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

1At that time, Israel had no king to rule over them. The people of Dan's tribe were looking for some land where they could live. They had not yet taken the land that would be their home among Israel's tribes. 2So the men of Dan sent five soldiers from the clans of their tribe to explore the land. The leaders sent them out from Zorah and Eshtaol. They told them, ‘Go and find some land for us.’ The five men went into the hill country of Ephraim. They came to Micah's house and they stayed there for a night. While they were at Micah's house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. So they went in and they asked him, ‘Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?’ 4He told them what Micah had done for him. He said, ‘He pays me to work for him as his priest.’ 5So they said to him, ‘Please ask God if our journey will have a good result.’

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• by the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• of Micahמִיכָהmîykâh · MicahH4318
• they knewנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• of the young manנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• the Leviteלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• and they turned inסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
• thither, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto him, Who broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• thee hitherהֲלֹםhălôm · hereH1988
• and what makestעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Judges 18:3

• Judges 12:6Then they would tell him, ‘Say, “Shibboleth!” ’ People from Ephraim could not say that word properly. So if the man said, ‘Sibboleth,’ they would take hold of him and kill him. That day, they killed 42,000 soldiers of Ephraim at those places on the Jordan River.
• Genesis 27:22Jacob went near to his father. Isaac touched him and he said, ‘The voice is Jacob's voice. But the hands are Esau's hands.’
• Matthew 26:73After a little time, other people who were standing at the gate spoke to Peter. They said, ‘We are sure that you too are one of that man's friends. We know this because you speak like people who live in Galilee.’
• Isaiah 22:16Say to him, “You should not be here in the palace. You have cut a grave in the rock here for yourself, but you do not have the authority to do that! You have made a beautiful grave high up on the hill, as if you belong with the kings.

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
• Levi, Levite
• Ask
• Quiet
• Teraphim
• Dan (1); Dan, Tribe of
• Dan (2)
• Intercession
• Israel, History of

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