Judges 18:18
New International Version
When the five men went into Micah’s house and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

New Living Translation
When the priest saw the men carrying all the sacred objects out of Micah’s shrine, he said, “What are you doing?”

English Standard Version
And when these went into Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

Berean Standard Bible
When 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?”

King James Bible
And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?

New King James Version
When these went into Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

New American Standard Bible
When these men entered Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, household idols, and the cast metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

NASB 1995
When these went into Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod and household idols and the molten image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

NASB 1977
And when these went into Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod and household idols and the molten image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now these had entered into Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod and household idols and the molten image. Then the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

Amplified Bible
When these [five men] went into Micah’s house and took the [plated] image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the cast image, the priest asked them, “What are you doing?”

Christian Standard Bible
When they entered Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the silver idol, the priest said to them, “What are you doing? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When they entered Micah’s house and took the carved image overlaid with silver, the ephod, and the household idols, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

American Standard Version
And when these went into Micah's house, and fetched the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them, What do ye?

English Revised Version
And when these went into Micah's house and fetched the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them, What do ye?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When these men entered Micah's house and took the carved idol, the ephod, the household idols, and the metal idol, the priest asked them, "What are you doing?"

Good News Translation
When the men went into Micah's house and took the sacred objects, the priest asked them, "What are you doing?"

International Standard Version
After they went into Micah's home and took possession of the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the cast image, the priest challenged them. "What are you doing?" he asked them.

Majority Standard Bible
When 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??

NET Bible
When these men broke into Micah's house and stole the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, the priest said to them, "What are you doing?"

New Heart English Bible
And these went into Micah's house, and took the engraved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest said to them, "What are you doing?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And these went into Micah's house, and brought the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest to them, What do ye?

World English Bible
When these went into Micah’s house, and took the engraved image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
indeed, these have entered the house of Micah, and take the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest says to them, “What are you doing?”

Young's Literal Translation
yea, these have entered the house of Micah, and take the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest saith unto them, 'What are ye doing?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And these came in to Micah's house, and they will take the carved thing, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten thing; and the priest will say to them, What are ye doing?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
So they that were gone in took away the graven thing, the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god. And the priest said to them: What are you doing?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, those who had entered took away the graven image, the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten idol. And the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

New American Bible
and entered the house of Micah with the priest standing there. They took the idol, the ephod, the teraphim and the metal image. When the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

New Revised Standard Version
When the men went into Micah’s house and took the idol of cast metal, the ephod, and the teraphim, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they entered into Micah's house, and took the image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then the priest said to them, What are you doing?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
They entered the house of Mikah and they took the image and the ephod and the breastplate and the carved image. The Priest said to them: “What are you doing?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when these went into Micah's house, and fetched the graven image of the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them: 'What do ye?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they took the graven image, and the ephod, and the theraphin, and the molten image; and the priest said to them, What are ye doing?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Danites Take Micah's Idols
17And 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?” 19“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?”…

Cross References
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 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

2 Kings 17:10-12
They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. / They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. / They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.”

Isaiah 44:9-20
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? / Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. ...

Jeremiah 10:3-5
For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. / They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. / Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

Hosea 4:12
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.

Micah 1:7
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.

Psalm 115:4-8
Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ...

Psalm 135:15-18
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. ...

Acts 17:29
Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

Romans 1:22-23
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

1 Corinthians 10:19-20
Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? / No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.

2 Corinthians 6:16
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”

Galatians 4:8
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.


Treasury of Scripture

And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest to them, What do you?

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Carved Cast Engraved Entered Ephod House Household Idol Idols Image Metal Micah Micah's Molten Pictured Priest Teraphim
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Carved Cast Engraved Entered Ephod House Household Idol Idols Image Metal Micah Micah's Molten Pictured Priest Teraphim
Judges 18
1. The Danites send five men to seek out an inheritance
3. 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.














When they entered Micah’s house
This phrase sets the scene for a significant event in the narrative of Judges. Micah's house is not just a physical dwelling but a place of idolatrous worship. The Hebrew root for "house" (בַּיִת, bayit) often signifies more than a structure; it can represent a household or a place of spiritual significance. In this context, Micah's house is a microcosm of Israel's spiritual decline, where personal and national apostasy are intertwined.

and took the carved image
The "carved image" (פֶּסֶל, pesel) is a physical representation of idolatry, forbidden by the commandments given to Israel. This act of taking the image signifies a deeper spiritual theft, as the Danites are not only stealing a physical object but also perpetuating the cycle of idolatry. Historically, carved images were common in Canaanite worship, and their presence in an Israelite home underscores the syncretism and spiritual compromise prevalent in this period.

the ephod
The ephod (אֵפוֹד, ephod) in this context is likely a priestly garment or object used for divination, distinct from the high priest's ephod described in Exodus. Its presence in Micah's house indicates unauthorized and illegitimate worship practices. The ephod's misuse reflects Israel's departure from ordained worship, highlighting the chaos and confusion in their spiritual life during the time of the Judges.

the household idols
The term "household idols" (תְּרָפִים, teraphim) refers to small figurines used for domestic worship and divination. These idols were common in ancient Near Eastern households, serving as a means of seeking guidance or blessing. Their presence in an Israelite home is a stark reminder of the pervasive influence of surrounding pagan cultures and the Israelites' failure to remain distinct and faithful to Yahweh.

and the cast image
The "cast image" (מַסֵּכָה, massekhah) is another form of idol, often made by pouring molten metal into a mold. This method of idol-making was prevalent in ancient times and is explicitly condemned in the Mosaic Law. The presence of both carved and cast images in Micah's house illustrates the depth of idolatry and the Israelites' disregard for God's commandments.

the priest said to them, 'What are you doing?'
The priest's question reveals a moment of moral and spiritual crisis. This priest, who serves in Micah's idolatrous shrine, is confronted with the theft of sacred objects. His question, "What are you doing?" (מַה־אַתֶּם עֹשִׂים, mah-atem osim), is both a literal inquiry and a deeper challenge to the actions and motivations of the Danites. It reflects the confusion and lack of spiritual discernment that characterized the period of the Judges, where everyone did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). This moment invites reflection on the nature of true worship and the consequences of straying from God's ordained path.

(18) The carved image, the ephod.--In the Hebrew this is pesel ha-ephod--i.e., the "pesel-ephod." Very possibly, however, the ephod may, as a rule, have hung on the carved image, so that to carry off the pesel was also to carry off the ephod, which ordinarily covered it.

Verse 18. - The carved image. It should be the graven image, as elsewhere. The Hebrew text here has the graven image of the ephod, as was noticed in Judges 17:3, note. But it is very possible that the ray, and, has fallen out of the text by accident, and it does not seem likely that a different phrase should be adopted in this one place from that followed throughout in the enumeration of the articles in Micah's chapel, so that the A.V. is probably right. Then said the priest, etc. When he saw the idols and teraphim in the hands of the five men he cried out in alarm. It is remarkable that here and in the preceding verse he is styled the priest.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When they
וְאֵ֗לֶּה (wə·’êl·leh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

entered
בָּ֚אוּ (bā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

Micah’s
מִיכָ֔ה (mî·ḵāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4318: Micah -- the name of several Israelites

house
בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

and took
וַיִּקְחוּ֙ (way·yiq·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

the graven image,
פֶּ֣סֶל (pe·sel)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6459: An idol, image

the ephod,
הָאֵפ֔וֹד (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

the priest
הַכֹּהֵ֔ן (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to them,
אֲלֵיהֶם֙ (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“What
מָ֥ה (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

are you
אַתֶּ֖ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

doing?”
עֹשִֽׂים׃ (‘ō·śîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make


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OT History: Judges 18:18 When these went into Micah's house (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 18:17
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