Judges 18:9

Jdg 18:9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it [is] very good: and [are] ye still? be not slothful to go, [and] to enter to possess the land.

Ver. 9. Be not slothful to go, &c.] Thus do these spies notably and manfully encourage their contribules to set upon Laish, to secure a city. Captain Gam in like sort bespake our Henry V before the battle at Agincourt, If the French be so numerous, there will be enough to be killed, enough to be taken prisoners, and enough to run away. It proved accordingly, though the French were so confident of a victory, that they sent to King Henry, to know what ransom he would give. {a}

{a} Speed, 795.

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.

Lose ye this good occasion through your slothfulness?

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

Verse 9. Arise, c.] This is a very plain and nervous address full of good sense, and well adapted to the purpose. It seems to have produced an instantaneous effect.

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

(9) Behold, it is very good.—Comp. Num_14:7; Jos_2:23-24. The beauty of the site well bears out the description—“the rich and beautiful seclusion of that loveliest of the scenes of Palestine” (Stanley). It was by a similar statement that Anaxilaus of Rhegium persuaded the Messenians to seize Zankle (Pausan. 4:23, quoted by Cassel).

Are ye still?—1Ki_22:3; 2Ki_7:9.

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

9, 10. The reply of the spies is overcharged, and the sentences out of logical order, probably owing to the combination of the two narratives. Moore thus separates the two: (a) Arise, and let us go up against them: for when ye come, ye shall come unto a people secure, and the land is large, for it is a place where there is no want of anything that is in the earth; (b) And they said, We have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land; God hath given it into your hand. A different arrangement is proposed by Budde, who further points out that we should expect the spies to mention the name of the place which they discovered and urged their clan to seize; accordingly he reads to Laish for against them in (a), and supplies the omission in (b). He distinguishes the sources as follows: (a) And they said, Arise and let us go up [to Laish]; for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth; (b) And they said, [Why] are ye still? be not slothful to go [to Laish] to possess the land, for [Jehovah] hath given it into your hand. When ye come, ye shall come … is large. Of the two, Budde’s arrangement seems preferable; but it is impossible to reconstruct the sources with any certainty.

and are ye still?] Cf. 1Ki_22:3. Budde’s correction, why for and, is an improvement.

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 they said, arise, that me may go up against them,.... That is, prepare for war, and go up in an hostile manner against the present possessors of the land, not doubting of being masters of it easily:

for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good. Adrichomius (x) says it was very good pasture land, and fertile, abounding with fruits of all kinds; and the same is attested by Josephus (y):

and are ye still? can ye sit still, and be easy, and not bestir yourselves to go up and possess so good a country, of which an easy conquest may be made? or, affirmatively, "ye are still or silent" (z); ye make no answer to what we say, and seem careless and indifferent about the matter; or by way of exhortation, "be silent", either that the people may remain in their quiet, easy, careless state, and lest, on hearing designs against them, should prepare for their defence; or, as Abarbinel, lest any of the other tribes of Israel should hear of it, and go take it before them:

be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land; they suggest that there was scarce anything more to be done than to go and take possession, and that it would be altogether owing to their sloth and indolence if they did not.

(x) Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 3. sect. 1.) (y) Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 3. sect. 1.) (z) "vos autem desidetis", Tigurine version; "et vos quiescitis", Munster.

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

There will, &c., is added to signify, that it will be necessary only to go to take possession. (Haydock)

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).

Are ye still, Heb. silent? Silence is oft put for stillness or cessation from action or motion, as Exo 14:14; Isa 62:1; Lam 2:18. For they do not accuse them for want of speaking, for that they did; but for want of doing, and putting their words and resolves into execution.

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

To go, and to enter. The exact meaning is, Be not slothful to go (i.e. to go on your way from hence), so as to enter in and possess the land. This would be expressed by leaving out to before enter to go and enter.

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

Are you doing nothing?

This rhetorical question is asked sarcastically and means that they should be doing the opposite. This question can be written as a statement. AT: "You should be acting now!" (See: Rhetorical Question and Double Negatives)

Do not be slow to attack

These two negative words "not" and "slow" together emphasize the positive idea to attack quickly. AT: "Hurry! Attack" (See: Double Negatives)

the land is wide

"the land is large." This is a description of the size of the land.

that does not lack anything in the land

The men use a hyperbole, an exaggeration, to emphasize that it is a very desirable place to live. AT: "where we will have everything there that we need" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

that does not lack anything

The two negative words together emphasize a positive idea. AT: "has everything" (See: Double Negatives)

translationWords

people group

God

earth

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

You are apathetic Lazy.

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.