Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version So they turned in there and went to the house of the young Levite at Micah’s place and greeted him. New Living Translation Then the five men turned off the road and went over to Micah’s house, where the young Levite lived, and greeted him kindly. English Standard Version And they turned aside there and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and asked him about his welfare. Berean Standard Bible So they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and greeted him. Berean Literal Bible And they turned aside there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, to the house of Micah, and they asked of his welfare. King James Bible And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him. New King James Version So they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young Levite man—to the house of Micah—and greeted him. New American Standard Bible So they turned aside there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, to the house of Micah, and asked him how he was doing. NASB 1995 They turned aside there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. NASB 1977 And they turned aside there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. Legacy Standard Bible Then they turned aside there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. Amplified Bible So they turned in that direction and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and asked him how he was doing. Berean Annotated Bible So they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah (who is like God), and greeted him. Christian Standard Bible So they detoured there and went to the house of the young Levite at the home of Micah and greeted him. Holman Christian Standard Bible So they detoured there and went to the house of the young Levite at the home of Micah and greeted him. American Standard Version And they turned aside thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. English Revised Version And they turned aside thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. GOD'S WORD® Translation So they stopped and entered Micah's house and greeted the young Levite. Good News Translation So they went into Micah's house, where the young Levite lived, and asked the Levite how he was getting along. International Standard Version So they turned aside from there, went to Micah's house, and greeted him. NET Bible They stopped there, went inside the young Levite's house (which belonged to Micah), and asked him how he was doing. New Heart English Bible They turned aside there, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. Webster's Bible Translation And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, and saluted him. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSo they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and greeted him. World English Bible They went over there and came to the house of the young Levite man, even to the house of Micah, and asked him how he was doing. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they turn aside there, and come to the house of the young man, the Levite, the house of Micah, and ask of him of welfare— Berean Literal Bible And they turned aside there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, to the house of Micah, and they asked of his welfare. Young's Literal Translation And they turn aside thither, and come in unto the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, and ask of him of welfare, -- Smith's Literal Translation And they will turn aside there and come to the house of the youth the Levite, of the house of Micah, and they will ask him for peace. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd when they had turned a little aside, they went into the house of the young man the Levite, who was in the house of Michas: and they saluted him with words of peace. Catholic Public Domain Version And when they had turned aside a little, they entered the house of the Levite youth, who was in the house of Micah. And they greeted him with peaceful words. New American Bible So turning in that direction, they went to the house of the young Levite at the home of Micah and greeted him. New Revised Standard Version So they turned in that direction and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and greeted him. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleSo they turned aside, and came to the house of the young man, Levi, even to the house of Micah, and saluted him. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they turned aside and they entered the house of the young man Levi at the house of Mikah, and they invoked his peace OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And they turned aside thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. Brenton Septuagint Translation And they turned aside there, and went into the house of the young man, the Levite, even into the house of Michaias, and asked him how he was. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Danites Take Micah's Idols14Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do.” 15So they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and greeted him. 16The six hundred Danites stood at the entrance of the gate, armed with their weapons of war.… Cross References So they turned aside there Judges 19:11 When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Please, let us stop at this Jebusite city and spend the night here.” Genesis 19:2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside into the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” and went to the home of the young Levite, Judges 17:7-10 And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. / This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim. / “Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.” … Deuteronomy 18:6-8 Now if a Levite moves from any town of residence throughout Israel and comes in all earnestness to the place the LORD will choose, / then he shall serve in the name of the LORD his God like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the LORD. / They shall eat equal portions, even though he has received money from the sale of his father’s estate. the house of Micah, Judges 17:5-6 Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest. / In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 1 Kings 12:31 Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and appointed from every class of people priests who were not Levites. and greeted him. 2 Kings 10:15 When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?” “It is!” Jehonadab replied. “If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into his chariot, 1 Samuel 17:22 Then David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. 1 Samuel 25:5 So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name Joshua 18:2-3 there were still seven tribes of Israel who had not yet received their inheritance. / So Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you put off entering and possessing the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you? Judges 17:1-6 Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim / said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!” / And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.” … 1 Samuel 9:18-19 Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?” / “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. And when I send you off in the morning, I will tell you all that is in your heart. 1 Kings 12:28-30 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” / One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. / And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves. 2 Kings 17:29-33 Nevertheless, the people of each nation continued to make their own gods in the cities where they had settled, and they set them up in the shrines that the people of Samaria had made on the high places. / The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, / the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim. … Hosea 4:12-13 My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God. / They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery. Micah 1:5-7 All this is for the transgression of Jacob and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the high place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem? / Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble in the open field, a planting area for a vineyard. I will pour her stones into the valley and expose her foundations. / All her carved images will be smashed to pieces; all her wages will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she collected the wages of a prostitute, they will be used again on a prostitute. Treasury of Scripture And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, and saluted him. saluted him. Genesis 37:14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. Genesis 43:27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? 1 Samuel 17:22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. Jump to Previous Home House Levite Micah Micah's Road Saluted Thither Thitherward Turn Turned Turning Welfare YoungJump to Next Home House Levite Micah Micah's Road Saluted Thither Thitherward Turn Turned Turning Welfare YoungJudges 18 1. The Danites send five men to seek out an inheritance3. At the house of Micah they consult with Jonathan, and are encouraged 7. They search Laish, and bring back news of good hope 11. Six hundred men are sent to surprise it 16. In their way they rob Micah of his priest and his consecrated things 27. They win Laish, and call it Dan 30. They set up idolatry, wherein Jonathan inherits the priesthood. So they turned aside there This phrase indicates a deliberate decision by the Danite spies to deviate from their path. In the context of Judges, the tribe of Dan was seeking a new territory to inhabit, as their allotted land was insufficient. This turning aside can be seen as a metaphor for Israel's frequent turning away from God's commands during the period of the Judges, a time marked by moral and spiritual decline. and went to the home of the young Levite the house of Micah and greeted him Persons / Places / Events 1. The DanitesA group from the tribe of Dan seeking a new territory to settle, as their allotted land was insufficient. 2. Micah An Ephraimite who had established a private shrine with idols and hired a Levite to be his priest. 3. The Young Levite A Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who became a priest for Micah's household. 4. The House of Micah Located in the hill country of Ephraim, it served as a private place of worship with unauthorized religious practices. 5. The Journey The Danites were on a mission to find a new land, and their encounter with Micah's house was a pivotal moment in their journey. Teaching Points The Danger of IdolatryIdolatry can subtly infiltrate our lives when we prioritize anything above God. We must remain vigilant and ensure our worship aligns with biblical teachings. The Importance of God-Ordained Worship Worship should be conducted according to God's instructions, not personal preferences or convenience. This calls for adherence to biblical principles in our worship practices. Seeking God's Guidance Like the Danites, we may be tempted to rely on our understanding. Instead, we should seek God's guidance through prayer and Scripture. The Role of Spiritual Leadership The young Levite's role highlights the importance of godly leadership. Leaders should be chosen based on their adherence to God's Word, not personal gain. Community and Accountability The account underscores the need for community accountability in spiritual matters. We should encourage and correct one another in love to maintain faithfulness to God. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Judges 18:15?2. How does Judges 18:15 illustrate the consequences of ignoring God's commandments? 3. What can we learn about idolatry from the actions in Judges 18:15? 4. How does Judges 18:15 connect to the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? 5. How can we ensure our actions align with God's will, unlike in Judges 18:15? 6. What steps can we take to avoid spiritual complacency as seen in Judges 18:15? 7. What is the significance of Judges 18:15 in the context of Israelite history? 8. How does Judges 18:15 reflect the moral state of the Israelites during this period? 9. What archaeological evidence supports the events described in Judges 18:15? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Judges 18? 11. What are the main themes of the Bible's books? 12. In Judges 17:7-13, how credible is the Levite's priestly status, given the requirements found elsewhere in the Old Testament regarding priestly lineage? 13. How do we reconcile the setting up of a carved image in Judges 18:31 with the strict prohibition against idolatry found elsewhere in the Old Testament? 14. Where is Mount Ephraim mentioned in the Bible? What Does Judges 18:15 Mean So they turned aside there• The five warriors from Dan, returning from spying out Laish, consciously step off the main road to pause at Micah’s compound (Judges 18:13–14). • Their decision shows purposeful intent, not random wandering; they “turn aside” because they remember the private shrine and want further advantage (Judges 18:2-6). • Scripture often uses this phrase to mark a moral fork in the road—compare Deuteronomy 5:32 and Joshua 23:6, where Israel is warned not to “turn aside” from God’s commands. • Here the detour foreshadows the tribe’s coming slide into idolatry (Judges 18:30-31). and went to the home of the young Levite • The Levite first appeared in Judges 17:7-13 as a wandering priest hired by Micah. Though born to serve at God’s sanctuary (Deuteronomy 18:6-8; Numbers 3:10), he is freelancing for personal gain. • His age (“young”) hints at inexperience and susceptibility to flattery, explaining how the Danites will lure him away (Judges 18:19-20). • By entering his quarters rather than Micah’s main house, the men target the spiritual gatekeeper; whoever controls the priest controls the shrine (compare 1 Kings 12:31-33, where Jeroboam appoints non-Levitical priests). the house of Micah • Micah’s residence doubles as a private temple stocked with “a carved image, a molten image, an ephod and household idols” (Judges 17:4-5). • The scene exposes how casually Israel tolerates syncretism during the days “when there was no king” (Judges 18:1; 21:25). • The house stands in stark contrast to the centralized worship God prescribed at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1) and later Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:5-6). • Micah’s confidence in his homemade religion recalls Exodus 32:4, where the golden calf was likewise hailed as the god who led Israel from Egypt. and greeted him • The Hebrew idiom behind “greeted” conveys warmth and goodwill, much like David greeting Nabal’s household in 1 Samuel 25:5-6. • Such politeness masks ulterior motives; the Danites will soon steal both idols and priest (Judges 18:18-20). • Their greeting demonstrates how sin often cloaks itself in civility (Proverbs 26:24-26; Romans 16:18), lulling victims into trust before wrongdoing unfolds. summary Verse 15 pictures a seemingly innocent visit that actually sets the stage for tribal apostasy. By deliberately detouring to Micah’s compound, entering the Levite’s quarters, standing in an idolatrous house, and extending a courteous greeting, the Danite spies lay polite groundwork for theft and spiritual compromise. Judges 18:15 reminds us how easily courtesy and convenience can camouflage disobedience when God’s clear commands are ignored. (15-18) In these verses we have a graphic description of the whole nefarious proceeding. The five spies, knowing Jonathan, salute him, and inveigle him to the entrance of the court to talk to their six hundred companions. While the chiefs of this little army detain him in conversation, without any show of violence the five slip away unobserved to the aliyah, or upper room, which serves as the chapel, and steal all the essentials of the worship--namely, (1) the ephod; (2) the teraphim; (3) the graven image; (4) the molten image. It is true that in Judges 18:20-30 the massecah is not mentioned; but it may be regarded as belonging to the pesel. It is only when he sees them in actual possession of these that Jonathan asks the alarmed question, "What do ye?"Verse 15. - Even unto the house, etc. Rather, at Beth-Micah.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew So they turnedוַיָּס֣וּרוּ (way·yā·sū·rū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 5493: To turn aside aside there שָׁ֔מָּה (šām·māh) Adverb | third person feminine singular Strong's 8033: There, then, thither and went וַיָּבֹ֛אוּ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to the home בֵּֽית־ (bêṯ-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1004: A house of the young הַנַּ֥עַר (han·na·‘ar) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer Levite, הַלֵּוִ֖י (hal·lê·wî) Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi the house בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1004: A house of Micah, מִיכָ֑ה (mî·ḵāh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4318: Micah -- the name of several Israelites and greeted וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ־ (way·yiš·’ă·lū-) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand him. לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (lə·šā·lō·wm) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace Links Judges 18:15 NIVJudges 18:15 NLT Judges 18:15 ESV Judges 18:15 NASB Judges 18:15 KJV Judges 18:15 BibleApps.com Judges 18:15 Biblia Paralela Judges 18:15 Chinese Bible Judges 18:15 French Bible Judges 18:15 Catholic Bible OT History: Judges 18:15 They turned aside there and came (Jd Judg. Jdg) |



