Judges

Judges 18:17–20

17And 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.

18When 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?”

19“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?”

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

Read all of Judges 18

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 18:17

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And the fiveחֲמֵ֣שֶׁתḥă·mê·šeṯNumber - masculine singular constructH2568 five
menהָאֲנָשִׁ֗יםhā·’ă·nā·šîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH582 man, mankind
who had goneהַהֹלְכִים֮ha·hō·lə·ḵîmArticle; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH1980 go, come, walk
to spy outלְרַגֵּ֣לlə·rag·gêlPreposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructH7270 foot it, go about
the landהָאָרֶץ֒hā·’ā·reṣArticle; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
went insideבָּ֣אוּbā·’ūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH935 come in, come, go in, go
and tookלָקְח֗וּlā·qə·ḥūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3947 take
the graven imageהַפֶּ֙סֶל֙hap·pe·selArticle; Noun - masculine singularH6459 idol, image
the ephodהָ֣אֵפ֔וֹדhā·’ê·p̄ō·wḏArticle; Noun - masculine singularH646 ephod
the household idolsהַתְּרָפִ֖יםhat·tə·rā·p̄îmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH8655 Teraphim
andוְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-Conjunctive waw; Direct object markerH853 mark of the accusative
the molten idolהַמַּסֵּכָ֑הham·mas·sê·ḵāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH4541 molten metal, or image
while the priestוְהַכֹּהֵ֗ןwə·hak·kō·hênConjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singularH3548 priest
stoodנִצָּב֙niṣ·ṣāḇVerb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularH5324 take one's stand, stand
at the entranceפֶּ֣תַחpe·ṯaḥNoun - masculine singular constructH6607 opening, doorway, entrance
of the gateהַשַּׁ֔עַרhaš·ša·‘arArticle; Noun - masculine singularH8179 gate
with the sixוְשֵׁשׁ־wə·šêš-Conjunctive waw; Number - feminine singular constructH8337 six
hundredמֵא֣וֹתmê·’ō·wṯNumber - feminine pluralH3967 hundred
armedהֶחָג֖וּרhe·ḥā·ḡūrArticle; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularH2296 gird, gird on, gird oneself
menהָאִ֔ישׁhā·’îšArticle; Noun - masculine singularH376 man

Judges 18:18

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When theyוְאֵ֗לֶּהwə·’êl·lehConjunctive waw; Pronoun - common pluralH428 these
enteredבָּ֚אוּbā·’ūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH935 come in, come, go in, go
Micah’sמִיכָ֔הmî·ḵāhNoun - proper - masculine singularH4318 Micah
houseבֵּ֣יתbêṯNoun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
and tookוַיִּקְחוּ֙way·yiq·ḥūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH3947 take
the graven imageפֶּ֣סֶלpe·selNoun - masculine singular constructH6459 idol, image
the ephodהָאֵפ֔וֹדhā·’ê·p̄ō·wḏArticle; Noun - masculine singularH646 ephod
the household idolsהַתְּרָפִ֖יםhat·tə·rā·p̄îmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH8655 Teraphim
andוְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-Conjunctive waw; Direct object markerH853 mark of the accusative
the molten idolהַמַּסֵּכָ֑הham·mas·sê·ḵāhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH4541 molten metal, or image
the priestהַכֹּהֵ֔ןhak·kō·hênArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3548 priest
saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
to themאֲלֵיהֶם֙’ă·lê·hemPreposition; third person masculine pluralH413 motion to
Whatמָ֥הmāhInterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
are youאַתֶּ֖ם’at·temPronoun - second person masculine pluralH859 thou
doingעֹשִֽׂים׃‘ō·śîmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH6213 do, make

Judges 18:19

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Be quietהַחֲרֵ֜שׁha·ḥă·rêšVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularH2790 cut in, engrave, plough, devise
they toldוַיֹּאמְרוּ֩way·yō·mə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
himל֨וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
Putשִֽׂים־śîm-Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH7760 put, place, set
your handיָדְךָ֤yā·ḏə·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH3027 hand
overעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
your mouthפִּ֙יךָ֙pî·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6310 mouth
and comeוְלֵ֣ךְwə·lêḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
with usעִמָּ֔נוּ‘im·mā·nūPreposition; first person common pluralH5973 with
and beוֶֽהְיֵה־weh·yêh-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a fatherלְאָ֣בlə·’āḇPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH1 father
and a priestוּלְכֹהֵ֑ןū·lə·ḵō·hênConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH3548 priest
to usלָ֖נוּlā·nūPreposition; first person common plural
Is it betterהֲט֣וֹב׀hă·ṭō·wḇArticle; Adjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
for you to beהֱיוֹתְךָ֣hĕ·yō·wṯ·ḵāVerb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a priestכֹהֵ֗ןḵō·hênNoun - masculine singularH3548 priest
for the houseלְבֵית֙lə·ḇêṯPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
of oneאֶחָ֔ד’e·ḥāḏNumber - masculine singularH259 one
personאִ֣ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
orא֚וֹ’ōwConjunctionH176 or
a priestכֹהֵ֔ןḵō·hênNoun - masculine singularH3548 priest
for a tribeלְשֵׁ֥בֶטlə·šê·ḇeṭPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
and familyוּלְמִשְׁפָּחָ֖הū·lə·miš·pā·ḥāhConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singularH4940 clan
in Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃bə·yiś·rā·’êlPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel

Judges 18:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So the priestהַכֹּהֵ֔ןhak·kō·hênArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3548 priest
was gladוַיִּיטַב֙way·yî·ṭaḇConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing
and tookוַיִּקַּח֙way·yiq·qaḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3947 take
the ephodהָ֣אֵפ֔וֹדhā·’ê·p̄ō·wḏArticle; Noun - masculine singularH646 ephod
the household idolsהַתְּרָפִ֖יםhat·tə·rā·p̄îmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH8655 Teraphim
andוְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-Conjunctive waw; Direct object markerH853 mark of the accusative
the graven imageהַפָּ֑סֶלhap·pā·selArticle; Noun - masculine singularH6459 idol, image
and wentוַיָּבֹ֖אway·yā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
withבְּקֶ֥רֶבbə·qe·reḇPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH7130 inward part, midst
the peopleהָעָֽם׃hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Judges 18:17 Judges 18:14 · Judges 17:4–5 · Judges 18:2

Judges 18:19 Job 21:5 · Job 29:9 · Judges 17:10 · Proverbs 30:32 · Micah 7:16

Judges 18:20 Isaiah 56:11

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.