God’s Word Translation
Judges 17:6
6In those days Israel didn’t have a king. Everyone did whatever he considered right.
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
4When Micah returned the silver to his mother, she took 200 pieces of the silver and gave it to a silversmith. He made a carved idol and a metal idol. Both were placed in Micah’s home. 5Micah owned a shrine. He also made an ephod and household idols. He ordained one of his sons to be his priest. In those days Israel didn’t have a king. Everyone did whatever he considered right. 7There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah. (Bethlehem belongs to the family of Judah.) He was a Levite but was living in Bethlehem. 8This man left Bethlehem in Judah to live wherever he could find ⌞a place⌟. He came to Micah’s house in the mountains of Ephraim to carry on his work.
Read all of Judges 17Judges 17:6 word by word
בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֛ישׁ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Judges 17:6
- Judges 18:1In those days Israel didn’t have a king. And in those days the tribe of Dan was looking for a place to live. Up to that time they had not received land as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel as they should have.
- Judges 19:1In those days when Israel didn’t have a king, there was a Levite who lived in a remote area in the mountains of Ephraim. He took a woman from Bethlehem in Judah to be his concubine.
- Judges 21:3“Lord God of Israel, why has this happened among us? Why should one tribe be missing today in Israel?”
- Genesis 36:31These were the kings who ruled Edom before any king ruled the people of Israel:
- Deuteronomy 33:5The Lord was king of Jeshurun when the leaders of the people assembled together with all the tribes of Israel.
- Deuteronomy 12:8Never worship in the way that it’s being done here today, where everyone does whatever he considers right.
- Psalms 12:4that has said, “We will overcome with our tongues. With lips such as ours, who can be our master?”
- Proverbs 12:15A stubborn fool considers his own way the right one, but a person who listens to advice is wise.
- Proverbs 14:12There is a way that seems right to a person, but eventually it ends in death.
- Proverbs 16:2A person thinks all his ways are pure, but the Lord weighs motives.
- Ecclesiastes 11:9You young people should enjoy yourselves while you’re young. You should let your hearts make you happy when you’re young. Follow wherever your heart leads you and whatever your eyes see. But realize that God will make you give an account for all these things when he judges everyone.
- Jeremiah 44:16“We won’t listen to the message that you have spoken to us in the Lord’s name.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries