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Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Douay-Rheims Bible

Judges 17:8

Now he went out from the city of Bethlehem, and desired to sojourn wheresoever he should find it convenient for him. And when he was come to mount Ephraim, as he was on his journey, and had turned aside a little into the house of Michas,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bethlehem;   Ephraim;   Jonathan;   Minister, Christian;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Judges;   Teraphim;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem;   Judges, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bethlehem;   Israel;   Kohath, Kohathites;   Levi;   Micah, Micaiah;   Priests and Levites;   Samson;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem ;   Jonathan ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jonathan;   Micah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bethlehem;   Ezekiel;   Israel, History of the People;   Israel, Religion of;   Jonathan (1);   Judges, Period of;   Micah (1);   Priests and Levites;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Priest;   Sacrifice;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for August 3;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find a place. On his way he came to Micah’s home in the hill country of Ephraim.
Hebrew Names Version
The man departed out of the city, out of Beit-Lechem-Yehudah, to sojourn where he could find [a place], and he came to the hill-country of Efrayim to the house of Mikhah, as he journeyed.
King James Version
And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
Lexham English Bible
And the man went from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to live as a foreigner wherever he could find a place. And he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, to continue his journey.
English Standard Version
And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah.
New Century Version
He left Bethlehem to look for another place to live, and on his way he came to Micah's house in the mountains of Ephraim.
New English Translation
This man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to find another place to live. He came to the Ephraimite hill country and made his way to Micah's house.
Amplified Bible
Then the man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah, to stay wherever he could find a place; and as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah.
New American Standard Bible
Then the man left the city, Bethlehem in Judah, to stay wherever he would find a place; and as he made his journey, he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the man departed out of the citie, euen out of Beth-lehem Iudah, to dwell where he coulde finde a place: and as he iourneyed, he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Michah
Legacy Standard Bible
En die man het uit die stad, uit Betlehem-Juda, getrek om te vertoef waar hy plek kon kry; en op sy reis het hy in die gebergte van Efraim gekom tot by die huis van Miga.
Complete Jewish Bible
in Beit-Lechem, but he left there to find another place to live and came to the hills of Efrayim, where eventually he made his way to the house of Mikhah.
Darby Translation
And the man departed from the city, from Bethlehem-Judah, to sojourn where he might find [a place]. And as he journeyed, he came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah.
Easy-to-Read Version
He left Bethlehem to look for another place to live. As he was traveling, he came to Micah's house in the hill country of the land of Ephraim.
George Lamsa Translation
And the man had left the city of Beth-lehem of Judah to dwell wherever he could find a place; and he came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, to obtain provisions for his journey.
Good News Translation
He left Bethlehem to find another place to live. While he was traveling, he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim.
Literal Translation
And the man went out of the city, out of Bethlehem-judah, to live where he might find a place. And he came to the hills of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, to work his way.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The same wente out of the cite of Bethleem Iuda, to walke whither he coulde. And wha he came vp to mount Ephraim vnto the house of Micha, to go on his iourney,
American Standard Version
And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find a place, and he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
Bible in Basic English
And he went away from the town of Beth-lehem-judah, looking for somewhere to make his living-place; and on his journey he came to the hill-country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the man departed out of the citie of Bethlehem Iuda, to go dwell where he coulde fynde [a conuenient place]: And he came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah as he iourneyed.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem in Judah, to sojourn where he could find a place; and he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
King James Version (1611)
And the man departed out of the citie from Bethlehem Iudah, to soiourne where he could finde a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he iourneyed.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the man departed from Bethleem the city of Juda to sojourn in whatever place he might find; and he came as far as mount Ephraim, and to the house of Michaias to accomplish his journey.
English Revised Version
And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he yede out of the citee of Bethleem, and wolde be a pilgrim, where euere he foond profitable to hym silf. And whanne he made iourney, and `hadde come in to the hil of Effraym, and hadde bowid a litil in to `the hows of Mycha,
Young's Literal Translation
And the man goeth out of the city, out of Beth-Lehem-Judah, to sojourn where he doth find, and cometh to the hill-country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, to work his way.
Update Bible Version
And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find [a place], and he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the man departed out of the city from Beth-lehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find [a place]: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
World English Bible
The man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find [a place], and he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
New King James Version
The man departed from the city of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find a place. Then he came to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
New Living Translation
He had left Bethlehem in search of another place to live, and as he traveled, he came to the hill country of Ephraim. He happened to stop at Micah's house as he was traveling through.
New Life Bible
He left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to find a place to live. As he traveled he came to the house of Micah in the hill country of Ephraim.
New Revised Standard
This man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah, to live wherever he could find a place. He came to the house of Micah in the hill country of Ephraim to carry on his work.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So the man took his journey out of the city, out of Bethlehem-judah, to sojourn, wheresoever he could find a home , - and he came into the hill country of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, in pursuing his journey.
Revised Standard Version
And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah, to live where he could find a place; and as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of E'phraim to the house of Micah.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the man departed from the city, from Bethlehem in Judah, to stay wherever he might find a place; and as he made his journey, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah.

Contextual Overview

7 There was also another young man of Bethlehem Juda, of the kindred thereof: and he was a Levite, and dwelt there. 8 Now he went out from the city of Bethlehem, and desired to sojourn wheresoever he should find it convenient for him. And when he was come to mount Ephraim, as he was on his journey, and had turned aside a little into the house of Michas, 9 He was asked by him whence he came. And he answered: I am a Levite of Bethlehem Juda, and I am going to dwell where I can, and where I shall find a place to my advantage. 10 And Michas said: Stay with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee every year ten pieces of silver, and a double suit of apparel, and thy victuals. 11 He was content, and abode with the man, and was unto him as one of his sons. 12 And Michas filled his hand, and had the young man with him for his priest, saying: 13 Now I know God will do me good, since I have a priest of the race of the Levites.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

departed: Judges 17:11, Nehemiah 13:10, Nehemiah 13:11

as he journeyed: Heb. in making his way

Reciprocal: Judges 19:1 - mount Ruth 1:1 - a famine

Cross-References

Genesis 13:15
All the land which thou seest, I will give to thee, and to thy seed for ever.
Genesis 13:17
Arise and walk through the land in the length, and the breadth thereof: for I will give it to thee.
Genesis 17:7
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and between thy seed after thee in their generations, by a perpetual covenant: to be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Genesis 17:16
And I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son, whom I will bless, and he shall become nations, and kings of people shall spring from him.
Genesis 17:17
Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, saying in his heart: Shall a son, thinkest thou, be born to him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sara that is ninety years old bring forth?
Genesis 17:21
But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sara shall bring forth to thee at this time in the next year.
Genesis 23:4
I am a stranger and sojourner among you: give me the right of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead.
Genesis 28:4
And give the blessings of Abraham to thee, and to thy seed after thee: that thou mayst possess the land of thy sojournment, which he promised to thy grandfather.
Genesis 48:4
And said: I will cause thee to increase and multiply, and I will make of thee a multitude of people: and I will give this land to thee, and to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
Exodus 6:7
And I will take you to myself for my people, I will be your God: and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the work-prison of the Egyptians:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah, to sojourn where he could find a place,.... Either being a man that had a rambling head, and of an unsettled mind, and could not easily fix any where; or else there being no supreme magistrate, to take care that the Levites had their due maintenance, for which there was a sufficient provision made by law; and the people being negligent of paying their tithes, there being none to oblige them to it, and they indifferent to the true worship of God, and prone to idolatry; this man was obliged to go abroad, and seek for a livelihood where he could get it, and sojourn in a place the most convenient for him:

and he came to Mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed: not with a design to stay there, but called by the way, having heard perhaps that Micah was both a wealthy and an hospitable man, and he also might have heard of the new form of worship he had set up in his house.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jonathan’s state without a home gives us vivid picture of what must have been the condition of many Levites.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 17:8. To sojourn where he could find — He went about the country seeking for some employment, for the Levites had no inheritance: besides, no secure residence could be found where there was no civil government.


 
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