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

17The five men who had explored the land went inside. They took all the idols, the image and the priest's ephod. While they did that, the Levite priest was standing at the gate with the 600 soldiers. 18When the priest saw that the five men were taking the things from the house, he asked them, ‘What are you doing?’ They said to him, ‘Be quiet! Do not say a word. Come with us. You will be our advisor and our priest. That will be much better for you. You will serve a whole Israelite tribe, instead of only one man's family.’ 20So the priest was happy. He joined the group of men from Dan's tribe. He took the ephod, the idols and the image with him. 21They left Micah's house to continue their journey. They followed after their children, their animals and all their other things.

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 21:5When you look at me, you should be upset. You should cover your mouth with your hand.
• Job 29:9The city's rulers would stop speaking. They would cover their mouths with their hands.
• Job 40:5I have already spoken too many times. I will say no more.’
• Proverbs 30:32You may be foolish and too proud of yourself. You may have ideas to do evil things. If that is true, stop yourself! Do not say a word!
• Micah 7:16The people in other countries will see what you do. They will understand that they are not really powerful. So then they will be ashamed. They will be like deaf people and dumb people.
• Judges 17:10Micah said, ‘Stay here with me. You will be my advisor and my priest. I will pay you ten pieces of silver each year, as well as your clothes and food.’
• 2 Kings 6:21When the king of Israel saw the Syrian army in his city, he asked Elisha, ‘My master, what should I do? Should I kill them?’
• 2 Kings 8:8The king said to Hazael, ‘Take a gift with you to go and meet the man of God. Ask him to get a message from the Lord. Ask him, “Will I get well again after this disease?” ’
• 2 Kings 13:14When Jehoash was still king of Israel, Elisha became very ill. It was the illness from which he would soon die. Jehoash went to visit him. Jehoash stood beside Elisha and he wept. Jehoash said, ‘My father! My father! You are riding in Israel's chariot! Israel's men are riding on the horses!’
• Matthew 23:9Also, do not call any other person in the world, “Father”. You have only one Father, and he 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