New American Standard Bible 1995

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Judges

Note Journal Prayer

18

:

2

“

So the sons of Dan sent from their family five men out of their whole number, valiant men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it; and they said to them, "Go, search the land." And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
So the sons son Noun H1121 בְנֵי־ ve·nei-
Analysis:
Read more about: So
of Dan "judge," a son of Jacob, also his desc. and their territory, also a place in N. Isr. Noun H1835 דָ֣ן dan
Analysis:
Read more about: Dan, Dan
sent to send Verb H7971 וַיִּשְׁלְח֣וּ vai·yish·le·chu
from their family a clan Noun H4940 מִֽמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּ֡ם mim·mish·pach·tam
five five Noun H2568 חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה cha·mi·shah
Analysis:

Five: Incompletion or lacking

For a person to understand the meaning of the number “five”, one must first realize that the meaning of the number ten is completion or wholeness. Since five is half of ten, the idea is that the number five represents incompletion or that which is lacking. A Scripture that expresses this idea is found in the book of John. At a place called Beit Chesed (Bethesda), there was a pool whose waters healed the sick. The reader is told that around the pool there were five porches. It is stated that on these five porches laid individuals who were not whole. Some were paralyzed and the rest of them had a variety of health problems. It is not a chance happening that these people who were lacking their health were on five porches. Another well-known passage that contains the number five is found in I Samuel 17. In the account of David and Goliath, David picks up five stones (see I Samuel 17:40). Why is the reader told the specific number and not simply that David had gathered a few stones? The answer is to assist the reader in understanding that the stone, which David hurled at Goliath, was not the source of victory. Rather, this was only the means that God used to accomplish His victory. In other words, the stone and even David, who hurled this stone at Goliath, were insufficient to bring about this victory.

One of the first places where the idea of "lacking" or "incompleteness" is seen regarding the number five is in the book of Genesis. In chapter 18, two angels are sent to Sodom to destroy the city. God tells Abraham that if 50 righteous people are found in the city, then the city will be free of this punishment (We will learn that the number 50 is related to freedom when this number is studied). This is revealed to Abraham and he responds saying, perhaps the city will lack 50 righteous people by five. It is significant that Abraham uses the number five when referring to the city lacking enough righteous people. 

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men man Noun H376 אֲנָשִׁ֣ים a·na·shim
out of their whole number, an end Noun H7098 מִקְצֹותָם֩ mik·tzo·v·tam
valiant strength, efficiency, wealth, army Noun H2428 חַ֜יִל cha·yil
men man Noun H376 אֲנָשִׁ֨ים a·na·shim
from Zorah a city exchanged by Judah and Dan Noun H6881 מִצָּרְעָ֣ה mi·tza·re·'ah
Analysis:
Read more about: Zorah
and Eshtaol, a city in Judah Noun H847 וּמֵֽאֶשְׁתָּאֹ֗ל u·me·'esh·ta·'ol
Analysis:
Read more about: Eshtaol
to spy to go about on foot Verb H7270 לְרַגֵּ֤ל le·rag·gel
out the land earth, land Noun H776 הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ ha·'a·retz
and to search to search Verb H2713 וּלְחָקְרָ֔הּ u·le·cha·ke·rah,
it; and they said to utter, say Verb H559 וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ vai·yo·me·ru
to them, "Go, to go, come, walk Verb H1980 לְכ֖וּ le·chu
search to search Verb H2713 חִקְר֣וּ chik·ru
the land." earth, land Noun H776 הָאָ֑רֶץ ha·'a·retz;
And they came to come in, come, go in, go Verb H935 וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ vai·ya·vo·'u
to the hill country mountain, hill, hill country Noun H2022 הַר־ har-
of Ephraim, a son of Joseph, also his desc. and their territory Noun H669 אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ ef·ra·yim
Analysis:
Read more about: Ephraim
to the house a house Noun H1004 בֵּ֣ית beit
of Micah, the name of several Isr. Noun H4318 מִיכָ֔ה mi·chah,
and lodged to lodge, pass the night, abide Verb H3885 וַיָּלִ֖ינוּ vai·ya·li·nu
there. there, thither Adverb H8033 שָֽׁם׃ sham.

Locations

Dan

DAN (2)A city familiar as marking the northern limit of the land of Israel in the common phrase "from Dan even to Beer-sheba" (Judges 20:1 1 Samuel 3:20, etc.). Its ancient name was Laish or Leshem (Judges 18:7, etc.). It was probably an outlying settlement of Tyre of Sidon. Its inhabitants, pursuing the ends of peaceful traders, were defenseless against the... View Details

Ephraim

EPHRAIM (2)(1) A position apparently of some importance, since the position of Baal-hazor (probably = Tell `Asur) where Abraham's sheep-farm was located, is determined by relation to it (2 Samuel 13:23). That it lay North of Jerusalem seems to be indicated in 2 Samuel 13:34. It may be identical with the Ephraim of Eusebius, Onomasticon, 20 Roman miles North... View Details

Eshtaol

ESHTAOLesh'-ta-ol ('eshta'ol; Astaol):A town in the Shephelah of Judah named next to Zorah (Joshua 15:33; Joshua 19:41). Between these two cities lay Mahaneh-dan (the camp of Dan) where the Spirit of the Lord began to move Samson (Judges 13:25), and where he was buried (Judges 16:31). A contingent from Eshtaol formed part of the 600 Danites who captured Lais... View Details

Zorah

ZORAHzo'-ra (tsor`ah; Saraa): A city on the border of Dan, between Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh (Joshua 19:41); the birthplace of Samson (Judges 13:2, 25); near here too he was buried (Judges 16:31); from here some Danites went to spy out the land (Judges 18:2, 11). In Joshua 15:33 it is, with Eshtaol, allotted to Judah, and after the captivity it was reinhabited... View Details

People

Dan

|judge,| a son of Jacob, also his desc. and their territory, also a place in Northern Israel

Parallel Verses

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New American Standard Bible 1995 So the sons of Dan sent from their family five men out of their whole number, valiant men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it; and they said to them, "Go, search the land." And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
King James Bible So And the sons children of Dan sent from of their family five men out of from their whole number, valiant coasts, men of valour, from Zorah Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land land, and to search it; and they said to unto them, "Go, Go, search the land." And land: who when they came to the hill country of mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and they lodged there.
Hebrew Greek English So the sons of Dan sent from their family five men out of their whole number, valiant men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it; and they said to them, "Go, search the land." And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.