Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 18:6
And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD [is] your way wherein ye go.
6. before the Lord ] i.e. under His favourable regard. Cf. 1Sa 1:17, 1Ki 22:6 for similar responses.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Before the Lord … – i. e. He looks favorably upon it. (Compare Ezr 8:21-22.)
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Your way, i.e. your journey or design, is under the eye of God, i.e. under his care, and protection, and direction, which the eye of God being upon a person commonly notes in Scripture, as Psa 32:8; 34:15. Compare Jer 39:12; 40:4. So the phrase is here taken in a restrained sense, which is elsewhere taken more largely, as Pro 5:21. This answer he either feigns to gratify their humour, or did indeed receive from the devil, who transformed himself into an angel of light, and in Gods name gave them answers, and those not seldom very true, which God suffered for the trial of his people. See Deu 13:1-3. But it is observable, that his answer was, as the devils oracles usually were, ambiguous, and such as might have been interpreted either way, as they had success or disappointment.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the priest said to them, go in peace,…. After he had consulted the oracle, or had asked counsel by the ephod and teraphim; either of his own head, or by a voice he had heard, which Satan might be permitted of God to deliver, he very roundly told them that they might proceed on in their journey with their minds quite easy, and with full assurance of success:
before the Lord is your way wherein ye go; it is seen, observed, and taken notice of by him, and he approves of it; it is according to his will, and under his direction and protection, and success from him may be depended upon; though some observe that this answer is delivered in ambiguous terms, as generally the oracles of demons were, and might be taken in a good or bad sense, as the event should be; as that their way was before the Lord, and was seen by him either with pleasure or displeasure, with approbation or disapprobation, for their good, or for their harm: so that let it fall out as it might, the credit of the oracle was saved.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) Before the Lord is your wayi.e., Jehovah looks favourably upon it. (Comp. Pro. 5:21; Ezr. 8:21.) The answer had, however, some of the oracular ambiguity. Jonathan did not stake his own credit or that of his ephod on any definite details, or even on any distinct promise.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Before the Lord is your way That is, ordered of him, and acceptable in his sight. The Danites requested him to inquire of God; he reports a favourable response from Jehovah, and in this interchange of the names Elohim and Jehovah some find that Micah’s illegally constituted priest had purer notions of religion than these Danites. They speak more like idolaters, he like a true prophet. But did Jehovah really answer through the medium of this illegal priest? Why should he not? Did he never use for communication of his will any medium but that of a person altogether pure and good and conformed to his law? Or is it clear that a refusal to answer through this Levite would, in this case, have been wiser, or accomplished a better purpose, than the answer that was given? God winked at (Act 17:30) the darkness and ignorance of those times, and we do wrong to judge those ancient characters and facts by the standard of New Testament ethics. Micah and his priest had certainly turned aside from the exact regulations of the law of Moses, but everything recorded of them shows an earnest purpose to serve and please Jehovah. Their fault was largely excused by the circumstances of their age, and the response which Jehovah gave this inquiring Levite is a representative of the ten thousand instances in which his blessings have come to devout worshippers through systems and forms of religion far from pure.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The way in which you go is before Yahweh.” ’
Having used his methods of divination the priest supplied an answer. But we have already been warned by the writer not to take it at its face value. He assured them that Yahweh was watching over their progress. But their way would lead them outside the covenant land and result in their setting up a false sanctuary. There was no way in which this was God’s doing.
The priest’s reply was typical of a false oracle. It could have two interpretations. If they prospered he could say that that was what Yahweh had meant. If they failed he could say that He had watched what they were doing and had disapproved. The oracle could never be wrong.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 18:6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD [is] your way wherein ye go.
Ver. 6. Go in peace: before the Lord is your way.] A doubtful answer; as the wary devil useth to be , equivocal, in his oracles: a that, which way soever things go, he may save his credit; as 1Ki 22:12 , “For the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the king.” Yea, but of which king, thou lying spirit? – the king of Israel, or the king of Syria? So, Croesus Halyn penetrans magnam disperdet opum vim. And, Aio te Aeacida Romanos vicere posse, &c. So here, “Before the Lord is your way,” may be interpreted, either, God seeth what you are going about: or, God will see to your safety, and give you good success. Satan vero et si semel videatur verax, millies est mendax, et semper fallax.
a Ite bonis avibus.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Go in peace: 1Ki 22:6, 1Ki 22:12, 1Ki 22:15, Jer 23:21, Jer 23:22, Jer 23:32
before: Deu 11:12, Psa 33:18, 1Th 3:11
the Lord: As the Levite uses the word Jehovah, and as the Danites succeeded according to the oracle delivered by him, some learned men are of opinion, that the worship established by Micah was not of an idolatrous kind.
Reciprocal: 1Sa 1:17 – Go Act 16:36 – and go
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 18:6. The priest said, Before the Lord is your way Your design is under the eye of God; that is, under his direction, protection, and care. The priest undoubtedly feigned this answer; for it is not to be imagined that he could, in such a case, have any answer from God, either through his ephod and teraphim, or in any other way. From hence, however, we may infer, Micah and his priest gave out that God might be inquired of by their means as well as at his oracle at Shiloh.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
18:6 And the priest said unto them, {d} Go in peace: before the LORD [is] your way wherein ye go.
(d) Thus sometimes God grants the idolaters requests to the destruction of those who delight in errors.