ ἱερεύς τί ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε

And they entered there into the house of Micah — and the priest was standing — and they took the carved image and the ephod and the teraphim and the cast idol; and the priest said to them, 'What are you doing?'

The theft of the cult-objects and the priest's challengeκαὶ εἰσῆλθον ἐκεῖ
The scouts seize the four cult-objects in a single sweep (γλυπτόν, εφωδ, θεραφιν, χωνευτόν); the parenthetical ὁ ἱερεὺς ἑστώς ('the priest standing by') heightens the brazenness, and his feeble challenge τί ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε sets up the bribe-and-threat of v. 19.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἰσῆλθονthey enteredAor Act Indic 3 Pl · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (entry)→ constative aoristεἰσέρχομαι: 'enter'; the scouts go in to the shrine.
ἐκεῖthereadverb of placeἐκεῖ: 'there'; into Micah's house.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeobject of εἰςοἶκος: 'house'; Micah's shrine.
Μιχαιαof MicahGenitivegenitive of possession (with οἶκον)Μιχαιας (gen. Μιχαια): see v. 2.
καὶandconjunction (introducing circumstantial clause)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
theNominativearticle (with ἱερεύς)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερεὺςpriestNominativesubject of the circumstantial clauseἱερεύς: 'priest'; the Levite, here a passive bystander to the plunder.
ἑστώςwas standingPerf Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · ἵστημιcircumstantial participle (verbless clause: 'the priest [being] standing')→ perfect participle with present sense (standing by)ἵστημι (perf. ptcp.): 'stand'; the circumstantial ὁ ἱερεὺς ἑστώς ('the priest standing [there]') marks his helpless presence as the idols are carried off.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔλαβονthey tookAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λαμβάνωmain verb (the seizure)→ constative aorist (the act of plunder)λαμβάνω: 'take / seize'; renders לָקַח; the central act of the chapter — the seizure of Micah's cult-objects.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with γλυπτόν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γλυπτὸνcarved imageAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβονγλυπτός: 'carved image'; see v. 14; named first here as the chief prize.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with εφωδ)the neuter article governs the otherwise indeclinable εφωδ, marking it as accusative object.
εφωδephoddirect object of ἔλαβον (indeclinable loanword)εφωδ: ephod; see v. 14.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with θεραφιν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεραφινteraphimdirect object of ἔλαβον (indeclinable loanword)θεραφιν: teraphim; see v. 14.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with χωνευτόν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χωνευτόνcast idolAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβονχωνευτός: 'cast idol'; see v. 14.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (the priest's challenge)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the priest's protest.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativeobject of πρός (the scouts)αὐτοὺς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
theNominativearticle (with ἱερεύς)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερεύςpriestNominativesubject of εἶπενἱερεύς: the Levite-priest, now protesting.
τίwhatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (object of ποιεῖτε)τίς/τί: 'what?'; the priest's challenge to the plunderers.
ὑμεῖςyouNominativesubject (emphatic) of ποιεῖτεὑμεῖς: the emphatic pronoun sharpens the protest: 'what are you doing?'
ποιεῖτεare doingPres Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωmain verb of the question→ progressive present (act in progress)ποιέω: 'do'; the present tense catches the plunderers in the act.
19

καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ κώφευσον ἐπίθες τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐπὶ τὸ στόμα σου καὶ δεῦρο μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν καὶ γενοῦ ἡμῖν εἰς πατέρα καὶ εἰς ἱερέα μὴ ἀγαθὸν εἶναί σε ἱερέα οἴκου ἀνδρὸς ἑνὸς ἢ γενέσθαι σε ἱερέα φυλῆς καὶ οἴκου εἰς δῆμον Ισραηλ

And they said to him, 'Be silent! Put your hand over your mouth, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a clan in Israel?'

The Danites' silencing offer to the Leviteκαὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ κώφευσον
The Danites silence the priest (κώφευσον … ἐπίθες τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐπὶ τὸ στόμα σου) and entice him with a career-upgrade rhetoric: better priest to a whole tribe than to one man's house. The offer 'be to us a father and a priest' (γενοῦ … εἰς πατέρα καὶ εἰς ἱερέα) deftly flatters while it conscripts.
Word-by-word analysis· 42 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανthey saidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the Danites' silencing speech.
αὐτῷto himDativeindirect object (the priest)αὐτῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
κώφευσονbe silentAor Act Impv 2 Sg · κωφεύωimperative (command to silence)→ ingressive aorist imperative (fall silent)κωφεύω: 'be silent / be mute'; from κωφός ('deaf/dumb'); renders חָרַשׁ / דָּמַם; a curt command to silence the priest's protest.
ἐπίθεςputAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐπιτίθημιimperative (gesture of silence)→ aorist imperative (do it now)ἐπιτίθημι: 'place upon / lay on'; the idiom 'put your hand over your mouth' (ἐπίθες τὴν χεῖρά … ἐπὶ τὸ στόμα) is a gesture of enforced silence (cf. Job 21:5; 40:4 LXX), rendering שִׂים יָד עַל פֶּה.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with χεῖρα)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χεῖράhandAccusativedirect object of ἐπίθεςχείρ: 'hand'; in the silencing gesture.
σουyourGenitivepossessive genitive (with χεῖρα)σου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐπὶoverpreposition + accusative (position)ἐπὶ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with στόμα)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
στόμαmouthAccusativeobject of ἐπίστόμα: 'mouth'; renders פֶּה; the locus of the silencing gesture.
σουyourGenitivepossessive genitive (with στόμα)σου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
δεῦροcomeadverb/interjection used as imperative ('come!')δεῦρο: 'come here / come!'; an adverbial imperative-equivalent summoning the priest to join them.
μεθ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)μετά + gen.: 'with'; of accompaniment.
ἡμῶνusGenitiveobject of μετάἡμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
γενοῦbeAor Mid Impv 2 Sg · γίνομαιimperative (the proposal)→ ingressive aorist imperative (become)γίνομαι: 'become / be'; the idiom γενοῦ … εἰς πατέρα καὶ εἰς ἱερέα ('become to us a father and a priest') uses εἰς + accusative (Hebraism, הָיָה לְ); 'father' connotes an honored counselor/priestly authority (cf. 17:10).
ἡμῖνto usDativedative of interest (with γενοῦ)ἡμῖν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰςaspreposition + accusative (predicative Hebraism)εἰς: predicative 'as / to be,' rendering לְ; cf. v. 4.
πατέραa fatherAccusativepredicate accusative (with εἰς)πατήρ: 'father'; renders אָב; here an honorific for a revered priestly counselor (cf. Micah's words at 17:10).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἰςaspreposition + accusative (predicative)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἱερέαa priestAccusativepredicate accusative (with εἰς)ἱερεύς: 'priest'; the office the Danites offer the Levite over their whole tribe.
μὴis it notinterrogative particle (introducing comparative question)μή: here introduces a question expecting deliberation ('is it (not) better…?'); with the disjunctive ἤ it frames a comparison weighted toward the larger office.
ἀγαθὸνbetterNominativepredicate adjective (in the comparative question)ἀγαθός: 'good'; here in a comparison ('is it good/better…?'), rendering הֲטוֹב; the positive form does comparative duty (Hebraism).
εἶναίto bePres Act Inf · εἰμίinfinitive (subject of ἀγαθόν: 'for you to be...')→ complementary present infinitiveεἰμί: 'be'; the infinitive 'to be (priest)' is the logical subject of the comparison.
σεyouAccusativeaccusative subject of the infinitive εἶναισε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἱερέαpriestAccusativepredicate accusative (with εἶναι σε)ἱερεύς: the office in the lesser scenario (one man's house).
οἴκουto the houseGenitivegenitive (the sphere of priesthood)οἶκος: 'house / household'; ἱερέα οἴκου ἀνδρὸς ἑνός = priest to one man's household — the lesser, demeaning option.
ἀνδρὸςof a manGenitivegenitive (with οἴκου)ἀνήρ: 'man'; here Micah, the single householder.
ἑνὸςoneGenitivenumeral attributive (with ἀνδρός)εἷς (gen. ἑνός): 'one'; 'one man' — the contrast with a whole tribe is the rhetorical lever of the offer.
ordisjunctive conjunction (the comparison)ἤ: 'or / than'; introduces the preferred alternative.
γενέσθαιto beAor Mid Inf · γίνομαιinfinitive (parallel to εἶναι: the greater option)→ complementary aorist infinitiveγίνομαι: 'become'; the greater alternative — to become priest to a whole tribe and clan.
σεyouAccusativeaccusative subject of γενέσθαισε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἱερέαpriestAccusativepredicate accusative (with γενέσθαι σε)ἱερεύς: the office in the greater scenario (a whole tribe).
φυλῆςto a tribeGenitivegenitive (the sphere of the greater priesthood)φυλή: 'tribe'; the wider, more prestigious sphere of service offered.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οἴκουa clanGenitivegenitive (parallel to φυλῆς)οἶκος: here 'house / clan' in the wider sense of a kinship-group; the pairing 'tribe and clan' magnifies the scope of the offered priesthood.
εἰςinpreposition + accusative (sphere)εἰς: here 'in / among,' of the sphere within Israel.
δῆμονa peopleAccusativeobject of εἰςδῆμος: 'clan / people-group'; here 'a clan/people in Israel,' completing the magnified scope of the priesthood offered.
Ισραηλin Israelindeclinable genitive (with δῆμον)Ισραηλ: the nation; the offer is framed as service within all Israel, not a private household.
20

καὶ ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία τοῦ ἱερέως καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸ εφωδ καὶ τὸ θεραφιν καὶ τὸ γλυπτὸν καὶ τὸ χωνευτὸν καὶ ἦλθεν ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ λαοῦ

And the heart of the priest was glad, and he took the ephod and the teraphim and the carved image and the cast idol, and went into the midst of the people.

The priest's eager defectionκαὶ ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία τοῦ ἱερέως
The priest's heart 'was made glad' (ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία) — a damning note: he himself takes up the cult-objects and joins the Danites, complicit rather than coerced; the inventory recurs, now with the priest as the one carrying the idols.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἠγαθύνθηwas gladAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀγαθύνωmain verb (the priest's reaction)→ ingressive aorist passive (became glad)ἀγαθύνω (aor. pass.): 'be made glad / be pleased'; the idiom ἠγαθύνθη ἡ καρδία ('the heart was gladdened') renders וַיִּיטַב לֵב ('the heart was glad'), a Hebraism for delight/contentment (cf. 19:6, 9).
theNominativearticle (with καρδία)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίαheartNominativesubject of ἠγαθύνθηκαρδία: 'heart'; renders לֵב; the seat of will and emotion; the priest's glad heart exposes his eager complicity.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with ἱερέως)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερέωςpriestGenitivepossessive genitive (with καρδία)ἱερεύς: the Levite-priest, now won over.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔλαβενtookAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (the priest takes the idols)→ constative aoristλαμβάνω: 'take'; now the priest himself takes up the cult-objects, completing his defection (contrast ἔλαβον, v. 18, of the scouts).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with εφωδ)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εφωδephoddirect object of ἔλαβεν (indeclinable loanword)εφωδ: ephod; see v. 14.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with θεραφιν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεραφινteraphimdirect object of ἔλαβεν (indeclinable loanword)θεραφιν: teraphim; see v. 14.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with γλυπτόν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γλυπτὸνcarved imageAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβενγλυπτός: 'carved image'; see v. 14.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with χωνευτόν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χωνευτὸνcast idolAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβενχωνευτός: 'cast idol'; see v. 14; the four objects are now in the priest's own hands.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦλθενwentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (the priest joins the people)→ constative aoristἔρχομαι: 'come / go'; the priest goes 'into the midst of the people,' i.e. throws in his lot with the Danites.
ἐνintopreposition + dative (place, with verb of motion)ἐν: here with a verb of motion ('went among'), a Hellenistic/Hebraizing use for εἰς.
μέσῳthe midstDativeobject of ἐν (locative)μέσος: 'midst'; ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ λαοῦ ('in the midst of the people') marks the priest's full incorporation into the migrating band.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with λαοῦ)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαοῦpeopleGenitivegenitive (with μέσῳ)λαός: 'people'; the Danite host with whom the priest now travels.
21

καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν καὶ ἀπῆλθαν καὶ ἔθηκαν τὰ τέκνα καὶ τὴν κτῆσιν καὶ τὸ βάρος ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν

And they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the livestock and the baggage in front of them.

The Danites' orderly departureκαὶ ἐπέστρεψαν καὶ ἀπῆλθαν
The Danites depart in marching order, placing the vulnerable (children, livestock, goods) ahead of the armed men — a prudent rearguard arrangement that anticipates Micah's pursuit (v. 22) and signals their settled migration.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπέστρεψανturnedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐπιστρέφωmain verb (turning to depart)→ constative aoristἐπιστρέφω: 'turn / turn back / turn around'; renders פָּנָה / שׁוּב; here of turning to resume the march.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπῆλθανdepartedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀπέρχομαιmain verb (departure)→ constative aoristἀπέρχομαι: 'go away / depart'; renders הָלַךְ; the Hellenistic first-aorist ἀπῆλθαν.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔθηκανputAor Act Indic 3 Pl · τίθημιmain verb (marching arrangement)→ constative aoristτίθημι: 'place / set'; renders שִׂים; here of arranging the marching column with non-combatants and goods to the fore.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with τέκνα)τὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τέκναlittle onesAccusativedirect object of ἔθηκαντέκνον: 'child / little one'; renders טַף ('dependents / children'); the vulnerable members placed under protection.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with κτῆσιν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κτῆσινlivestock / possessionsAccusativedirect object of ἔθηκανκτῆσις: 'possession / property / livestock'; renders מִקְנֶה ('cattle') or רְכוּשׁ ('goods'); the movable property of the migrating tribe.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with βάρος)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βάροςbaggageAccusativedirect object of ἔθηκανβάρος: 'weight / burden / baggage'; renders כְּבוּדָּה ('heavy goods / baggage'); the heavy equipment of the column.
ἔμπροσθενin front ofpreposition + genitive (position)ἔμπροσθεν: 'before / in front of'; renders לִפְנֵי; the non-combatants march ahead, the armed men behind as rearguard against pursuit.
αὐτῶνthemGenitiveobject of ἔμπροσθεναὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
22

αὐτοὶ ἐμάκρυναν ἀπὸ οἴκου Μιχαια καὶ ἰδοὺ Μιχαιας καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις ταῖς μετὰ οἴκου Μιχαια ἐβόησαν καὶ κατελάβοντο τοὺς υἱοὺς Δαν

When they had gone far from the house of Micah, behold, Micah and the men who were in the houses near the house of Micah cried out and overtook the sons of Dan.

Micah's pursuit (circumstantial setting + ἰδού-clause)αὐτοὶ ἐμάκρυναν ἀπὸ οἴκου Μιχαια
A circumstantial clause (αὐτοὶ ἐμάκρυναν, 'when they had gone far') frames the pursuit, introduced by presentative ἰδού; Micah musters his neighbors and overtakes the Danites — the pathos of one man's household against six hundred armed men.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
αὐτοὶtheyNominativesubject (fronted, circumstantial)αὐτός: the fronted pronoun opens a circumstantial clause ('they having gone far…'), a Hebraizing construction.
ἐμάκρυνανhad gone farAor Act Indic 3 Pl · μακρύνωverb of the circumstantial clause→ constative aorist (completed distancing)μακρύνω: 'go far / remove far / put at a distance'; from μακρός ('far'); renders רָחַק / הִרְחִיק; here intransitive, 'had gotten far away' from Micah's house.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
οἴκουthe houseGenitivegenitive of separation (with ἀπό)οἶκος: 'house'; Micah's dwelling.
Μιχαιαof MicahGenitivegenitive of possession (with οἴκου)Μιχαιας (gen. Μιχαια): see v. 2.
καὶandconjunction (apodosis with ἰδού)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjectionἰδού: 'behold'; renders הִנֵּה; introduces the dramatic appearance of the pursuing Micah.
ΜιχαιαςMicahNominativesubject of ἐβόησαν / κατελάβοντοΜιχαιας: the despoiled shrine-owner, now in pursuit.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄνδρες)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject (with Μιχαιας)ἀνήρ: 'man'; Micah's neighbors, mustered for the pursuit.
οἱthe onesNominativearticle (governing the relative phrase)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ταῖςtheDativearticle (with οἰκίαις)ταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἰκίαιςhousesDativeobject of ἐν (locative)οἰκία: 'house / dwelling'; the neighboring houses near Micah's compound, whose men join the chase.
ταῖςthe onesDativearticle (governing μετὰ οἴκου: attributive)the article introduces the attributive phrase 'those near the house of Micah.'
μετὰnear / withpreposition + genitive (proximity)μετά + gen.: lit. 'with'; here 'beside / adjacent to' (the houses near Micah's house), a loose locative use.
οἴκουthe houseGenitiveobject of μετάοἶκος: 'house'; Micah's dwelling, the reference point for the neighboring houses.
Μιχαιαof MicahGenitivegenitive of possession (with οἴκου)Μιχαιας (gen. Μιχαια): see v. 2.
ἐβόησανcried outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · βοάωmain verb (raising the alarm)→ constative aoristβοάω: 'shout / cry out'; renders זָעַק / צָעַק; here the alarm-cry mustering the pursuit (cf. v. 23 ἐβόησας).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
κατελάβοντοovertookAor Mid Indic 3 Pl · καταλαμβάνωmain verb (overtaking the Danites)→ constative aorist (completed overtaking)καταλαμβάνω (mid.): 'overtake / catch up with / seize'; renders הִשִּׂיג / דָּבַק; the pursuers catch the Danite column.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with υἱούς)τοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὺςsonsAccusativedirect object of κατελάβοντουἱός: 'son'; οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν, the Danites.
Δανof Danindeclinable genitive (with υἱούς)Δαν: the tribe.
23

καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν υἱοὶ Δαν καὶ εἶπαν τῷ Μιχαια τί ἐστίν σοι ὅτι ἐβόησας

And the sons of Dan turned their faces and said to Micah, 'What is the matter with you, that you have cried out?'

The Danites turn to confront Micahκαὶ ἐπέστρεψαν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν
The Danites 'turn their face' (a Hebraism for confronting) and answer Micah's outcry with a dismissive question (τί ἐστίν σοι ὅτι ἐβόησας); the calm question of an overwhelming force toward a wronged but powerless man heightens the irony.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπέστρεψανturnedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐπιστρέφωmain verb (turning to face Micah)→ constative aoristἐπιστρέφω: 'turn'; with τὸ πρόσωπον as object, 'turned their face,' a Hebraism (הֵסֵב פָּנִים) for turning to confront.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with πρόσωπον)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρόσωπονfaceAccusativedirect object of ἐπέστρεψανπρόσωπον: 'face'; renders פָּנִים; the idiom 'turn the face' = turn around to face/confront the pursuers.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivepossessive genitive (with πρόσωπον)αὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of ἐπέστρεψανυἱός: 'son'; οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν (here anarthrous), the Danites.
Δανof Danindeclinable genitive (with υἱοί)Δαν: the tribe.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανsaidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the Danites' dismissive reply.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Μιχαια)the article marks the indeclinable-genitive-form name as dative ('to Micah').
ΜιχαιαMicahDativeindirect object of εἶπανΜιχαιας (dat. Μιχαια): the wronged shrine-owner addressed.
τίwhatNominativeinterrogative pronoun (predicate of ἐστίν)τίς/τί: 'what?'; in the idiom τί ἐστίν σοι ('what is [the matter] with you?'), a dismissive query.
ἐστίνisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb of the question→ descriptive presentεἰμί: 'is'; in the idiom 'what is it to you?' = 'what is the matter?'
σοιwith youDativedative of interest (with ἐστίν)σύ (dat. σοι): the dative of interest in the idiom 'what is the matter with you?' (מַה־לְּךָ).
ὅτιthatconjunction (causal/explanatory)ὅτι: 'that / because'; introduces the ground of the question — 'that you have raised an outcry.'
ἐβόησαςyou have cried outAor Act Indic 2 Sg · βοάωverb of the causal clause→ constative aorist (the completed outcry)βοάω: 'cry out / shout'; resumes ἐβόησαν of v. 22 — the Danites query Micah's alarm-cry.
24

καὶ εἶπεν Μιχαιας ὅτι τὸ γλυπτόν μου ὃ ἐποίησα ἐλάβετε καὶ τὸν ἱερέα καὶ ἐπορεύθητε καὶ τί ἐμοὶ ἔτι καὶ τί τοῦτο λέγετε πρός με τί κράζεις

And Micah said, 'You have taken my carved god that I made, and the priest, and have gone away — and what is left to me? And how is it that you say to me, "What is the matter with you, why do you cry out?"'

Micah's pathetic protestκαὶ εἶπεν Μιχαιας
Micah's lament is the theological heart of the chapter's irony: τὸ γλυπτόν μου ὃ ἐποίησα ('my carved god that I made') — he calls a hand-made idol 'my god,' and bewails its loss as the loss of everything (τί ἐμοὶ ἔτι, 'what is left to me?'); the self-made deity exposes the bankruptcy of the whole private cult.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Micah's protest.
ΜιχαιαςMicahNominativesubject of εἶπενΜιχαιας: the despoiled shrine-owner.
ὅτιthatconjunction (recitative ὅτι, introducing direct speech)ὅτι: here recitative, marking the onset of direct quotation (untranslated in English), a Hebraizing/LXX feature.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with γλυπτόν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γλυπτόνcarved godAccusativedirect object of ἐλάβετε (fronted, emphatic)γλυπτός: 'carved image'; Micah's fronted, emphatic τὸ γλυπτόν μου ('my carved god') — the loss of the self-made idol is his chief grievance (cf. 17:3–4).
μουmyGenitivepossessive genitive (with γλυπτόν)μου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
whichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐποίησα)ὅς: relative pronoun; 'which I made' — the damning admission that the 'god' is a human artifact.
ἐποίησαI madeAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ποιέωverb of the relative clause→ constative aoristποιέω: 'make'; Micah's confession 'which I made' lays bare the absurdity of worshiping a manufactured object (cf. the prophetic idol-polemic, Isa 44:9–20).
ἐλάβετεyou have takenAor Act Indic 2 Pl · λαμβάνωmain verb (the accusation)→ constative aorist (the completed seizure)λαμβάνω: 'take / seize'; Micah accuses the Danites of taking his idol and priest — the verb echoes the plunder of vv. 18, 20.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with ἱερέα)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερέαpriestAccusativedirect object of ἐλάβετε (second item taken)ἱερεύς: 'priest'; the Levite, the second loss Micah laments.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπορεύθητεhave gone awayAor Pass Indic 2 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (the Danites' departure)→ constative aoristπορεύομαι: 'go / depart'; 'and you have gone off' — Micah is left robbed and abandoned.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the lament)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τίwhatNominativeinterrogative pronoun (verbless lament)τίς/τί: 'what?'; in the lament τί ἐμοὶ ἔτι ('what is there yet for me?' = 'what have I left?'), the chapter's poignant key-line.
ἐμοὶto meDativedative of possession (verbless: 'what [is] to me')ἐγώ (dat. ἐμοί): the emphatic dative of possession; 'what is left to me?' — total dispossession.
ἔτιstilladverb (temporal: 'yet / still remaining')ἔτι: 'still / yet'; 'what have I still?' — underscoring that nothing remains.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τίwhat / howNominativeinterrogative pronoun (object/adverbial in the question)τίς/τί: here 'what (is) this (that)…?' — Micah retorts to their dismissive question of v. 23.
τοῦτοthisNominativedemonstrative (subject of the verbless 'what is this')οὗτος: 'this'; τί τοῦτο = 'what is this (that you say)?', an indignant idiom.
λέγετεyou sayPres Act Indic 2 Pl · λέγωmain verb (Micah's retort)→ progressive presentλέγω: 'say'; Micah throws their own callous question back at them.
πρόςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρός: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
μεmeAccusativeobject of πρόςμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τίwhyinterrogative (adverbial: 'why?', quoting the Danites)τίς/τί: adverbial 'why?'; Micah quotes back the Danites' rebuke 'why do you cry out?'
κράζειςdo you cry outPres Act Indic 2 Sg · κράζωmain verb (quoted question)→ progressive presentκράζω: 'cry out / shout'; renders זָעַק; Micah echoes the Danites' dismissive 'why do you cry out?' (cf. ἐβόησας, v. 23), intensifying the pathos of his powerlessness.
25

καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν μὴ ἀκουσθήτω δὴ φωνή σου μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν μήποτε συναντήσωσιν ἐν ἡμῖν ἄνδρες πικροὶ ψυχῇ καὶ προσθήσουσιν ψυχὴν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ οἴκου σου

And the sons of Dan said to him, 'Let not your voice be heard among us, lest men bitter of soul fall upon you, and you forfeit your life and the life of your household.'

The Danites' menacing threatκαὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν
The Danites answer Micah's protest with a thinly veiled death-threat: silence, lest 'bitter-souled men' (ἄνδρες πικροὶ ψυχῇ) take his life and his family's. The idiom προσθήσουσιν ψυχήν ('add/forfeit life') is a textually difficult expression of lethal violence.
Word-by-word analysis· 30 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπονsaidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the Danites' threat.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeobject of πρός (Micah)αὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοί)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of εἶπονυἱός: οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν, the Danites.
Δανof Danindeclinable genitive (with υἱοί)Δαν: the tribe.
μὴnotnegative particle (with prohibitive imperative)μή: negative with the third-person imperative ἀκουσθήτω — a prohibition.
ἀκουσθήτωlet be heardAor Pass Impv 3 Sg · ἀκούωthird-person imperative (prohibition)→ prohibitive aorist imperative (let it not be heard)ἀκούω (aor. pass. impv.): 'be heard'; the prohibition μὴ ἀκουσθήτω … φωνή σου ('let not your voice be heard') is an implicit threat — a demand for total silence.
δὴnowemphatic particle (with the command)δή: 'now / pray'; here adds urgency/insistence to the prohibition (נָא).
φωνήvoiceNominativesubject of ἀκουσθήτωφωνή: 'voice'; Micah's protesting voice, to be silenced under threat.
σουyourGenitivepossessive genitive (with φωνή)σου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
μεθ᾿amongpreposition + genitive (association)μετά + gen.: 'with / among'; 'among us' = in our company / hearing.
ἡμῶνusGenitiveobject of μετάἡμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
μήποτεlestconjunction (negative purpose/fear)μήποτε: 'lest / so that … not'; introduces a clause of apprehended danger, governing the subjunctive συναντήσωσιν.
συναντήσωσινfall uponAor Act Subj 3 Pl · συναντάωsubjunctive of the μήποτε-clause→ aorist subjunctive (apprehended event)συναντάω: 'meet / encounter / fall upon'; renders פָּגַע; here with hostile force, 'lest (angry) men set upon you.'
ἐνamongpreposition + dative (the agents within the band)ἐν: here 'among (us),' partitive-locative — bitter men present in the Danite ranks.
ἡμῖνusDativeobject of ἐνἡμῖν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of συναντήσωσινἀνήρ: 'man'; the hot-tempered men in the Danite band who might kill Micah.
πικροὶbitterNominativepredicate adjective (modifying ἄνδρες)πικρός: 'bitter / harsh / fierce'; the phrase ἄνδρες πικροὶ ψυχῇ ('men bitter of soul') renders מָרֵי נֶפֶשׁ ('bitter/embittered of soul'), i.e. fierce, desperate men prone to violence (cf. 2 Sam 17:8).
ψυχῇof soulDativedative of respect (with πικροί)ψυχή: 'soul / life / disposition'; the dative of respect 'bitter as to soul' — fierce-tempered (מָרֵי נֶפֶשׁ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (continuing the threat)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
προσθήσουσινyou forfeitFut Act Indic 3 Pl · προστίθημιmain verb (the lethal outcome)→ predictive future (the feared consequence)προστίθημι: 'add / gather'; the obscure idiom προσθήσουσιν ψυχήν likely renders אָסַף נֶפֶשׁ ('gather/take away the life') — 'they will take/forfeit (your) life'; the future after μήποτε expresses the dreaded result of Micah's persistence.
ψυχὴνlifeAccusativedirect object of προσθήσουσινψυχή: 'life / soul'; here Micah's own life, threatened with destruction.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with ψυχήν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ψυχὴνlifeAccusativedirect object (second, parallel)ψυχή: 'life'; the threat extends to Micah's household.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with οἴκου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἴκουhouseholdGenitivepossessive genitive (with ψυχήν)οἶκος: 'house / household'; the lives of Micah's whole family are at stake — a total threat that secures his silence.
σουyourGenitivepossessive genitive (with οἴκου)σου: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
26

καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν εἰς ὁδὸν αὐτῶν καὶ εἶδεν Μιχαιας ὅτι δυνατώτεροί εἰσιν ὑπὲρ αὐτόν καὶ ἐπόστρεψεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ

And the sons of Dan went on their way; and Micah saw that they were stronger than he, and he turned back to his house.

Resolution of the confrontation (Micah yields)καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν
The standoff resolves in favor of force: the Danites continue unopposed, and Micah, seeing they are 'stronger than he,' turns home defeated. The blunt logic (δυνατώτεροί εἰσιν ὑπὲρ αὐτόν) crystallizes the chapter's might-makes-right theme in the kingless age.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπορεύθησανwentAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (the Danites continue)→ constative aoristπορεύομαι: 'go / proceed'; the Danites resume their march unhindered.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοί)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of ἐπορεύθησανυἱός: οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν, the Danites.
Δανof Danindeclinable genitive (with υἱοί)Δαν: the tribe.
εἰςonpreposition + accusative (direction/course)εἰς: here 'on / along'; εἰς ὁδὸν αὐτῶν = 'on their way' (renders לְדַרְכָּם).
ὁδὸνwayAccusativeobject of εἰςὁδός: 'way / road'; the Danites' onward route to Laish.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivepossessive genitive (with ὁδόν)αὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶδενsawAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὁράωmain verb (Micah's realization)→ constative aorist (came to see)ὁράω: 'see / perceive'; here 'saw / realized' that resistance was futile.
ΜιχαιαςMicahNominativesubject of εἶδεν / ἐπόστρεψενΜιχαιας: the defeated shrine-owner.
ὅτιthatconjunction (content of εἶδεν)ὅτι: 'that'; introduces the object-clause of εἶδεν.
δυνατώτεροίstrongerNominativepredicate adjective (comparative)δυνατός (comp. δυνατώτερος): 'strong / mighty / powerful'; the comparative 'stronger' with ὑπέρ (Hebraizing comparison) — the Danites overpower Micah's small force.
εἰσινthey arePres Act Indic 3 Pl · εἰμίverb of the ὅτι-clause→ descriptive present (within indirect statement)εἰμί: 'are'; the present retained in indirect statement after a past main verb.
ὑπὲρthanpreposition + accusative (comparison: Hebraism)ὑπέρ + acc.: 'beyond / than'; the comparative idiom δυνατώτεροι ὑπέρ ('stronger than') is a Hebraism rendering מִן of comparison (חָזָק מִן).
αὐτόνhimAccusativeobject of ὑπέρ (Micah, the term of comparison)αὐτόν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπόστρεψενturned backAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐπιστρέφωmain verb (Micah's retreat)→ constative aoristἐπιστρέφω: 'turn back / return' (here in the by-form ἐπόστρεψεν of the Rahlfs text); Micah, helpless, returns home — the pathos of dispossession sealed.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with οἶκον)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeobject of εἰςοἶκος: 'house'; Micah's now-empty shrine-house, to which he returns dispossessed.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivepossessive genitive (with οἶκον)αὐτοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
27

καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν ἔλαβον ὃ ἐποίησεν Μιχαιας καὶ τὸν ἱερέα ὃς ἦν αὐτῷ καὶ ἦλθον ἐπὶ Λαισα ἐπὶ λαὸν ἡσυχάζοντα καὶ πεποιθότα ἐπ᾿ ἐλπίδι καὶ ἐπάταξαν αὐτοὺς ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐνέπρησαν ἐν πυρί

And the sons of Dan took what Micah had made, and the priest who was his, and came against Laish, against a quiet and trusting people dwelling in security, and struck them with the edge of the sword, and burned the city with fire.

The conquest and burning of Laishκαὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν ἔλαβον
The campaign culminates: bearing Micah's idol and priest, the Danites fall on quiet, trusting Laish and put it to the sword (ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας), burning the city. The triple security-vocabulary (ἡσυχάζοντα, πεποιθότα, ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι) recalls v. 7, sealing the tragic helplessness of the defenceless town.
Word-by-word analysis· 37 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοί)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of ἔλαβον / ἦλθον / ἐπάταξανυἱός: οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν, the Danites.
Δανof Danindeclinable genitive (with υἱοί)Δαν: the tribe.
ἔλαβονtookAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λαμβάνωmain verb (taking the idol and priest)→ constative aoristλαμβάνω: 'take'; resumes the plunder-motif (vv. 18, 20, 24) as the Danites carry off the cult and priest to their new home.
whatAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἔλαβον)ὅς: 'what / that which'; 'what Micah made' = the carved image and the other cult-objects.
ἐποίησενhad madeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωverb of the relative clause→ constative aoristποιέω: 'make'; refers to Micah's manufacture of the idol (cf. v. 24; 17:4).
ΜιχαιαςMicahNominativesubject of ἐποίησενΜιχαιας: the maker of the idol.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with ἱερέα)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερέαpriestAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβον (second item)ἱερεύς: 'priest'; the Levite, taken along with the cult-objects.
ὃςwhoNominativerelative pronoun (subject of ἦν)ὅς: relative pronoun; 'who was his' (Micah's).
ἦνwasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίverb of the relative clause→ stative imperfectεἰμί: 'was'; ὃς ἦν αὐτῷ ('who was his/to him') = the priest formerly belonging to Micah's establishment.
αὐτῷhisDativedative of possession (with ἦν)αὐτός (dat.): the dative of possession, 'who was to him' = Micah's priest.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦλθονcameAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb (the assault march)→ constative aoristἔρχομαι: 'come'; here 'came against,' of the hostile advance on Laish.
ἐπὶagainstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction)ἐπί + acc.: 'against'; of attack upon Laish.
ΛαισαLaishindeclinable place name (object of ἐπί)Λαισα: Laish; see v. 7.
ἐπὶagainstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction, resumptive)ἐπί + acc.: repeated, 'against a people…'
λαὸνa peopleAccusativeobject of ἐπί (the inhabitants of Laish)λαός: 'people'; the inhabitants of Laish, here described by their fatal complacency.
ἡσυχάζονταquietPres Act Ptcp Acc Sg Masc · ἡσυχάζωattributive participle (modifying λαόν)→ durative present participle (settled state of tranquility)ἡσυχάζω: 'be quiet / live undisturbed'; resumes the keyword of v. 7 — the unsuspecting peacefulness that left Laish defenceless.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
πεποιθόταtrustingPerf Act Ptcp Acc Sg Masc · πείθωattributive participle (parallel to ἡσυχάζοντα)→ perfect participle (settled state of confidence)πείθω (perf. ptcp. πεποιθώς): 'trust / be confident'; the perfect intransitive 'trusting / secure'; renders בֹּטֵחַ; the people's misplaced confidence (cf. ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι).
ἐπ᾿inpreposition + dative (state)ἐπί + dat.: in the idiom ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι ('in security'); see v. 7.
ἐλπίδιsecurityDativeobject of ἐπί (state of confidence)ἐλπίς: 'confidence / security'; resumes the security-vocabulary of vv. 7, 10 — the false safety that doomed Laish.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπάταξανstruckAor Act Indic 3 Pl · πατάσσωmain verb (the slaughter)→ constative aorist (decisive blow)πατάσσω: 'strike / smite / slay'; renders הִכָּה; the standard verb for military slaughter, here 'struck them with the edge of the sword.'
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object of ἐπάταξαναὐτοὺς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrument: idiom)ἐν: instrumental, in the idiom ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας ('with the edge/mouth of the sword'), rendering לְפִי חֶרֶב.
στόματιthe edgeDativeobject of ἐν (idiomatic: 'mouth/edge of the sword')στόμα: 'mouth'; the Hebraism στόμα ῥομφαίας ('mouth of the sword' = the sword's edge), פִּי חֶרֶב, the standard idiom for slaughter by the sword.
ῥομφαίαςof the swordGenitivegenitive (with στόματι)ῥομφαία: 'sword / large blade'; renders חֶרֶב; the instrument of the conquest's slaughter.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativedirect object of ἐνέπρησανπόλις: 'city'; renders עִיר; Laish, destroyed by fire after the slaughter.
ἐνέπρησανburnedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐμπίπρημιmain verb (the burning)→ constative aoristἐμπίπρημι (ἐμπίμπρημι): 'set on fire / burn up'; renders שָׂרַף בָּאֵשׁ; the total destruction of the city by fire.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrument)ἐν: instrumental 'with (fire)'; the idiom ἐν πυρί renders בָּאֵשׁ.
πυρίfireDativeobject of ἐν (instrument)πῦρ: 'fire'; the means of the city's destruction.
28

καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ῥυόμενος ὅτι μακράν ἐστιν ἀπὸ Σιδωνίων καὶ λόγος οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς μετὰ ἀνθρώπου καὶ αὐτὴ ἐν τῇ κοιλάδι τοῦ οἴκου Ρααβ καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὴν πόλιν καὶ κατεσκήνωσαν ἐν αὐτῇ

And there was no deliverer, for it was far from the Sidonians and they had no dealing with anyone; and it was in the valley that belongs to Beth-rehob; and they rebuilt the city and settled in it.

Aftermath: no rescue, rebuilding and settlementκαὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ῥυόμενος
The narrator explains why no help came — Laish's isolation (μακράν … ἀπὸ Σιδωνίων; λόγος οὐκ ἔστιν … μετὰ ἀνθρώπου), repeating v. 7 — and records the Danites' rebuilding and settlement, the founding of their new homeland in the valley of Beth-rehob.
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἦν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἦνthere wasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential verb (negated)→ stative imperfectεἰμί: existential 'there was (no one)'; the negated existential underscores Laish's total lack of a rescuer.
the oneNominativearticle (substantizing the participle)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥυόμενοςdeliveringPres Mid Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · ῥύομαιsubstantival participle (subject of ἦν: 'a deliverer')→ durative present participle (substantival: rescuer)ῥύομαι: 'rescue / deliver'; renders נָצַל / מַצִּיל; ὁ ῥυόμενος ('the deliverer / rescuer') — none existed for isolated Laish (cf. the recurring deliverance-theme of Judges, ironically inverted).
ὅτιforcausal conjunctionὅτι: 'because / for'; gives the reason no rescuer came — Laish's isolation.
μακράνfaradverb (predicate of distance)μακράν: 'far'; see v. 7; the city's remoteness from Sidon left it without protection.
ἐστινit isPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίverb of the causal clause→ descriptive presentεἰμί: 'is'; describes Laish's distance from Sidon.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
Σιδωνίωνthe SidoniansGenitivegenitive of separation (with μακράν/ἀπό)Σιδώνιος: 'Sidonian'; see v. 7; the distant Phoenician city that might have defended Laish.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
λόγοςdealingNominativesubject of ἔστιν (negated)λόγος: 'word / dealing / relationship'; λόγος οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς μετὰ ἀνθρώπου ('they have no dealing with anyone') restates v. 7 — Laish's diplomatic isolation.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἔστιν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔστινthere isPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential verb (negated)→ descriptive presentεἰμί: existential; 'there is no dealing for them' — they had no ally.
αὐτοῖςfor themDativedative of possession (with ἔστιν)αὐτός (dat.): 'for them' = the people of Laish.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (relation)μετά + gen.: 'with'; of relations/dealings with others.
ἀνθρώπουanyoneGenitiveobject of μετάἄνθρωπος: 'man / anyone'; generic 'anyone'; Laish had no treaty-partner among all peoples (cf. v. 7).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (locative aside)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
αὐτὴitNominativesubject of the verbless locative clause (the city)αὐτός: 'it / she'; the city Laish, located in the following valley.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῇtheDativearticle (with κοιλάδι)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κοιλάδιvalleyDativeobject of ἐν (locative)κοιλάς: 'valley / hollow'; renders עֵמֶק / בִּקְעָה; the valley in which Laish/Dan lay, by Beth-rehob.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with οἴκου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἴκουhouseGenitivegenitive (with κοιλάδι: the valley belonging to Beth-rehob)οἶκος: 'house'; οἶκος Ρααβ = Beth-rehob (בֵּית רְחוֹב), a place-name ('house of Rehob') near the headwaters; the valley belonged to its district.
ΡααβRehobindeclinable place name (with οἴκου)Ρααβ: transliteration here of רְחוֹב (Rehob), in the toponym Beth-rehob; indeclinable (not to be confused with Rahab of Jericho).
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ᾠκοδόμησανrebuiltAor Act Indic 3 Pl · οἰκοδομέωmain verb (rebuilding)→ constative aoristοἰκοδομέω: 'build / rebuild'; renders בָּנָה; the Danites rebuild the destroyed city as their own.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativedirect object of ᾠκοδόμησανπόλις: 'city'; the rebuilt Laish, henceforth Dan.
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
κατεσκήνωσανsettledAor Act Indic 3 Pl · κατασκηνόωmain verb (settlement)→ constative aoristκατασκηνόω: 'settle / take up dwelling / encamp'; renders שָׁכַן / יָשַׁב; the Danites at last 'settle' in the inheritance they sought (v. 1).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτῇitDativeobject of ἐν (the rebuilt city)αὐτός: 'it' = the city; the long-sought place of settlement (cf. κατοικῆσαι, v. 1).
29

καὶ ἐκάλεσαν τὸ ὄνομα τῆς πόλεως Δαν ἐν ὀνόματι Δαν πατρὸς αὐτῶν ὃς ἐτέχθη τῷ Ισραηλ καὶ Ουλαμαις τὸ ὄνομα τῆς πόλεως τὸ πρότερον

And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; but Ulam was the former name of the city.

Renaming of the city (etiology of Dan)καὶ ἐκάλεσαν τὸ ὄνομα τῆς πόλεως Δαν
The conquest yields a place-name etiology: Laish becomes Dan, after the tribal ancestor 'born to Israel' (i.e. to Jacob); the parenthetical notes the former name (Ulam/Laish). This northernmost Dan establishes the proverbial span 'from Dan to Beersheba.'
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκάλεσανcalledAor Act Indic 3 Pl · καλέωmain verb (name-giving)→ constative aoristκαλέω: 'call / name'; renders קָרָא; the standard naming-verb in toponymic etiologies.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ὄνομα)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄνομαnameAccusativedirect object of ἐκάλεσανὄνομα: 'name'; renders שֵׁם; the object of the naming.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivepossessive genitive (with ὄνομα)πόλις: 'city'; the rebuilt town now renamed.
ΔανDanindeclinable proper noun (the conferred name)Δαν: the new name of the city, after the tribal ancestor; this northernmost settlement defines the idiom 'from Dan to Beersheba' (cf. 20:1).
ἐνafterpreposition + dative (idiom: 'by/after the name')ἐν: in the idiom ἐν ὀνόματι ('after the name of'), rendering בְּשֵׁם / כְּשֵׁם — naming the city for its eponymous ancestor.
ὀνόματιthe nameDativeobject of ἐν (idiom)ὄνομα: 'name'; ἐν ὀνόματι Δαν = 'after the name of Dan.'
Δανof Danindeclinable proper noun (with ὀνόματι)Δαν: the tribal ancestor, fifth son of Jacob.
πατρὸςfatherGenitivegenitive in apposition to Δανπατήρ: 'father / ancestor'; renders אָב; Dan as the eponymous progenitor of the tribe.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivepossessive genitive (with πατρός)αὐτῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ὃςwhoNominativerelative pronoun (subject of ἐτέχθη)ὅς: relative pronoun; introduces the genealogical note 'who was born to Israel.'
ἐτέχθηwas bornAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · τίκτωverb of the relative clause→ constative aorist passiveτίκτω (aor. pass.): 'be born / be brought forth'; renders יֻלַּד; 'who was born to Israel (= Jacob)' identifies Dan as a son of the patriarch (Gen 30:6).
τῷtoDativearticle (with Ισραηλ)the article marks the indeclinable Ισραηλ as dative ('to Israel').
ΙσραηλIsraelindeclinable proper noun (dative of relationship)Ισραηλ: here the patriarch Jacob (renamed Israel, Gen 32:28), to whom Dan was born; the dative of relationship 'born to Israel.'
καὶbutconjunction (introducing the former-name note)καί: here mildly adversative, 'but / however,' introducing the city's former name.
ΟυλαμαιςUlamindeclinable proper noun (the former name)Ουλαμαις: transliteration reflecting Hebrew אוּלָם ('formerly') read here as a place-name with Laish; the LXX takes לוּלָם / אוּלָם לַיִשׁ as the city's old name 'Ulam(-Laish)'; indeclinable.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with ὄνομα)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄνομαnameNominativesubject of the verbless clause ('Ulam [was] the name')ὄνομα: 'name'; predicated of the former designation of the city.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivepossessive genitive (with ὄνομα)πόλις: 'city'; the renamed town, here referred to by its former name.
τὸtheNominativearticle (substantizing πρότερον: 'the former [name]')τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρότερονformerNominativeattributive adjective (with ὄνομα: 'the former name')πρότερος: 'former / earlier'; τὸ ὄνομα … τὸ πρότερον = 'the former name,' marking Ulam/Laish as the pre-conquest designation.
30

καὶ ἔστησαν ἑαυτοῖς οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν τὸ γλυπτόν καὶ Ιωναθαμ υἱὸς Γηρσομ υἱὸς Μανασση αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ἦσαν ἱερεῖς τῇ φυλῇ Δαν ἕως ἡμέρας ἀποικίας τῆς γῆς

And the sons of Dan set up for themselves the carved image; and Jonathan son of Gershom son of Manasseh, he and his sons, were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

Establishment of the idolatrous cult and priesthoodκαὶ ἔστησαν ἑαυτοῖς οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν τὸ γλυπτόν
The chapter's climax of cultic apostasy: the Danites erect the carved image and install a hereditary priesthood under Jonathan son of Gershom son of Manasseh (the famous suspended nun of the MT, יְהוֹנָתָן בֶּן־גֵּרְשֹׁם בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁה, masking Moses). The note 'until the day of the captivity of the land' frames the cult as enduring scandal.
Word-by-word analysis· 29 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔστησανset upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἵστημιmain verb (erecting the idol)→ constative aorist (the cult-act)ἵστημι: 'set up / erect / establish'; renders הֵקִים; the transitive aorist of formally setting up the carved image as a cult-object.
ἑαυτοῖςfor themselvesDativereflexive dative of advantageἑαυτοῦ: reflexive 'for themselves'; the Danites establish the idol as their own tribal cult — a self-appointed, illegitimate worship.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοί)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of ἔστησανυἱός: οἱ υἱοὶ Δαν, the Danites.
Δανof Danindeclinable genitive (with υἱοί)Δαν: the tribe.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with γλυπτόν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γλυπτόνcarved imageAccusativedirect object of ἔστησανγλυπτός: 'carved image'; the idol seized from Micah, now installed as the cult-center of Dan (cf. vv. 14, 18, 31).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the priestly genealogy)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ΙωναθαμJonathanindeclinable proper noun (subject of ἦσαν, with αὐτός)Ιωναθαμ: transliteration of יְהוֹנָתָן (Jonathan); indeclinable here; the Levite now named, founder of the priestly line at Dan.
υἱὸςsonNominativenominative in apposition (genealogy: 'son of Gershom')υἱός: 'son'; in the genealogical apposition tracing Jonathan's descent.
Γηρσομof Gershomindeclinable proper noun (with υἱός)Γηρσομ: transliteration of גֵּרְשֹׁם (Gershom); indeclinable; the son of Moses (Exod 2:22), making Jonathan a grandson of Moses.
υἱὸςsonNominativenominative in apposition (genealogy: 'son of Manasseh')υἱός: 'son'; continuing the genealogy.
Μανασσηof ManassehGenitivegenitive (with υἱός)Μανασσης (gen. Μανασση): the name as transmitted; the MT writes מְנַשֶּׁה ('Manasseh') with a suspended nun over מֹשֶׁה ('Moses') — a scribal device shielding Moses from the scandal of an idolatrous grandson; the LXX here reflects the 'Manasseh' reading.
αὐτὸςheNominativeintensive pronoun (subject, resuming Ιωναθαμ)αὐτός: intensive 'he himself'; resumes Jonathan as subject after the genealogy: 'he and his sons.'
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοί)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject (with αὐτός) of ἦσανυἱός: 'sons'; Jonathan's descendants, the hereditary priesthood of Dan.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivepossessive genitive (with υἱοί)αὐτοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἦσανwereImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · εἰμίmain verb (predication of priestly office)→ durative imperfect (an ongoing institution)εἰμί (impf.): 'were'; the imperfect marks the priesthood as a continuing institution over generations 'until the captivity.'
ἱερεῖςpriestsNominativepredicate nominative (with ἦσαν)ἱερεύς (pl. ἱερεῖς): 'priests'; the hereditary line officiating at the Danite shrine.
τῇto theDativearticle (with φυλῇ)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλῇtribeDativedative of advantage (the tribe served)φυλή: 'tribe'; the priesthood serves 'the tribe of Dan,' fulfilling the Danites' enticement of v. 19 (priest to a tribe, not one house).
Δανof Danindeclinable (with φυλῇ)Δαν: the tribe.
ἕωςuntilpreposition + genitive (temporal limit)ἕως: temporal 'until'; marks the long duration of the illegitimate cult.
ἡμέραςthe dayGenitivegenitive object of ἕωςἡμέρα: 'day'; ἕως ἡμέρας ἀποικίας ('until the day of the captivity').
ἀποικίαςof the captivityGenitivegenitive (with ἡμέρας)ἀποικία: 'deportation / exile / captivity / colony'; renders גָּלוּת / גְּלוֹת; 'the captivity of the land' refers to the exile of the northern region (likely the Assyrian deportation), dating the cult's endurance to the fall of the north.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with γῆς)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive (with ἀποικίας)γῆ: 'land'; 'the captivity of the land' — the deportation that ended the Danite cult's open operation.
31

καὶ ἔθηκαν αὐτοῖς τὸ γλυπτόν ὃ ἐποίησεν Μιχαιας πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἃς ἦν ὁ οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν Σηλωμ

And they set up for themselves the carved image that Micah had made, all the days that the house of God was at Shiloh.

Closing notice: the duration of the rival cultκαὶ ἔθηκαν αὐτοῖς τὸ γλυπτόν
The chapter closes by setting the Danite idol-cult against the legitimate worship: 'all the days that the house of God was at Shiloh.' The juxtaposition of Micah's man-made γλυπτόν with the οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ at Σηλωμ frames the whole appendix as a study in the rival cults of the kingless era.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔθηκανset upAor Act Indic 3 Pl · τίθημιmain verb (installing the idol)→ constative aoristτίθημι: 'set / place / set up'; renders שִׂים; here of installing the carved image for cultic use (parallel to ἔστησαν, v. 30).
αὐτοῖςfor themselvesDativereflexive/ethical dative of advantageαὐτός (dat.): 'for themselves'; the Danites set up the idol for their own worship (cf. ἑαυτοῖς, v. 30).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with γλυπτόν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γλυπτόνcarved imageAccusativedirect object of ἔθηκανγλυπτός: 'carved image'; the idol traced once more to its origin — Micah's manufacture (cf. v. 24).
whichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐποίησεν)ὅς: relative pronoun; 'which Micah made,' the recurring tag underscoring the idol's human, illegitimate origin.
ἐποίησενhad madeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωverb of the relative clause→ constative aoristποιέω: 'make'; the final reminder that the cult-object was a man-made artifact (cf. vv. 24, 27).
ΜιχαιαςMicahNominativesubject of ἐποίησενΜιχαιας: the original maker of the idol; the chapter ends as it implicated him — his handiwork now the cult of a whole tribe.
πάσαςallAccusativeattributive adjective (with ἡμέρας: accusative of duration)πᾶς: 'all'; with ἡμέρας in the accusative of extent of time, 'all the days (that…).'
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with ἡμέρας)τὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέραςdaysAccusativeaccusative of duration (extent of time)ἡμέρα: 'day'; πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας = 'all the days / the whole time,' an accusative of temporal extent.
ἃςthatAccusativerelative pronoun (temporal: 'during which')ὅς: relative pronoun in the temporal sense 'during which,' governing the duration-clause.
ἦνwasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίverb of the temporal relative clause→ durative imperfect (ongoing state)εἰμί (impf.): 'was'; the imperfect frames the period during which the sanctuary stood at Shiloh.
theNominativearticle (with οἶκος)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκοςhouseNominativesubject of ἦνοἶκος: 'house'; ὁ οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ ('the house of God'), the legitimate sanctuary, pointedly contrasted with Micah's private shrine and Dan's idol.
τοῦofGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitivepossessive genitive (with οἶκος)θεός: 'God'; the legitimate cult of YHWH at Shiloh, the foil to the Danite idolatry that closes the chapter.
ἐνatpreposition + dative (place)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΣηλωμShilohindeclinable place name (object of ἐν)Σηλωμ: transliteration of שִׁלֹה (Shiloh); indeclinable; the central sanctuary housing the tabernacle in the period of the judges (cf. Josh 18:1; 1 Sam 1–4), set against the rival Danite shrine.