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Judges 18:19

17 And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.

18 When they entered Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

“Be quiet,” they told him. “Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?”

20 So the priest was glad and took the ephod, the household idols, and the graven image, and went with the people.

21 Putting their small children, their livestock, and their possessions in front of them, they turned and departed.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
“Be quiet,” they told him. “Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?”
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?
WEB
They said to him, “Hold your peace, put your hand on your mouth, and go with us. Be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?”
ASV
And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be priest unto the house of one man, or to be priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?
DARBY
And they said to him, Hold thy peace, lay thy 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 for the house of one man, or to be priest for a tribe and a family in Israel?
BLB
And they said to him, “Be quiet, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is [it] better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or for you to be a priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?”
ÅB
De sa til ham: Ti, legg din hånd på din munn og kom med oss og vær far og prest for oss! Hva er best for deg, å være prest for en manns hus eller for en hel stamme og slekt i Israel?
OTB
De svarte: "Vær stille; legg hånden over munnen din og bli med oss, og bli en far og prest for oss. Er det bedre for deg å være prest for en manns husstand, eller for en stamme og klan i Israel?"
B1930
De sa til ham: Ti, legg din hånd på din munn og kom med oss og vær far og prest for oss! Hvad er best for dig, å være prest for en manns hus eller for en hel stamme og ætt i Israel?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Job 21:5

    Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.

    Read in context

  • Judges 17:10

    “Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in

    Read in context

  • Job 29:9

    The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.

    Read in context

  • Proverbs 30:32

    If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.

    Read in context

  • Micah 7:16

    Nations will see and be ashamed, deprived of all their might. They will put their hands over their mouths, and their ears will become deaf.

    Read in context

  • 2 Kings 6:21

    And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”

    Read in context

  • Matthew 23:9

    And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

    Read in context

  • Job 40:4–5

    “Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.

    Read in context