Judges 18:1

“In those days there was no king in Israel, etc.] No supreme magistrate, no judge, for it was before the time of the judges, after the death of Joshua and before Othniel the first judge; this is observed before, (<071706>Judges 17:6) and here repeated to account for the evil things done by the Danites, their consulting Micah’s oracle, taking away his priest and his gods, and setting up his graven image in Dan, by which means idolatry was spread in Israel, and brought on their servitude to Chushanrishathaim, from which Othniel the first judge was their deliverer: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; that is, a family of them, as in the next verse,…”

“THE DANITES SEEK OUT AN INHERITANCE. (Jdg. 18:1-26) In those days . . . the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in--The Danites had a territory assigned them as well as the other tribes. But either through indolence, or a lack of energy, they did not acquire the full possession of their allotment, but suffered a considerable portion of it to be wrested out of their hands by the encroachments of their powerful neighbors, the Philistines. In consequence, being straitened for room, a considerable number resolved on trying to effect a new and additional settlement in a remote part of the land. A small deputation, being despatched to reconnoitre the country, arrived on their progress…”

“Those days - Not long after Joshua's death. The tribe - A part of that tribe, consisting only of six hundred men of war, with their families, Jdg 18:16, Jdg 18:21. Inheritance - The lot had fallen to them before this time, but not the actual possession, because the Philistines and Amorites opposed them. Judges 18:2”

“no king: The word mailech, which generally means a king, is sometimes taken for a supreme ruler, governor, or judge (see note on Gen 36:31, and see note on Deu 33:5); and it is probable it should be so understood here, and in the parallel passages. Jdg 17:6, Jdg 19:1, Jdg 21:25 the tribe: Jos 19:40-48 for unto: Jdg 1:34 Judges 18:2”

“This took place at a time when Israel had no king, and the tribe of the Danites sought an inheritance for themselves to dwell in, because until that day no such portion had fallen to them among the tribes as an inheritance. To the expression נפלה לא (had not fallen) we must supply נחלה as the subject from the previous clause; and בּנחלה signifies in the character of a nachalah, i.e., of a possession that could be transmitted as hereditary property from father to son. נפל, to fall, is used with reference to the falling of the lot (vid., Num 34:2; Jos 13:6, etc.). The general statement, that as yet no inheritance had fallen to the tribe of Dan by lot, has its limitation in the context. As the…”