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 out the land broke in and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred fully armed men. 18When these men broke into Micah’s house and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” They said to him, “Shut up! Put your hand over your mouth and come with us! You can be our adviser and priest. Wouldn’t it be better to be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for just one man’s family?” 20The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group. 21They turned and went on their way, but they walked behind the children, the cattle, and their possessions.

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 appalled; put your hands over your mouths.
• Job 29:9the chief men refrained from talking and covered their mouths with their hands;
• Job 40:5I have spoken once, but I cannot answer; twice, but I will say no more.”
• Proverbs 30:32If you have done foolishly by exalting yourself or if you have planned evil, put your hand over your mouth!
• Micah 7:16Nations will see this and be disappointed by all their strength, they will put their hands over their mouths, and act as if they were deaf.
• Judges 17:10Micah said to him, “Stay with me. Become my adviser and priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, plus clothes and food.”
• 2 Kings 6:21When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Should I strike them down, my master?”
• 2 Kings 8:8So the king told Hazael, “Take a gift and go visit the prophet. Request from him an oracle from the Lord. Ask him, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
• 2 Kings 13:14Now Elisha had a terminal illness. King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. He wept before him and said, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!”
• Matthew 23:9And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who 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