Judges 17:6

Judges 17:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
• New International Version (NIV)In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
• New King James Version (NKJV)In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Context of Judges 17:6

4So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah. 5Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 7And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. 8This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

Judges 17:6 word by word

בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֛ישׁ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ פRead the interlinear

• In thoseהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• there was noאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• in Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• everyoneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• rightיָשָׁרyâshâr · uprightH3477
• in his own eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869

Cross-references for Judges 17:6

• Judges 18:1In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of the Danites was looking for territory to occupy. For up to that time they had not come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.
• Judges 19:1Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
• Judges 21:3“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”
• Genesis 36:31These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites:
• Deuteronomy 33:5So the LORD became King in Jeshurun when the leaders of the people gathered, when the tribes of Israel came together.
• Deuteronomy 12:8You are not to do as we are doing here today, where everyone does what seems right in his own eyes.
• Psalms 12:4They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”
• Proverbs 12:15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.
• Proverbs 14:12There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
• Proverbs 16:2All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.
• Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.
• Jeremiah 44:16“As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!

Commentaries on Judges 17:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6There was no king in Israel - The word מלך melech, which generally means king, is sometimes taken for a supreme governor, judge, magistrate, or ruler of any kind; (see Genesis 36:31, and Deuteronomy 33:5;); and it is likely it should be so understood here. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes - He was his own governor, and what he did he said was right; and, by his cunning and strength, defended his conduct. When a man's own will, passions…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6In those days … - This phrase, indicating distinctly that the writer lived after the establishment of the kingly government in Israel, is unique to the author of these last five chapters.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-13These two epilogues (Judges 17–18 and 19–21) show that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot last. As society moved toward chaos and civil war, the phrase, In those days there was no king in Israel appears four times. The phrase, everyone did what was right in his own eyes is added twice (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The era of inspired leadership declined and ended in disorder. Something important was missing.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. every man did that which was right in his own eyes--From want of a settled government, there was no one to call him to account. No punishment followed any crime.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 17:6

• Liberty

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Micah
• Teraphim
• Bethlehem
• Day
• Ezekiel
• Israel, History of
• Israel, Religion of
• Jonathan (1)
• Judges, Book of

Commentaries on Judges 17

• 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