Judges 18 3

Judges 18:3 kjv

When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?

Judges 18:3 nkjv

While they were at the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They turned aside and said to him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What do you have here?"

Judges 18:3 niv

When they were near Micah's house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they turned in there and asked him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?"

Judges 18:3 esv

When they were by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. And they turned aside and said to him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?"

Judges 18:3 nlt

While at Micah's house, they recognized the young Levite's accent, so they went over and asked him, "Who brought you here, and what are you doing in this place? Why are you here?"

Judges 18 verses

Judges 18 3 Meaning

Judges 18:3 describes the precise moment when the Danite spies, while encamped near the house of Micah in Ephraim, distinctly recognized the voice of the young Levite serving as Micah’s personal priest. Prompted by this recognition, they deliberately turned their path towards Micah's dwelling and confronted the Levite with a series of probing questions regarding his origin, current activities, and reasons for being in that specific place. This interaction serves as the critical prelude to their later opportunistic scheme.

Judges 18 3 Context

Judges 18 stands within a larger narrative of Israel's decline following the initial conquest of Canaan, exemplified by the repeated refrain: "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg 17:6, 21:25). Chapters 17 and 18 form a narrative unit describing the idolatry of Micah and the tribe of Dan. Micah, a man from the hill country of Ephraim, established a private cult, complete with an ephod, teraphim (household idols), and consecrated one of his sons as a priest (Judg 17:5). Subsequently, a young, itinerate Levite from Bethlehem Judah arrived and was hired by Micah to serve as his priest for an annual salary, illustrating the mercenary and perverted state of the priesthood.

Verse 3 occurs as five Danite spies, sent from their ancestral territory in the south to find a new land because they failed to conquer their original inheritance (Judg 1:34), passed by Micah's dwelling. Their mission was practical: secure a homeland. Their encounter with the Levite is not by accident, but due to a distinct recognition, which sets the stage for a dramatic usurpation of Micah's religious setup and the Levite himself, revealing the deep-seated spiritual and moral decay pervasive throughout Israel at the time.

Judges 18 3 Word analysis

• "When they were by the house of Micah":

  • Significance: Denotes close proximity to a known location, setting the immediate geographical context. It implies either familiarity with Micah's setup or a notable observation that drew their attention.

• "they knew the voice":

  • Hebrew: vayyakkiru eth qôl (וַיַּכִּ֣ירוּ אֶת־ק֖וֹל). Yakkiru (from root nākār) means "they recognized," "they distinguished," "they perceived." Qôl means "voice," "sound."
  • Significance: This is a crucial detail. It suggests a prior acquaintance or that the Levite's voice was distinctive enough (perhaps from public or priestly pronouncements) to be immediately identified, hinting at the Levite's established presence or reputation in the area. The act of "knowing" emphasizes deliberate recognition, not just accidental hearing.

• "of the young man, the Levite":

  • Hebrew: hannā‘ar hallēwî (הַנַּ֣עַר הַלֵּוִ֔י). Na‘ar means "young man," lēwî means "Levite."
  • Significance: His status as a Levite was his primary distinguishing feature, carrying perceived spiritual authority. However, his youth might imply vulnerability or susceptibility to improper influences. The irony lies in a Levite, called to minister to Yahweh, serving a private, idolatrous shrine for personal gain, which showcases the deep spiritual compromise of the age.

• "and they turned in thither":

  • Hebrew: vayyāsurû shāmmâ (וַיָּס֣וּרוּ שָׁ֔מָּה). Yāsurû (from root sûr) means "they turned aside," "they diverted," "they turned out of the way." Shāmmâ means "thither," "to that place."
  • Significance: Their action was intentional. They chose to deviate from their path to investigate, demonstrating active curiosity and the beginnings of an opportunistic interest rather than indifference. This was a deliberate detour into a house of spiritual corruption.

• "and said unto him, Who brought thee hither?":

  • Hebrew: Mî hēbhīʾēkhā pōh (מִ֣י הֱבִֽיאֲךָ֥ פֹה֙). Hēbhīʾēkhā (from root bôʾ) means "brought you." Pōh means "here," "hither."
  • Significance: The first question seeks to understand his origin, patronage, or the circumstances that led him to this location. It implies surprise or a desire to ascertain if he was coerced, stumbled, or deliberately came. It hints at probing the legality or propriety of his presence.

• "and what makest thou in this place?":

  • Hebrew: ûmah ta‘aseh bammāqôm hazzêh (וּמַה־תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה). Ta‘aseh (from root ‘āśâ) means "you are doing" or "you are making/performing." Māqôm hazzêh means "this place."
  • Significance: This questions his specific function, activity, or purpose there. It targets his occupation or the role he has adopted in Micah's household. They are seeking to understand his involvement in the existing situation.

• "and what hast thou here?":

  • Hebrew: ûmah lkhā pōh (וּמַה־לְּךָ֖ פֹֽה). Lit. "and what for you here?" or "what belongs to you here?"
  • Significance: This is the most direct inquiry, probing his stake, interest, possessions, or even his reward for being there. It often implies a question of gain or motivation. This question directly hints at the mercenary nature of the Levite’s service, and the Danites’ pragmatic assessment of his value for their own aims.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "they knew the voice...and they turned in thither": This sequence illustrates the Danites' keen observation and immediate, deliberate action. The recognition of the Levite's voice acts as a catalyst, sparking their curiosity and signaling an emerging opportunity for their mission. It demonstrates that the Levite's presence and activities were noteworthy enough to warrant investigation.
  • "Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?": This triad of escalating questions (origin, activity, personal gain) reveals the Danites' strategic and pragmatic nature. They are not concerned with the religious illegitimacy of the Levite's service or Micah's idolatry, but are systematically gathering information to determine how the Levite might serve their purposes. These questions expose their own self-interest and lack of moral compass in a time of spiritual declension.

Judges 18 3 Bonus section

The casual encounter and rapid series of questions in this verse expose a profound moral vacuum in Israel. There is no moral indignation from the Danites towards the Levite's involvement in idolatry, only calculating curiosity. This shows the widespread normalisation of spiritual deviation during the period of Judges. The very fact that the Levite’s voice could be so readily identified implies either notoriety or a repeated past interaction, perhaps from the spies having consulted him previously for oracles from Micah’s false ephod (Judg 17:5, 18:5-6). This underscores how common and accepted such deviant spiritual practices had become, even among leaders and warriors of Israelite tribes.

Judges 18 3 Commentary

Judges 18:3 is a poignant snapshot of a spiritually dark era in Israel. The seemingly simple act of the Danite spies recognizing a voice is deeply telling. It points to the itinerate and somewhat public role of the Levite, who, though called to a sacred office by Yahweh, had reduced himself to a hireling in an idolatrous private cult for mere sustenance and prestige. The spies' "turning in" signifies not an accidental encounter but a deliberate, almost instinctive diversion towards a potential source of information or opportunity, indicative of their pragmatic and self-serving approach to their mission. Their tripartite interrogation—probing his origins, current activities, and personal investment—unveils their keen strategic minds. They were assessing not his fidelity to God, but his utility to their tribal ambitions. This verse profoundly underscores the rampant "do what is right in your own eyes" mentality, where sacred roles were profaned, divine commands disregarded, and human expediency replaced God's revealed will. It is a foretaste of the opportunistic deceit that will mark the Danites' subsequent actions in this narrative, ultimately leading to the establishment of widespread idolatry.