Judges 18:3

Judges 18:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?
• New International Version (NIV)When they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they turned in there and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)When they were by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. And they turned aside and said to him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)While they were at the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They turned aside and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What do you have here?”

Context of Judges 18:3

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. 2So the Danites sent out five men from their clans, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. “Go and explore the land,” they told them. The men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night. And while they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?” 4“Micah has done this and that for me,” he replied, “and he has hired me to be his priest.” 5Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to determine whether we will have a successful journey.”

Judges 18:3 word by word

הֵ֚מָּה עִם־בֵּ֣ית מִיכָ֔ה וְהֵ֣מָּה הִכִּ֔ירוּ אֶת־ק֥וֹל הַנַּ֖עַר הַלֵּוִ֑י וַיָּס֣וּרוּ שָׁ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ מִֽי־הֱבִיאֲךָ֣ הֲלֹ֔ם וּמָֽה־אַתָּ֥ה עֹשֶׂ֛ה בָּזֶ֖ה וּמַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹֽה׃Read the interlinear

• And while theyהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• were nearעִם‛im · withH5973
• Micah’sמִיכָהmîykâh · MicahH4318
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• recognizedנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• of the youngנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• Leviteלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• so they went overסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
• ·שָׁםshâm · thereH8033
• and askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Whoמִיmîy · who?H4310
• broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• you hereהֲלֹםhălôm · hereH1988
• Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• are youאַתָּ֫ה'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.s.)H859
• doingעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• in thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• hereפֹּהpôh pô' pô · hereH6311

Cross-references for Judges 18:3

• Judges 12:6they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.
• Genesis 27:22So Jacob came close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”
• Matthew 26:73After a little while, those standing nearby came up to Peter. “Surely you are one of them,” they said, “for your accent gives you away.”
• Isaiah 22:16What are you doing here, and who authorized you to carve out a tomb for yourself here—to chisel your tomb in the height and cut your resting place in the rock?

Commentaries on Judges 18:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3They knew the voice of the young man - They knew, by his dialect or mode of pronunciation, that he was not an Ephraimite. We have already seen ( Judges 12:6; (note)) that the Ephraimites could not pronounce certain letters.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3It does not follow that they had known him before, and recognized his voice, though it may be so. But the Hebrew equally bears the sense that they heard the voice of the Levite; and, attracted by it, went into the chapel Judges 18:18 where Jonathan was. They were probably just starting on their journey, but were still within the court or precincts of Micah‘s house. Micah had evidently not told them of his house of God, and his Levite. Their questions…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The Danites either recognized the young Levite's accent (voice), which was from the region of Judah (Judges 17:7), or they knew him personally. Their questions were not just about his credentials; they also sought some divine guidance (Judges 18:5). His reply (Judges 18:6) showed he was willing to be a mercenary priest.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-261-6. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 18:3

• Armies
• Jonathan
• Reconnoissance

In the dictionaries

• Levite
• Micah
• Ask
• Quiet
• Teraphim
• Dan (1); Dan, Tribe of
• Dan (2)
• Intercession
• Israel, History of
• Jebus; Jebusi; Jebusite

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