Judges 18:6
And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
True prophetic guidance came through authorized channels—the high priest with Urim and Thummim at the tabernacle, or prophets whom God had genuinely called and whose words proved true (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). This Levite possessed no such authorization. His blessing reflected professional courtesy to clients, not genuine prophetic insight. Ironically, the Danites' mission did 'succeed' in worldly terms—they conquered Laish. But this 'success' led to generations of idolatry and eventual exile. God sometimes permits us to achieve goals pursued in disobedience, but such success brings spiritual disaster rather than blessing.
Questions for Reflection
- How can we discern between genuine prophetic guidance and religious professionals telling us what we want to hear?
- What role does Scripture play in testing whether claimed divine guidance truly comes from God?
- In what ways might worldly 'success' actually indicate we're outside God's will, while apparent obstacles indicate we're exactly where He wants us?
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Analysis & Commentary
And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go. The priest's response—"Go in peace" (lekhu leshalom, לְכוּ לְשָׁלוֹם)—was standard priestly blessing language (1 Samuel 1:17), but the assurance "before the LORD is your way" (nochach Yahweh darkekhem, נֹכַח יְהוָה דַּרְכְּכֶם) was presumptuous prophecy without divine authorization. He used the covenant name Yahweh (יְהוָה) but spoke from a position of disobedience, serving an idolatrous shrine rather than the authorized tabernacle at Shiloh.
The phrase "before the LORD" (nochach Yahweh, נֹכַח יְהוָה) literally means "straight before" or "in the presence of," suggesting God approved their mission. Yet God had already assigned Dan specific territory; seeking elsewhere contradicted His revealed will. This false prophecy illustrates the danger of religious leaders who speak what people want to hear rather than what God has actually said (Jeremiah 14:13-15, 23:16-17, Ezekiel 13:1-7). From a Reformed perspective, this warns that not everyone claiming to speak for God truly does—testing teaching against Scripture is essential (1 John 4:1, Acts 17:11).