Judges 17:6

Translations

Modern

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Traditional

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Literal

In those days there was no king in Israel; each man did the right in his own eyes.

Latin

In diebus illis non erat rex in Israël, sed unusquisque quod sibi rectum videbatur, hoc faciebat.

Original

Hebrew

English

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Notes

Judges 17:1–21:25

These two epilogues (Judges 17–18 and 19–21) show that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot last. As society moved toward chaos and civil war, the phrase, In those days there was no king in Israel appears four times. The phrase, everyone did what was right in his own eyes is added twice (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The era of inspired leadership declined and ended in disorder. Something important was missing.

Theme notes and profiles

Kingship Social Chaos in Judges

Related verses

Deuteronomy 12:8
You are not to do as we are doing here today, where everyone does what seems right in his own eyes.
Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.
Proverbs 14:12
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
Judges 21:25
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Judges 19:1
Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
Judges 18:1
In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of the Danites was looking for territory to occupy. For up to that time they had not come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.
Proverbs 16:2
All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.
Psalm 12:4
They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”
Ecclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.
Deuteronomy 33:5
So the LORD became King in Jeshurun when the leaders of the people gathered, when the tribes of Israel came together.
Jeremiah 44:16–17
“As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!
Judges 21:3
“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Glossary

Idols, Idolatry Judges, Book of King Micah (Person) Priests and Levites Samuel (Person)

Topics

Extraordinary Judges: Not Without Intermission Liberty: Political

Judges 17:6

Translations?

Original?

Notes?

Related verses?