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 gone to spy throughout the land went inside. They took the carved idol, the ephod, the household idols, and the metal idol. The priest stood at the entrance to the city with the 600 armed men. 18When these men entered Micah’s house and took the carved idol, the ephod, the household idols, and the metal idol, the priest asked them, “What are you doing?” They told him, “Keep quiet! Don’t say a word! Come with us and be our father and priest. Is it better for you to be a priest for one man’s house or for a tribe in Israel and its families?” 20The priest was content. He took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved idol and went with the people. 21When they left, they put their children, livestock, and property in front of them.

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 21:5Look at me, and be shocked, and put ⌞your⌟ hand over ⌞your⌟ mouth.
• Job 29:9Princes held back ⌞their⌟ words and put their hands over their mouths.
• Job 40:5I spoke once, but I can’t answer— twice, but not again.”
• Proverbs 30:32If you are such a godless fool as to honor yourself, or if you scheme, you had better put your hand over your mouth.
• Micah 7:16Nations will see this and be ashamed in spite of all their strength. They will put their hands over their mouths. Their ears will become deaf.
• Judges 17:10Micah told him, “Stay with me! Be a father and a priest to me. I’ll give you ten pieces of silver a year, a set of clothes, and your room and board.” The Levite accepted the offer
• 2 Kings 6:21When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Master, should I kill them? Should I kill them?”
• 2 Kings 8:8The king told Hazael, “Take a present, and meet the man of God. Ask the Lord through him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’ ”
• 2 Kings 13:14Elisha became fatally ill. King Jehoash of Israel visited him, cried over him, and said, “Master! Master! Israel’s chariot and horses!”
• Matthew 23:9And don’t call anyone on earth your father, because 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