Judges 18:28

Jdg 18:28 And [there was] no deliverer, because it [was] far from Zidon, and they had no business with [any] man; and it was in the valley that [lieth] by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.

Ver. 28. Because it was far from Zidon.] See on Jdg 18:7.

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.

Which after was called Cesarea Philippi.

Or, deliver them.

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

they built a city, and . . . call the name of that city Dan--It was in the northern extremity of the land, and hence the origin of the phrase, "from Dan to Beer-sheba."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 28. There was no deliverer] They had no succour, because the Sidonians, from whom they might have expected it, were at too great a distance.

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

(28) In the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob.—At the foot of the lowest range of Lebanon, and at the sources of the Jordan (Num_13:21), north of Lake Huleh. It is probably the Rehob of Jdg_1:31, Jos_19:30; and later it belonged to Syria (2Sa_10:6) The name means “house of spaciousness.” Robinson (Bibl. Res. Iii. 371) identifies it with Hunîn, a fortress which commands the plain of Huleh.

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

28. See on Jdg_18:7. The city was too far off from the suzerain power to obtain any help; and as no alliances had been made with the Syrians (again reading Aram for adam = ‘any man’), there were no friendly neighbours to come to the rescue.

the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob] or that belongeth to B. The depression through which the Jordan flows begins to open out at the S.W. foot of Hermon; this seems to be the valley alluded to. If, as is probable, Laish-Dan occupied the site of Tell el-Ḳâḍi, Beth-rehob may be identified with Bânias. According to 2Sa_10:6; 2Sa_10:8 Beth-rehob was a Syrian state.

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.

And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon,.... Under whose government and protection they seem to have been; and that city being at a distance from them, and the Danites coming upon them suddenly, there was no time to send to them for help, or any to come in to their assistance, and save them from their enemies, see Jdg 18:7.

and they had no business with any man; that could have given them notice of the design of the children of Dan against them, nor to the Zidonians to come soon enough for their protection and defence; none there were in alliance with them except them:

and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob; which lay in the northern border of the land of Canaan, as you go to Hamath of Syria; see Gill on Num 13:21.

and they built a city to dwell there; not a new one altogether, but they rebuilt and enlarged Laish, and made it convenient for them to dwell in.

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

Rehob (as Dan afterward) is mentioned as the northernmost point of the land of Canaan Num 13:21, and its position is defined with reference to the entering in of Hamath.

A city - Rather, “the” city. They rebuilt Laish, which they had burned down Jdg 18:29.

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

Rohob, which stood at the foot of Libanus. The vale belonging to this city, extended for about twenty miles.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Beth-rehob; a place near Libanus and Hamath; of which see Num 13:21; Jos 19:28; 21:31; Jdg 1:31.

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

28. Because it was far from Zidon — The Zidonians were the only people likely to give them assistance at such a time of disaster, for they originally belonged to Zidon. See note on Jdg_18:7.

No business with any man — No alliance with nearer governments. from whom, in such case, they might have received help.

Beth-rehob — Dr. Robinson is inclined to identify this place with Hunin, an ancient fortress several miles southwest of Dan, and commanding a fine prospect of the plain of the Huleh. With him agrees J.L. Porter, who says: “The site is most commanding — a terrace on the steep mountain side, a thousand feet above the plain of Dan. Facing it, on the opposite range of Hermon, I saw the ruins of Caesarea Philippi. The sacred writer, in telling the story of the capture of Laish by the Danites, says it was situated in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob. There was the valley before me, and yonder little rounded hill in the midst of it is the site of Laish.” It was an important stronghold, and was occupied, in the time of David, by the Syrians. 2Sa_10:6. It is not to be confounded with the Rehob in the tribe of Asher, further west. Jdg_1:31; Jos_19:28.

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

Because it was far, etc. He reverts again to the description given in ver 7. That lieth by Beth-Rehob. It is literally, which belongeth to Beth-Rehob, i.e. the valley here spoken of was part of the territory of the Syrians of Beth-Rehob in the time of David (and very likely earlier), as we read in 2Sa_10:6. It seems to have taken its name, House of Rehob, from Rehob the father of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, (2Sa_8:12) and to have been called Beth-Rehob very much as Micah"s settlement was called Beth-Micah. It was also called for shortness Rehob, Num_13:21 Jud 1:31 2Sa_10:8. It was situated, as we learn from Jud 1:31, in the bounds of the tribe of Asher, in the extreme north of the Holy Land, near the entering in of Hamath, the site of which, however, is unknown. (see Num_13:21) The valley is that through which the Leddan fountain flows (ver. 7, note), and is the upper part of the plain called el-Hulleh, which is the northern continuation of the Jordan valley. They built a city. Rather, they rebuilt the city.

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

And they built a city - That is, rebuilt it.

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