Judges 18:19

Judges 18:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?
• New International Version (NIV)They answered him, “Be quiet! Don’t say a word. Come with us, and be our father and priest. Isn’t it better that you serve a tribe and clan in Israel as priest rather than just one man’s household?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they said to him, "Keep quiet; put your hand on your mouth and come with us and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they said to him, “Be quiet, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us; be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest to the household of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?”

Context of Judges 18:19

17Now the five men who had gone to scout the land went up and entered the house and took the image [of silver-plated wood], the ephod, the teraphim, and the cast image [of solid silver], while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. 18When these [five men] went into Micah’s house and took the [plated] image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the cast image, the priest asked them, “What are you doing?” They said to him, “Keep quiet, put your hand over your mouth and come with us, and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or to be a priest to a tribe and family in Israel?” 20The priest’s heart was glad [to hear that], and he took the ephod, the teraphim, and the image, and went among the people. 21So they turned and left, and they put the children, the livestock, and the valuables and supplies in front of them.

Judges 18:19 word by word

וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ ל֨וֹ הַחֲרֵ֜שׁ שִֽׂים־יָדְךָ֤ עַל־פִּ֙יךָ֙ וְלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֔נוּ וֶֽהְיֵה־לָ֖נוּ לְאָ֣ב וּלְכֹהֵ֑ן הֲט֣וֹב׀ הֱיוֹתְךָ֣ כֹהֵ֗ן לְבֵית֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד א֚וֹ הֱיוֹתְךָ֣ כֹהֵ֔ן לְשֵׁ֥בֶט וּלְמִשְׁפָּחָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto him, Hold thy peaceחָרֵשׁchârash · be quietH2790
• layשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• thine handיָדyâd · handH3027
• upon thy mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• and goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• with us, and be to usהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• a fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• and a priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• unto the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• of oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• unto a tribeשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
• and a familyמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
• in Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Judges 18:19

• Job 21:5Look at me and be astonished and appalled; And put your hand over your mouth.
• Job 29:9The princes stopped talking And put their hands on their mouths;
• Job 40:5I have spoken once, but I will not reply again— Indeed, twice [I have answered], and I will add nothing further.”
• Proverbs 30:32If you have foolishly exalted yourself, Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.
• Micah 7:16The [pagan] nations shall see [God’s omnipotence in delivering Israel] and be ashamed Of all their might [which cannot be compared to His]. They shall put their hand on their mouth [in silent astonishment]; Their ears shall be deaf.
• Judges 17:10And Micah said to him, “Live here with me and be a father and a [personal] priest to me, and I will give you ten pieces of silver each year, a supply of clothing, and your sustenance (room and board).” So the Levite went in.
• 2 Kings 6:21When the king of Israel (Jehoram) saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”
• 2 Kings 8:8And the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by him, saying, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’ ”
• 2 Kings 13:14Now Elisha had become sick with the illness by which he would die. And Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, “O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!”
• Matthew 23:9Do not call anyone on earth [who guides you spiritually] your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

Commentaries on Judges 18:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Lay thine hand upon thy mouth - This was the token of silence. The god of silence, Harpocrates, is represented on ancient statues with his finger pressed on his lips.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19Using Micah's words to be a father and priest (Judges 17:10), but without his kindness, the Danites' question was pointless with 600 men at the door.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-2111-21. there went from thence of the family of the Danites ... six hundred men--This was the collective number of the men who were equipped with arms to carry out this expeditionary enterprise, without including the families and furniture of the emigrants (Jud 18:21). Their journey led them through the territory of Judah, and their first halting place was "behind," that is, on the west of Kirjath-jearim, on a spot called afterwards "the camp of Dan."…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 18:19

• Dishonesty
• Jonathan
• Teraphim
• Theft and Thieves

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Ask
• Father
• Micah
• Quiet
• Teraphim
• Dan (1); Dan, Tribe of
• Dan (2)
• God
• Intercession

Commentaries on Judges 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary