Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods while the priest and the six hundred armed men stood at the entrance of the gate. New Living Translation the five scouts entered the shrine and removed the carved image, the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the cast idol. Meanwhile, the priest was standing at the gate with the 600 armed warriors. English Standard Version And the five men who had gone to scout out the land went up and entered and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war. Berean Standard Bible And 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. Berean Literal Bible and the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up. Having entered there, they took the carved image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest stood at the entrance of the gate, and six hundred men girded with weapons of war. King James Bible And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war. New King James Version Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up. Entering there, they took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image. The priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men who were armed with weapons of war. New American Standard Bible Now the five men who went to spy out the land went up and entered there; they took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the cast metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. NASB 1995 Now the five men who went to spy out the land went up and entered there, and took the graven image and the ephod and household idols and the molten image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. NASB 1977 Now the five men who went to spy out the land went up and entered there, and took the graven image and the ephod and household idols and the molten image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. Legacy Standard Bible Then the five men who went to spy out the land went up and entered there, and took the graven image and the ephod and household idols and the molten image. And the priest was standing by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war. Amplified Bible Now the five men who had gone to scout the land went up and entered the house and took the image [of silver-plated wood], the ephod, the teraphim, and the cast image [of solid silver], while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. Berean Annotated Bible And 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. Christian Standard Bible Then the five men who had gone to scout out the land went in and took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the silver idol, while the priest was standing by the entrance of the city gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. Holman Christian Standard Bible Then the five men who had gone to scout out the land went in and took the carved image overlaid with silver, the ephod, and the household idols, while the priest was standing by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war. American Standard Version And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girt with weapons of war. English Revised Version And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood by the entering of the gate with the six hundred men girt with weapons of war. GOD'S WORD® Translation The five men who had gone to spy throughout the land went inside. They took the carved idol, the ephod, the household idols, and the metal idol. The priest stood at the entrance to the city with the 600 armed men. Good News Translation The five spies went straight on into the house and took the wooden idol covered with silver, the other idols, and the ephod, while the priest stayed at the gate with the six hundred armed men. International Standard Version the five men who had gone to scout out the land arrived, entered Micah's home and confiscated the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the cast image. Meanwhile, the priest stood outside by the entrance to the gate with the 600 men armed with military weapons. NET Bible The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred fully armed men. New Heart English Bible The five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the engraved image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. Webster's Bible Translation And the five men that went to explore the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd 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. World English Bible The five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the engraved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionindeed, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up—they have come in there—they have taken the carved image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image—and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are girded with weapons of war— Berean Literal Bible and the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up. Having entered there, they took the carved image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest stood at the entrance of the gate, and six hundred men girded with weapons of war. Young's Literal Translation yea, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up -- they have come in thither -- they have taken the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image -- and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are girded with weapons of war -- Smith's Literal Translation And the five men having gone to search the land will go up; they will come in there; they took the carved thing and the ephod, and the teraphim and the molten thing: and the priest stood at the door of the gate, and the six hundred men girded with weapons of war. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut they that were gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting not far off. Catholic Public Domain Version But those who had entered the house of the youth strove to take away the graven image, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten idol. But the priest was standing in front of the door, with the six hundred very strong men waiting not far away. New American Bible The five men who had gone to reconnoiter the land went up New Revised Standard Version the five men who had gone to spy out the land proceeded to enter and take the idol of cast metal, the ephod, and the teraphim. The priest was standing by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up and entered there, and took the graven image and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the five men that went to spy the land came up and they entered there and they took the image and the ephod and the breastplate and the carved image, and the Priest stood in the entrance of the gate, and those six hundred men who were armed with armaments of war OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girt with weapons of war. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the five men who went to spy out the land went up, and entered into the house of Michaias, and the priest stood. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Danites Take Micah's Idols…16The six hundred Danites stood at the entrance of the gate, armed with their weapons of war. 17 And 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?”… Cross References And the five men who had gone to spy out the land Numbers 13:17-20 When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he told them, “Go up through the Negev and into the hill country. / See what the land is like and whether its people are strong or weak, few or many. / Is the land where they live good or bad? Are the cities where they dwell open camps or fortifications? … Deuteronomy 1:22-25 Then all of you approached me and said, “Let us send men ahead of us to search out the land and bring us word of what route to follow and which cities to enter.” / The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one from each tribe. / They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied out the land. … Joshua 2:1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, Hosea 3:4 For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol. Genesis 31:19 Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols. Exodus 32:4 He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate 2 Kings 12:9 Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar on the right side as one enters the house of the LORD. There the priests who guarded the threshold put all the money brought into the house of the LORD. 2 Chronicles 23:19 He stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD, so that no one who was in any way unclean could enter. 1 Samuel 1:9 So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. with the six hundred armed men. 1 Samuel 27:2 So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. 1 Samuel 30:9 So David and his six hundred men went to the Brook of Besor, where some stayed behind 1 Samuel 23:13 Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth. Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. Deuteronomy 27:15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ 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 17:16 They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal. Treasury of Scripture And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war. five men Judges 18:2,14 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there… the graven Judges 6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar. Judges 17:4,5 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah… Exodus 32:20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. Jump to Previous Appointed Engraved Entering Entrance Ephod Explore Hundred Image Molten Priest Six Spy Stood Teraphim Thither War WeaponsJump to Next Appointed Engraved Entering Entrance Ephod Explore Hundred Image Molten Priest Six Spy Stood Teraphim Thither War WeaponsJudges 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. And the five men who had gone to spy out the land These five men were originally sent by the tribe of Dan to explore the land for potential settlement. This reflects the ongoing struggle of the Danites to find a permanent inheritance, as their allotted territory was difficult to conquer (Judges 1:34). The act of spying out the land is reminiscent of the twelve spies sent by Moses in Numbers 13, highlighting a recurring theme of seeking divine guidance for territorial expansion. 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 Persons / Places / Events 1. The Five SpiesThese were the men from the tribe of Dan who initially scouted the land of Laish. They played a crucial role in identifying the land for conquest and later in taking the religious artifacts from Micah's house. 2. The Tribe of Dan One of the twelve tribes of Israel, seeking a new territory to inhabit due to their inability to secure their allotted inheritance. 3. Micah An Ephraimite who had created a shrine with idols and appointed his own priest, which was contrary to the worship of Yahweh as prescribed in the Law. 4. The Priest A Levite who was serving in Micah's house. He was easily swayed to join the Danites, indicating a lack of steadfastness in his spiritual duties. 5. Laish The land that the Danites sought to conquer. It was a peaceful and unsuspecting city, which made it an easy target for the Danites. Teaching Points The Danger of IdolatryThe passage highlights the ease with which God's people can fall into idolatry, emphasizing the need for vigilance in maintaining pure worship. The Influence of Leadership The Levite priest's willingness to abandon his post for personal gain serves as a warning about the impact of weak spiritual leadership. The Consequences of Disobedience The Danites' actions demonstrate how disobedience to God's commands can lead to further sin and moral decay. The Importance of God's Chosen Place for Worship This account underscores the significance of worshiping God according to His instructions, rather than following personal or cultural preferences. The Role of Community in Accountability The lack of accountability among the Danites and Micah's household shows the importance of community in maintaining faithfulness to God's commands. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Judges 18:17?2. How does Judges 18:17 illustrate the consequences of idolatry in our lives today? 3. What lessons can we learn from the Danites' actions in Judges 18:17? 4. How does Judges 18:17 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? 5. How can we guard against coveting others' possessions as seen in Judges 18:17? 6. What steps can we take to ensure our worship aligns with God's commands? 7. What is the significance of the idols in Judges 18:17 for Israel's faith? 8. How does Judges 18:17 reflect the spiritual state of the tribe of Dan? 9. Why did the Danites take the carved image, ephod, and household gods in Judges 18:17? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Judges 18? 11. 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? 12. Why does Micah in Judges 17:5-6 feel justified in creating his own household shrine, despite the earlier commands against idol worship? 13. How can the exclusive priestly role assigned to Aaron's descendants (Numbers 18:1-7) be historically verified given the sparse archaeological evidence for tribal lineages? 14. 1 Samuel 2:12-17 describes corrupt priests at Shiloh--do archaeological records confirm such a worship center and priesthood as depicted? What Does Judges 18:17 Mean Five men who had gone to spy out the land- These are the same Danite scouts first mentioned in Judges 18:2, proven resourceful and bold. - Their earlier reconnaissance of Laish prepared them for decisive action, just as the twelve spies once assessed Canaan for Israel (Numbers 13:1–2). - The verse reminds us that God has allowed human planning within His sovereign purposes; yet when men act outside His revealed will—as here with idolatry—the outcome exposes their hearts (James 1:14–15). Went inside - The spies enter Micah’s private shrine (cf. Judges 17:5). Their ease of access shows how casual idolatry had become in Israel. - By contrast, the tabernacle at Shiloh had restricted access, declaring God’s holiness (Leviticus 16:17). - Their trespass illustrates Proverbs 4:14, “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers”. They literally step into sin’s territory. Seized the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol - A four-fold haul of forbidden objects: • Graven image—an engraved statue, breaking Exodus 20:4. • Ephod—imitating priestly garments (cf. Gideon’s misguided ephod, Judges 8:27). • Household idols—teraphim, like those Rachel stole (Genesis 31:19). • Molten idol—cast metal, echoing the golden calf (Exodus 32:4). - Their theft shows how easily sin compounds: coveting leads to stealing, which furthers idolatry (James 2:10). - The Danites intend to repurpose these objects for their own tribal worship, rejecting the true altar God ordained (Deuteronomy 12:5–6). Priest stood at the entrance of the gate - Jonathan, Micah’s hired Levite (Judges 18:30), offers no resistance. His silence recalls Eli’s passive oversight at Shiloh (1 Samuel 2:22–25). - A priest who should guard holiness simply watches wrongdoing, fulfilling Isaiah 56:10, “Israel’s watchmen are blind… they are silent dogs”. - Spiritual leaders who tolerate sin forfeit moral authority (Ezekiel 34:2–4). Six hundred armed men - The fighting force (Judges 18:16) stands as muscle behind the theft, illustrating how power can cloak unrighteousness (Psalm 37:14). - Instead of defending God’s commands, the warriors intimidate those who might object—contrary to Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD”. - The scene foreshadows later times when Israel’s kings misuse armies for personal ends (2 Samuel 11:1–4). summary Judges 18:17 captures the downward spiral of a people who blend zeal with disobedience. The spies’ boldness, the priest’s passivity, and the warriors’ intimidation converge to strip Micah’s shrine and relocate idolatry under Danite sponsorship. Each phrase exposes a layer of compromise—from covert planning to overt theft—reminding us that abandoning God’s clear commands invites moral chaos. Verse 17. - Went up, viz., into the upper chamber, where it appears the chapel wan So we read in 2 Kings 23:12 that there were altars on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz (cf. Jeremiah 19:13). And came up, and took. There is no and in the Hebrew, and the tense of the verb is changed. A fuller stop must be put after went up. And then the account proceeds, with a certain solemnity of diction, They came in thither; they took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image (full stop). The narrative goes on, Now the priest was standing in the entering of the gate, etc. But these five went into Micah's house, etc., as just related, and of course brought them out to the gate where the priest was standing with the 600 Danites.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew while the fiveחֲמֵ֣שֶׁת (ḥă·mê·šeṯ) Number - masculine singular construct Strong's 2568: Five men הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים (hā·’ă·nā·šîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person who had gone הַהֹלְכִים֮ (ha·hō·lə·ḵîm) Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk to scout לְרַגֵּ֣ל (lə·rag·gêl) Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct Strong's 7270: To walk along, to reconnoiter, to be a, tale-bearer, to lead about out the land הָאָרֶץ֒ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land went inside בָּ֣אוּ (bā·’ū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go and took לָקְח֗וּ (lā·qə·ḥū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 3947: To take the graven image, הַפֶּ֙סֶל֙ (hap·pe·sel) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6456: An idol, image the ephod, הָ֣אֵפ֔וֹד (hā·’ê·p̄ō·wḏ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 646: A girdle, the ephod, highpriest's shoulder-piece, an image the household idols, הַתְּרָפִ֖ים (hat·tə·rā·p̄îm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 8655: (a kind of idol) perhaps household idol and וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-) Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case the molten idol, הַמַּסֵּכָ֑ה (ham·mas·sê·ḵāh) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 4541: A pouring over, fusion of metal, a libation, league, a coverlet while the priest וְהַכֹּהֵ֗ן (wə·hak·kō·hên) Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3548: Priest stood נִצָּב֙ (niṣ·ṣāḇ) Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 5324: To take one's stand, stand at the entrance פֶּ֣תַח (pe·ṯaḥ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 6607: An opening, door, entrance way of the gate הַשַּׁ֔עַר (haš·ša·‘ar) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate with the six וְשֵׁשׁ־ (wə·šêš-) Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular construct Strong's 8337: Six (a cardinal number) hundred מֵא֣וֹת (mê·’ō·wṯ) Number - feminine plural Strong's 3967: A hundred armed הֶחָג֖וּר (he·ḥā·ḡūr) Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Strong's 2296: To gird, gird on, gird oneself men. הָאִ֔ישׁ (hā·’îš) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person Links Judges 18:17 NIVJudges 18:17 NLT Judges 18:17 ESV Judges 18:17 NASB Judges 18:17 KJV Judges 18:17 BibleApps.com Judges 18:17 Biblia Paralela Judges 18:17 Chinese Bible Judges 18:17 French Bible Judges 18:17 Catholic Bible OT History: Judges 18:17 The five men who went to spy (Jd Judg. 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