Judges 18:20 kjv
And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
Judges 18:20 nkjv
So the priest's heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people.
Judges 18:20 niv
The priest was very pleased. He took the ephod, the household gods and the idol and went along with the people.
Judges 18:20 esv
And the priest's heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.
Judges 18:20 nlt
The young priest was quite happy to go with them, so he took along the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the carved image.
Judges 18 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 20:4-6 | You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness... | Idolatry forbidden |
| Lev 19:4 | Do not turn to idols... | Prohibition of idols |
| Dt 4:15-19 | take care lest you act corruptly by making a carved image... | Warning against image worship |
| Dt 12:2-4 | you shall surely destroy all the places... where nations served their gods... | Command to destroy pagan worship sites |
| Dt 18:9-14 | ...you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. | Warning against pagan practices |
| Isa 44:9-20 | Those who fashion an idol are all of them empty... | Futility of idol worship |
| Ps 115:4-8 | Their idols are silver and gold... they have mouths, but do not speak... | Impotence of idols |
| Jer 10:3-5 | The customs of the peoples are worthless... | Vanity of idols |
| Hos 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... | Lack of spiritual knowledge leading to error |
| Mic 3:11 | Her priests teach for a price... | Priestly corruption for gain |
| Mal 1:10 | "Oh, that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not kindle fire on My altar in vain!" | Corrupt worship, lack of true devotion |
| 1 Sam 2:27-36 | I would choose for Myself a faithful priest who would do what is in My heart... | Contrast with corrupt priesthood of Eli's sons |
| Judg 17:6 | In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. | Underlying moral decay of the period |
| Judg 21:25 | In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. | Reiterates the moral decay of the period |
| 1 Kgs 12:28-30 | ...the king took counsel and made two calves of gold... said to the people, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel..." | Foreshadowing Jeroboam's idolatry at Dan |
| Zec 10:2 | For the teraphim utter nonsense, and the diviners see lying visions... | Teraphim as objects of false divination |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | ...there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies... and in their greed they will exploit you... | False teachers motivated by greed |
| Tit 1:11 | They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what they ought not to teach. | Teaching for dishonest gain |
| 1 Tim 3:3 | not quarrelsome, not a lover of money... | Standard for godly leaders contrasting Levite |
| 1 Tim 6:10 | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil... | Motivation of greed |
| Jude 1:11 | Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error... | Self-serving behavior for monetary gain |
| Rom 1:21-23 | claiming to be wise, they became fools... exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man... | Humanity's tendency towards idolatry |
| Phil 3:19 | Their end is destruction, their god is their stomach, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. | Contrast with those serving earthly gain |
Judges 18 verses
Judges 18 20 Meaning
Judges 18:20 describes the instantaneous and willing acceptance by the unnamed Levite priest of the Danites' offer to serve an entire tribe rather than just one household. His inner disposition, the "heart," was "glad" or pleased, indicating self-interest and a mercenary spirit over divine calling. This decision directly led him to seize the idols (the ephod, teraphim, and carved image) belonging to Micah's shrine and assume a position of spiritual leadership, guiding the Danite people into a permanent state of idolatry in their newly acquired territory.
Judges 18 20 Context
This verse is found within Judges chapters 17 and 18, which serve as a vivid illustration of Israel's spiritual and moral decay during the period of the Judges, encapsulating the recurring phrase, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg 17:6, 21:25). Chapter 17 describes Micah, a man who crafts a private cult center with an ephod, teraphim, and carved image, then hires a young Levite to be his priest. Chapter 18 depicts the tribe of Dan, seeking new territory for settlement, encountering Micah's sanctuary. Upon discovering the Levite, they exploit his mercenary disposition by offering him a more prestigious and financially appealing position as priest to an entire tribe, effectively convincing him to abandon Micah and steal the religious paraphernalia. Judges 18:20 specifically records the Levite's immediate, eager capitulation and the subsequent removal of the idolatrous objects, marking the establishment of institutionalized idolatry among the Danites that would persist for generations, foreshadowing even the idolatry of Jeroboam in the northern kingdom.
Judges 18 20 Word analysis
- So: (וַיִּיטַב֙ - wa-yi-ṭaḇ) - A waw consecutive, emphasizing immediate consequence. It connects the Danites' offer directly to the priest's reaction, showing his ready compliance.
- the priest's heart: (לֵב הַכֹּהֵן - lēḇ ha-kō-hēn)
- priest: Refers to the Levite (Judg 17:7), who was chosen by Micah, an individual with no legitimate authority, rather than consecrated by divine command. This term "the priest" is elevated by the Danites for flattery.
- heart: (לֵב - lēḇ) - In Hebrew thought, the "heart" signifies the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral character. His "heart" being glad indicates an internal decision, driven by personal gain, not spiritual discernment or faithfulness to God's law.
- was glad: (וַיִּיטַב֙ - wa-yi-ṭaḇ) - From the root יטב (yaṭav), meaning "to be good, pleasing, well." Here, it highlights his personal satisfaction and contentment with the new, more profitable offer. This directly contrasts with the pure heart God desires (Ps 51:10).
- and he took: (וַיִּקַּ֤ח - wa-yiq-qaḥ) - Another waw consecutive. Denotes swift, decisive action of taking possession. He becomes the carrier and propagator of these illicit objects.
- the ephod: (אֶת־ הָאֵפֹד֙ - ’eṯ-hā-’ē-p̄ōḏ) - A priestly garment used in legitimate Israelite worship, often for discerning God's will (e.g., 1 Sam 23:9). Here, it's used in a context of illegitimate, private, and syncretistic worship, stripping it of its proper sacred meaning and making it an accessory to idolatry.
- the teraphim: (וְאֶת־ הַתְּרָפִים֙ - wə-’eṯ-hat-tə-rā-p̄îm) - Household idols or cultic images, often associated with divination or perceived household protection (e.g., Gen 31:19, 1 Sam 19:13). Their presence marks a clear form of paganistic practice forbidden by God's law.
- and the carved image: (וְאֶת־ הַפֶּ֣סֶל - wə-’eṯ-hap-pe-sel) - Refers to the central idol, literally a "graven" or "molten" image. This is a direct violation of the second commandment against idolatry (Ex 20:4). Its inclusion with the ephod and teraphim shows a complete mixing of false worship with distorted elements of true worship.
- and went: (וַיָּבֹא֙ - wa-yā-ḇō’) - Indicates immediate movement with the objects, signifying his full commitment to the new arrangement and his role in facilitating the tribe's apostasy.
- among the people: (בְּקֶ֣רֶב הָעָם֙ - bə-qe-reḇ hā-ʿām) - Refers to the 600 Danite warriors and their accompanying families (Judg 18:16-21). It highlights his leadership role in bringing idolatry into the midst of the entire tribe, polluting the spiritual landscape of a large segment of Israel.
Judges 18 20 Bonus section
The Levite priest in this narrative is traditionally identified by some rabbinic sources and critical textual readings of Judges 18:30 (where "Moses" is written with a raised nun, possibly an intentional scribal alteration) as Jonathan, the grandson of Moses. If accurate, this connection significantly magnifies the gravity of the spiritual decline, depicting Moses' own lineage being complicit in establishing idolatry within Israel. This account not only details a local act of apostasy but also prophetically foreshadows the full-scale state-sponsored idolatry that would be established at Dan by King Jeroboam centuries later (1 Kgs 12:28-30) after the division of the kingdom, solidifying Dan's role as a perpetual center of false worship. The narrative is also a direct polemic against syncretism—the mixing of genuine Israelite forms (like the ephod) with pagan elements (teraphim, pesel)—condemning practices forbidden by Mosaic law as they undermined Israel's unique covenant relationship with God.
Judges 18 20 Commentary
Judges 18:20 succinctly captures a pivotal moment of religious betrayal and institutionalized apostasy. The Levite's immediate "gladness" upon being offered a better position underscores a leadership driven by personal gain rather than divine call, marking him as a hireling whose heart was set on material benefit and perceived status. His eager appropriation of the illicit cultic objects—the pseudo-ephod, the teraphim, and the graven image—demonstrates a complete abandonment of fidelity to God's law for opportunistic advancement. This act established a prominent center of idolatry in Dan, initiating a long-lasting religious corruption for the tribe, thereby contributing significantly to Israel's overall spiritual decline detailed in the Book of Judges. It serves as a stark warning against compromise in spiritual leadership and the pervasive dangers of self-serving religion that accommodates pagan practices.