Judges 18:21

Jdg 18:21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.

Ver. 21. And the cattle and the carriage before them.] For they feared Micah’s pursuit more than any other enemy that was before them. For "carriage" some render preciosa, the precious things, and interpret it of household stuff, according to that of Solomon, "Thy house shall be full of all precious and pleasant riches."

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Suspecting them that did pursue them.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 21. The little ones and the cattle, c.] These men were so confident of success that they removed their whole families, household goods, cattle, and all.

And the carriage] כבודה kebudah, their substance, precious things, or valuables omne quod erat pretiosum, VULGATE: or rather the luggage or baggage; what Caesar calls in his commentaries impedimenta; and what the Septuagint here translate βαρος, weight or baggage. We are not to suppose that any wheel carriage is meant.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21) The little ones and the cattle.—It is only in this incidental way that the fact of this being a regular migration is brought out. (Comp. Exo_12:37.) The women are, of course, included, though not mentioned (Gen_34:29; 2Ch_20:13).

And the carriage—i.e., “the baggage.” (Comp. Act_21:15.) The word is hakkebodah, which the LXX. (Cod. A) render “their glorious possession,” and the Vulg. “everything which was precious,” i.e., the valuables. But as cabîd means “to be heavy,” the rendering of the Vatican MS. of the LXX.—“the weight,” i.e., “the heavy baggage” (impedimenta)—may be right. The word has no connection with that similarly rendered in 1Sa_17:22.

Before them.—Because they expected pursuit.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. If there were little ones there must have been women to look after them. Budde would supply the omission, but unnecessarily.

the goods] In the Hebr. a fem. sing., the wealthy, cf. Gen_31:1 RVm., Isa_10:3 (translated glory). The LXX. cod. B takes the word in its primary sense ‘the heavy baggage.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So they turned and departed,.... Turned from the gate of the city where Micah dwelt, and marched forward to Laish:

and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the carriage, before them; partly for safety from Micah, and his friends and neighbours, and partly that they might not be overdriven: their wives, who doubtless were with them, though not mentioned, and their children, and also their flocks and herds, they brought with them from Zorah and Eshtaol, as never intending to return again thither, and being fully assured they should take Laish, and the country about, and settle there; and also all their wealth and substance, as the Targum renders the word for "carriage", whatever they were possessed of that was movable; their vessels, silver and gold, and other movables, as Kimchi interprets it, whatever was weighty, valuable and glorious, as the word signifies, or that was of any importance and worth.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And put the little ones, etc., before them - They expected a pursuit from Micah’s people, and arranged their order of march accordingly.

The carriage - Rather, “the valuables.” Some interpret it “the heavy baggage.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

For their greater security, if Micah should pursue them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. Little ones — They had taken their families with them. See note on Jdg_18:11.

The carriage — The baggage, consisting of their valuables. This sense of the English word carriage has become obsolete.

Before them — They anticipated pursuit and trouble from Micah, whom they had so lawlessly robbed, and therefore set their families, cattle, and other possessions in front.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They turned, i.e. turned their backs upon Beth-Micah, and went on their way to the north. The little ones. The term necessarily includes the women of the emigrant party. Compare Jacob"s care for his wives and children; (Gen_33:1-5) only Jacob expected an attack from Esau in front, the Danites an attack from Micah from behind. The carriage. It is the same word as is translated in Gen_31:1 glory; it might be rendered valuables. It would no doubt include the precious images and ephod which they had just stolen.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Before them - For their greater security, if Micah should pursue them.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The 600 Danites then set out upon their road again and went away; and they put the children, the cattle, and the valuable possessions in front, because they were afraid of being attacked by Micah and his people from behind. הטּף, "the little ones," includes both women and children, as the members of the family who were in need of protection (see at Exo 12:37). כבוּדה is literally an adjective, signifying splendid; but here it is a neuter substantive: the valuables, not the heavy baggage. The 600 men had emigrated with their families and possessions.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

They put the small children in front of themselves

They traveled this way to protect the children. If Micah and his people attacked them the would reach the warriors first and not the children. AT: "They put the small children in front of themselves to protect them" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

a good distance

"some distance." This refers a short distance but one that is long enough to be considered as measurable progress. (See: Idiom)

the men who were in the houses near Micah's house were called together

This can be stated in active form. AT: "he called together the men who were in the houses near his house" (See: Active or Passive)

they caught up with the Danites

This implies that they ran after them. This can be stated clearly. AT: "running after the Danites, they caught up with them"

they turned

"the Danites turned around"

Why have you been called together?

This question is a rebuke. It can be translated as a statement. AT: "You should not have called your men together to chase us." (See: Rhetorical Question)

been called together

This can be stated in active form. AT: "called these men together" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

children

possess

house

Dan

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

The bulky cargo. The loads. Anything which moved ponderously, thus making it impossible to move quickly should the local inhabitants pursue them.

The bulky cargo. "Pezantume" in old French.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.