Abstract
At first glance, the names of the localities in Judg 18:12 do not seem to fit the framework of chapter 18. Traditionally, v.12 (in particular 12ba) is therefore labelled as an etiological note which was added later. P. J. van Dijk has made it clear, however, that texts viewed as etiological often do not explain or legitimize any phenomena, but -as rhetorical devices -lend credibility to stories. However, the fact that a place named Mahaneh-dan is unknown to us argues against both the classical-etiological understanding of v.12 and that of van Dijk. A solution to the problem begins with the geographical location and the theological meaning of the city of Kiriath-jearim. Geographically, Kiriath-jearim is in Judah, on the boundary of the Northern Kingdom; theologically the city may be associated with the ark of the covenant, and thereby with the Torah of YHWH. That the Danites are encamped at or beyond of Kiriath-jearim, shows from a Judean perspective that they distance themselves from Judah and the Torah of YHWH. Their way -leading diagonally from the Southwest to the Northeast through the Northern Kingdom, and therefore representing pars pro toto the conduct of life for all of the Northern tribes -is a way of brutal force and uninhibited serving of idols. Because the location of the encampment of the Danites is called Mahaneh-dan, "Dan's Camp", the Danites are characterized as anti-Yahwist desperados. Judg 18:12 is neither a classical etiology nor a rhetorical device, but a metaphorical etiology, i.e. a verse governed by its context in such a way, that it signifies something other than what it appears to signify.
Highlights
Judges 17 tells of a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim, who establishes an idolatrous cult with a graven image, a molten image, an ephod and teraphim
The Danites first send a reconnaissance party of five men from their original settlement around the cities of Zorah and Eshtaol in the southwest part of the country. On their journey these men come to Ephraim, where they encounter Micah, his idols and his Levite priest. They continue through the country until they reach the peaceful city of Laish located in the Huleh Valley plain in the extreme northwest part of the country
Having briefly summarized Judges 17-18,1 I would like to discuss chapter 18, verses 11-13. These verses describe the first stage of the Danite conquest, i.e. the journey from Zorah and Eshtaol to the Ephraim hill country and the house-of-Micah: And six hundred men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set forth from Zorah and Eshtaol, 12 a and went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah
Summary
These verses describe the first stage of the Danite conquest, i.e. the journey from Zorah and Eshtaol to the Ephraim hill country and the house-of-Micah: And six hundred men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set forth from Zorah and Eshtaol, 12 a and went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. Verses describing both the reconnaissance journey as well as the actual Danite conquest otherwise mention only the departure cities of Zorah and Eshtaol, the house-of-Micah, and the destination of Laish, later named Dan. Here in verse 12, we suddenly read of an encampment at Kiriath-jearim and how this camp is named Mahaneh-dan.
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