Judges 18:19

Easy-to-Read Version

The five men answered, "Be quiet! Don't say a word. Come with us. Be our father and our priest. You must choose. Is it better for you to be a priest for just one man or for a whole tribe of Israelites with many family groups?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They told him, “Be quiet. Keep your mouth shut. 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 for you to be a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?”

Hebrew Names Version
They said to him, Hold your shalom, lay your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a Kohen: is it better for you to be Kohen to the house of one man, or to be Kohen to a tribe and a family in Yisra'el?

King James Version
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?

Lexham English Bible
And they said to him, "Keep quiet! Put your hand on your mouth and come with us and be for us a father and a priest. Is it better being a priest for a house of one man or being a priest for a tribe and clan in Israel?"

English Standard Version
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 Century Version
They answered, "Be 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 and family group in Israel?"

New English Translation
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?"

Amplified Bible
They said to him, "Keep quiet, 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 to the house of one man, or to be a priest to a tribe and family in Israel?"

New American Standard Bible
And they said to him, "Be silent, put your hand over your mouth, and go 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 to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And they answered him, Holde thy peace: lay thine hande vpon thy mouth, and come with vs to be our father and Priest. Whether is it better that thou shouldest be a Priest vnto ye house of one man, or that thou shouldest be a Priest vnto a tribe and to a familie in Israel?

Legacy Standard Bible
These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, not having the Spirit.

Contemporary English Version
"Quiet!" the men said. "Keep your mouth shut and listen. Why don't you come with us and be our priest, so you can tell us what God wants us to do? You could stay here and be a priest for one man's family, but wouldn't you rather be the priest for a clan or even a whole tribe of Israel?"

Complete Jewish Bible
They replied, "Be quiet, keep your mouth shut, and come with us. Be a father and a cohen for us. Which is better? To be a cohen in the house of one man or to be cohen to a whole tribe and family in Isra'el?"

Darby Translation
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?

George Lamsa Translation
And they said to him, Hold your peace, stop talking, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Which is better for you, to be a priest for one mans household, or to be a priest to a family and a tribe of Israel?

Good News Translation
They told him, "Keep quiet. Don't say a word. Come with us and be our priest and adviser. Wouldn't you rather be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for the family of one man?"

Literal Translation
And they said to him, Be quiet! Lay your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for one man's house, or for you to be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They answered him: Holde thy peace, and laye thine hande vpon thy mouth, and go with vs, yt thou mayest be oure father & prest. Is it better for the to be prest in one mans house, then amonge a whole trybe & kynred in Israel?

American Standard Version
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?

Bible in Basic English
And they said to him, Be quiet; say nothing, and come with us and be our father and priest; is it better for you to be priest to one man's house or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
They aunswered hym: Holde thy peace, lay thine hande vpon thy mouth, and come with vs, to be our father and priest: Is it better for thee to be a priest vnto the house of one man, then to be a priest vnto a tribe or kynred in Israel?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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?'

King James Version (1611)
And they said vnto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand vpon thy mouth, and goe with vs, and bee to vs a father and a Priest: Is it better for thee to bee a Priest vnto the house of one man, or that thou be a Priest vnto a tribe and a family in Israel?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they said to him, Be silent, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be the priest of the house of one man, or to be the priest of a tribe and house for a family of Israel?

English Revised Version
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 priest unto the house of one man, or to be priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?

Berean Standard Bible
"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?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom thei answeriden, Be thou stille, and putte the fyngur on thi mouth, and come with vs, that we haue thee fadir and preest. What is betere to thee, that thou be preest in the hows of o man, whether in o lynage and meynee in Israel?

Young's Literal Translation
and they say to him, `Keep silent, lay thy hand on thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us for a father and for a priest: is it better thy being a priest to the house of one man, or thy being priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?'

Update Bible Version
And they said to him, Hold your peace, lay your hand on your mouth, and go 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 a family in Israel?

Webster's Bible Translation
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 to the house of one man, or that thou shouldst be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?

World English Bible
They said to him, Hold your peace, lay your hand on your mouth, and go 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 a family in Israel?

New King James Version
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?"

New Living Translation
"Be quiet and come with us," they said. "Be a father and priest to all of us. Isn't it better to be a priest for an entire tribe and clan of Israel than for the household of just one man?"

New Life Bible
They said to him, "Be quiet. Put your hand over your mouth and come with us. Be a father and a religious leader to us. Is it better for you to be a religious leader to the house of one man, or to a family in Israel?"

New Revised Standard
They said to him, "Keep 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 priest to the house of one person, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they said unto him - Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and become to us a father and a priest, - is it better that thou be priest to the house of one man, or that thou be priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they said to him: Hold thy peace, and put thy finger on thy mouth, and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family in Israel?

Revised Standard Version
And they said to him, "Keep quiet, put your hand upon 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 family in Israel?"

THE MESSAGE
They said to him, "Hush! Don't make a sound. Come with us. Be our father and priest. Which is more important, that you be a priest to one man or that you become priest to a whole tribe and clan in Israel?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
They said to him, "Be silent, 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 to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?"

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ So the five men who had explored the land around Laish spoke. They said to their relatives, "There is an ephod in one of these houses. And there are also household gods, a carved statue, and a silver idol. You know what to do." ¹⁵ So they stopped at Micah's house, where the young Levite lived. They asked the young man how he was. ¹⁶ The 600 men from the tribe of Dan stood at the entrance of the gate. They all had their weapons and were ready for war. ¹⁷The five spies went into the house. The priest stood just outside by the gate with the 600 men who were ready for war. The men took the carved idol, the ephod, the household idols, and the silver idol. The young Levite priest said, "What are you doing?" ¹⁹ The five men answered, "Be quiet! Don't say a word. Come with us. Be our father and our priest. You must choose. Is it better for you to be a priest for just one man or for a whole tribe of Israelites with many family groups?" ²⁰ This made the Levite happy. So he took the ephod, the household idols, and the idol. He went with the men from the tribe of Dan. ²¹ Then the 600 men from the tribe of Dan and the Levite priest turned and left Micah's house. They put their little children, their animals, and all their things in front of them. ²² The men from the tribe of Dan went a long way from that place. But the people living near Micah met together. Then they began chasing the men of Dan and caught up with them. ²³ The men with Micah were shouting at the men of Dan. The men of Dan turned around and said to Micah, "What's the problem? Why are you shouting?" ²⁴ Micah answered, "You men from Dan took my idols. I made them for myself. You have also taken my priest. What do I have left now? How can you ask me, ‘What's the problem?'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lay thine: This was the token of silence. These men were evidently very ignorant; and absurdly concluded that they should, by taking Micah's gods, secure the presence and favour of the God of Israel, in their expedition and settlement. They perhaps supposed the piety of their motives, and the goodness of their end, would justify the means. But it was a base robbery of Micah, aggravated by the Levite's ingratitude, and their menaces. Job 21:5, Job 29:9, Job 40:4, Job 40:5, Proverbs 30:32, Micah 7:16

a father: Judges 17:10, 2 Kings 6:21, 2 Kings 8:8, 2 Kings 8:9, 2 Kings 13:14, Matthew 23:9

Reciprocal: Matthew 26:15 - What 1 Timothy 6:10 - the love

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
He looked up and saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw the men, he ran to them and bowed before them.

Genesis 18:4
I will bring some water to wash your feet. You can rest under the trees.

Genesis 18:5
I will get some food for you, and you can eat as much as you want. Then you can continue your journey." The three men said, "Do as you wish."

Genesis 18:6
Abraham hurried to the tent. He said to Sarah, "Quickly, prepare enough flour for three loaves of bread."

Genesis 18:7
Then Abraham ran to his cattle. He took his best young calf and gave it to the servant there. He told the servant to quickly kill the calf and prepare it for food.

Genesis 18:9
Then the men said to Abraham, "Where is your wife Sarah?" Abraham said, "She is there, in the tent."

Genesis 18:10
Then one of them said, "I will come again in the spring. At that time your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening in the tent and heard these things.

Genesis 18:19
I have made a special agreement with him. I did this so that he would command his children and his descendants to live the way the Lord wants them to. I did this so that they would live right and be fair. Then I, the Lord , can give him what I promised."

Genesis 18:20
Then the Lord said, "I have heard many times that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are very evil.

Genesis 18:21
I will go and see if they are as bad as I have heard. Then I will know for sure."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they said unto him, hold thy peace,.... Be silent, make no disturbance, be quiet and easy:

lay thy hand upon thy mouth; as a token of silence; so the Egyptians used to paint Harpocrates, the god of silence, with his fingers pressing his lips:

and go with us; for they wanted him as well as his gods, not knowing well how to make use of them without him:

and be to us a father and a priest; to direct them, instruct them, perform acts of devotion for them, and ask counsel on their account; it seems as if it was common in those days to call a priest a father, see

Judges 17:10

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? suggesting, that it must be much more honourable for him, and more to his advantage, to officiate as a priest to a body of people, that might be called a tribe, or to a family consisting of various houses, than in the house of a private person; this they left him to consider and judge of.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 18:19. Lay 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.