Judges 18:8
New International Version
When they returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their fellow Danites asked them, “How did you find things?”

New Living Translation
When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them, “What did you find?”

English Standard Version
And when they came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers said to them, “What do you report?”

Berean Standard Bible
When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers asked them, “What did you find?”

King James Bible
And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?

New King James Version
Then the spies came back to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, “What is your report?

New American Standard Bible
When they came back to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers said to them, “What do you say?

NASB 1995
When they came back to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers said to them, “What do you report?”

NASB 1977
When they came back to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers said to them, “What do you report?

Legacy Standard Bible
So they came back to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers said to them, “What do you report?”

Amplified Bible
The five men came back [home] to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers said to them, “What do you have to report?

Christian Standard Bible
When the men went back to their relatives at Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them, “What did you find out? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the men went back to their clans at Zorah and Eshtaol, their people asked them, “What did you find out?”

American Standard Version
And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?

Contemporary English Version
The five men went back to Zorah and Eshtaol, where their relatives asked, "Did you find any land?"

English Revised Version
And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The men went back to their relatives in Zorah and Eshtaol. Their relatives asked them, "What did you find?"

Good News Translation
When the five men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, the people asked them what they had found out.

International Standard Version
When they returned to their relatives at Zorah and Eshtaol, their relatives asked them, "What's your report?"

Majority Standard Bible
When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers asked them, “What did you find?”

NET Bible
When the Danites returned to their tribe in Zorah and Eshtaol, their kinsmen asked them, "How did it go?"

New Heart English Bible
They came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers said to them, "What do you say?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And they came to their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said to them, What say ye?

World English Bible
They came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brothers asked them, “What do you say?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they come to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers say to them, “What [did] you [find]?”

Young's Literal Translation
And they come in unto their brethren, at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren say to them, 'What -- ye?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will come to their brethren of Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brethren will say to them, What ye?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done? to whom they answered:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they returned to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, who questioned them as to what they had done. And they responded:

New American Bible
When the five returned to their kin in Zorah and Eshtaol, they were asked, “What do you have to report?”

New Revised Standard Version
When they came to their kinsfolk at Zorah and Eshtaol, they said to them, “What do you report?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they came back to their brethren at Zedah and Eshtaol; and their brethren said to them, Whence did you come?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they came to their brethren at Tsada and at Eshtwayel, and they were saying to their brethren: “From where have you come?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brethren said unto them: 'What say ye?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the five men came to their brethren to Saraa and Esthaol, and said to their brethren, Why sit ye here idle?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Danites Settle in Laish
7So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, tranquil and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone. 8When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers asked them, “What did you find?” 9They answered, “Come on, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and it is very good. Why would you fail to act? Do not hesitate to go there and take possession of the land!…

Cross References
Numbers 13:26-27
and they went back to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back a report for the whole congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. / And they gave this account to Moses: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and indeed, it is flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit!

Joshua 2:23-24
Then the two men started back, came down from the hill country, and crossed the river. So they came to Joshua son of Nun and reported all that had happened to them. / “The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.”

1 Samuel 4:16-17
“I have just come from the battle,” the man said to Eli. “I fled from there today.” “What happened, my son?” Eli asked. / The messenger answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

1 Samuel 14:28-30
Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.” / “My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. / How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been much greater?”

2 Samuel 11:7
When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing and how the war was going.

1 Kings 12:3-4
So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel came to Rehoboam and said, / “Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you must lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

2 Kings 7:9-10
Finally, they said to one another, “We are not doing what is right. Today is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until morning light, our sin will overtake us. Now, therefore, let us go and tell the king’s household.” / So they went and called out to the gatekeepers of the city, saying, “We went to the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a trace—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents were intact.”

Nehemiah 6:3-4
So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?” / Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.

Proverbs 15:22
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Isaiah 7:2
When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind.

Jeremiah 42:4-5
“I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will surely pray to the LORD your God as you request, and I will tell you everything that the LORD answers. I will not withhold a word from you.” / Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act upon every word that the LORD your God sends you to tell us.

Matthew 10:14-15
And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. / Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Matthew 11:21-24
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. / But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. / And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ...

Mark 6:30-31
Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught. / And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

Luke 9:10
Then the apostles returned and reported to Jesus all that they had done. Taking them away privately, He withdrew to a town called Bethsaida.


Treasury of Scripture

And they came to their brothers to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brothers said to them, What say you?

Zorah and Eshtaol

Judges 18:2,11
And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there…

Judges 13:2
And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.

Judges 16:31
Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

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Eshtaol Esh'ta-Ol News Report Zorah
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Eshtaol Esh'ta-Ol News Report Zorah
Judges 18
1. The Danites send five men to seek out an inheritance
3. At the house of Micah they consult with Jonathan, and are encouraged
7. They search Laish, and bring back news of good hope
11. Six hundred men are sent to surprise it
16. In their way they rob Micah of his priest and his consecrated things
27. They win Laish, and call it Dan
30. They set up idolatry, wherein Jonathan inherits the priesthood.














When they returned
This phrase indicates a journey back to a starting point, suggesting a mission or task that has been completed. In the context of Judges 18, the returning refers to the spies sent by the tribe of Dan to scout the land. The Hebrew root for "returned" is "שׁוּב" (shuv), which often implies a turning back or repentance. Here, it signifies the completion of a reconnaissance mission, reflecting the tribe's determination to find a new inheritance, as their allotted territory was insufficient.

to their brothers
This phrase emphasizes the familial and tribal connections among the Israelites. The term "brothers" in Hebrew is "אַחִים" (achim), which can mean literal siblings or, more broadly, members of the same tribe or community. This highlights the unity and shared purpose among the Danites, as they seek to secure a future for their people. It underscores the importance of community and collective action in the biblical narrative.

at Zorah and Eshtaol
These locations are significant as they are part of the original territory of the tribe of Dan. Zorah and Eshtaol are situated in the Shephelah region of Judah, indicating the Danites' struggle to expand their territory due to pressure from surrounding peoples. Archaeological evidence suggests these areas were significant during the period of the Judges, serving as a base for the Danites' operations and highlighting the historical context of their migration.

their brothers asked them
This phrase shows the anticipation and eagerness of the Danite community to hear the report from the spies. The act of asking indicates a participatory decision-making process within the tribe, reflecting the communal nature of Israelite society. It also suggests a reliance on divine guidance and the importance of seeking counsel before taking action.

“What did you find?”
This question is direct and to the point, reflecting the urgency and importance of the mission. The Hebrew root for "find" is "מָצָא" (matsa), which can mean to discover or obtain. In this context, it implies the search for a new homeland, a place where the tribe of Dan can settle and thrive. This question sets the stage for the subsequent actions of the Danites, as they prepare to move forward based on the spies' report.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When the men returned
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Zorah
צָרְעָ֖ה (ṣā·rə·‘āh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6881: Zorah -- a city exchanged by Judah and Dan

and Eshtaol,
וְאֶשְׁתָּאֹ֑ל (wə·’eš·tā·’ōl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 847: Eshtaol -- to found, establish

their brothers
אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם (’ă·ḥê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 251: A brother, )

asked
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

them,
לָהֶ֛ם (lā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

“What
מָ֥ה (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

did you find?”
אַתֶּֽם׃ (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you


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OT History: Judges 18:8 They came to their brothers to Zorah (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 18:7
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