Judges 17:7
New International Version
A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah,

New Living Translation
One day a young Levite, who had been living in Bethlehem in Judah, arrived in that area.

English Standard Version
Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

Berean Standard Bible
And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.

King James Bible
And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

New King James Version
Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah; he was a Levite, and was staying there.

New American Standard Bible
Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was staying there.

NASB 1995
Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was staying there.

NASB 1977
Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was staying there.

Legacy Standard Bible
And there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was sojourning there.

Amplified Bible
Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, from the family [of the tribe] of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was staying there [temporarily].

Christian Standard Bible
There was a young man, a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who was staying within the clan of Judah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
There was a young man, a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who resided within the clan of Judah.

American Standard Version
And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.

English Revised Version
And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah. (Bethlehem belongs to the family of Judah.) He was a Levite but was living in Bethlehem.

Good News Translation
At that same time there was a young Levite who had been living in the town of Bethlehem in Judah.

International Standard Version
A young male descendant of Levi happened to be visiting there from Bethlehem in the territory of Judah.

Majority Standard Bible
And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.

NET Bible
There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah. He was a Levite who had been temporarily residing among the tribe of Judah.

New Heart English Bible
There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he lived there.

Webster's Bible Translation
And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

World English Bible
There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he lived there.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And there is a young man of Beth-Lehem-Judah, of the family of Judah, and he [is] a Levite, and he [is] a sojourner there.

Young's Literal Translation
And there is a young man of Beth-Lehem-Judah, of the family of Judah, and he is a Levite, and he is a sojourner there.

Smith's Literal Translation
And there will be a youth from the House of Bread, of Judah, from the families of Judah, and he a Levite, and he sojourned there.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
There was also another young man of Bethlehem Juda, of the kindred thereof: and he was a Levite, and dwelt there.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Also, there was another young man, from Bethlehem of Judah, one of his relatives. And he himself was a Levite, and he was living there.

New American Bible
There was a young man from Bethlehem of Judah, from the clan of Judah; he was a Levite residing there.

New Revised Standard Version
Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the clan of Judah. He was a Levite residing there.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now there was a young man from Bethlehem of Judah, whose name was Levi, and he sojourned there.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And there was a young man from Bayth Lekhem of Yehuda, and his name was Levi, and he was dwelling there
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem in Judah--in the family of Judah--who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And there was a young man in Bethleem of the tribe of Juda, and he was a Levite, and he was sojourning there.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Micah's Idolatry
6In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 7And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. 8This 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.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 1:1
Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

1 Samuel 9:1-2
Now there was a Benjamite, a powerful man, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. / And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.

1 Samuel 10:21
Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the clan of Matri was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they looked for him, they could not find him.

1 Samuel 14:51
Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.

1 Samuel 17:12
Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons. And in the days of Saul, Jesse was old and well along in years.

1 Samuel 18:18
And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”

1 Samuel 22:7
Then Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Is the son of Jesse giving all of you fields and vineyards and making you commanders of thousands or hundreds?

1 Samuel 25:3
His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.

1 Kings 11:26
Now Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. Jeroboam was a servant of Solomon, but he rebelled against the king,

1 Chronicles 2:9
The sons who were born to Hezron: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb.

1 Chronicles 2:51
Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth-gader.

1 Chronicles 6:33-38
These are the men who served, together with their sons. From the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, / the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, / the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, ...

1 Chronicles 7:6
The three sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael.

1 Chronicles 8:1
Benjamin was the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third,

1 Chronicles 9:3
Some of the descendants of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem:


Treasury of Scripture

And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

Beth-lehem-judah

Judges 19:1,2
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah…

Genesis 35:19
And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

Joshua 19:15
And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.

of the family.

Jump to Previous
Bethlehem Beth-Lehem Bethlehemjudah Beth-Lehem-Judah Clan Judah Levite Sojourned Sojourner Staying There Within Young
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Bethlehem Beth-Lehem Bethlehemjudah Beth-Lehem-Judah Clan Judah Levite Sojourned Sojourner Staying There Within Young
Judges 17
1. Of the money that Micah first stole, then restored, his mother makes idols
5. And he makes ornaments for them
7. He hires a Levite to be his priest














And there was a young man
This phrase introduces us to a new character in the narrative, emphasizing his youth. The Hebrew word for "young man" is "na'ar," which can refer to a boy, youth, or servant. This term often implies someone who is not yet fully mature or established, suggesting potential for growth or change. In the context of Judges, where leadership and moral direction are often lacking, the introduction of a young man may hint at new beginnings or the potential for influence.

from Bethlehem in Judah
Bethlehem, meaning "house of bread," is a town with significant biblical history. Located in the territory of Judah, it is later known as the birthplace of King David and Jesus Christ. The mention of Bethlehem situates the narrative within a region known for its future messianic significance. Historically, Bethlehem was a small, agrarian town, and its mention here connects the account to the broader narrative of God's unfolding plan through the tribe of Judah.

from the clan of Judah
The phrase highlights the young man's tribal affiliation, which is significant in the context of Israel's tribal society. The tribe of Judah was one of the most prominent tribes, known for its leadership and strength. This connection to Judah may imply a certain status or expectation, as Judah was prophesied to be the tribe from which kings would come (Genesis 49:10). However, the young man's identity as a Levite complicates this, as Levites were set apart for religious duties rather than tribal leadership.

He was a Levite
Levites were members of the tribe of Levi, set apart for religious service and duties related to the tabernacle and later the temple. The Hebrew term "Levi" means "joined" or "attached," reflecting their role in connecting the people to God through worship and sacrifice. This young man's identity as a Levite is crucial, as it suggests he has a religious function or calling, yet his presence in Bethlehem, rather than a Levitical city, raises questions about his adherence to traditional roles and responsibilities.

and he was staying there
The phrase indicates that the young man was residing temporarily in Bethlehem. The Hebrew word "gur" implies sojourning or dwelling as a foreigner. This suggests a sense of impermanence or transition, which may reflect the broader theme of instability and moral ambiguity in the period of the Judges. His presence in Bethlehem, away from a designated Levitical city, may also indicate a departure from established norms, setting the stage for the unfolding narrative of religious and social disorder.

(7) A young man.--Later on in the story we, as it were incidentally, make the astonishing discovery that this young man was no other than a grandson of Moses.

Out of Beth-lehem-judah.--So called to distinguish it from the Bethlehem in Zebulon (Joshua 19:15). (See Note on Judges 12:8.) In later times, when Bethlehem was famous as David's birthplace, and the other Bethlehem had sunk into insignificance, the descriptive addition is often dropped.

Of the family of Judah.--It may be doubted whether this refers to the "young man" or to Bethlehem, or whether it ought not, as in some MSS. and versions (LXX., Cod. B, and Syriac), to be omitted. If it applies to the young Levite, it must mean that he did not live in one of the Levitic cities, which belonged to his own family (the family of Gershom), which were in the northern and eastern tribes (Joshua 21:6), but in Judah, and therefore was ranked in civil matters as belonging to that tribe. Homes in the tribe of Judah were assigned to the priests alone (Joshua 21:9-42).

He sojourned there.--Comp. Judges 19:1. The curse had been pronounced on the tribe of Levi: "I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel" (Genesis 49:7). . . .

Verse 7. - Of the family of Judah. These words are difficult to explain. If the man was a Levite he could not be of the family or tribe of Judah. Some explain the words to be merely a more accurate definition of Bethlehem-judah, as if he would say, I mean Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah. Others explain them to mean that he was one of a family of Levites who had settled in Bethlehem, and so came to be reckoned in civil matters as belonging to Judah. Others, that he was of the family of Judah on his mother s side, which might be the cause of his settling at Bethlehem. But many commentators think them spurious, as they are not found in the Septuagint (Cod. Vat.), nor in the Peschito, nor in No. 440 of De Rossi's MSS. The Septuagint has Bethlehem of the family of Judah.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And there was
וַיְהִי־ (way·hî-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a young
נַ֗עַר (na·‘ar)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer

Levite
לֵוִ֖י (lê·wî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi

from Bethlehem
לֶ֙חֶם֙ (le·ḥem)
Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1035: Bethlehem -- 'place of bread', a city in Judah, also a city in Zebulun

in Judah,
יְהוּדָ֔ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

who
וְה֥וּא (wə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

had been residing
גָֽר־ (ḡār-)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1481: To turn aside from the road, sojourn, to shrink, fear, to gather for, hostility

within the clan
מִמִּשְׁפַּ֖חַת (mim·miš·pa·ḥaṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4940: A family, circle of relatives, a class, a species, sort, a tribe, people

of Judah.
יְהוּדָ֑ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites


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OT History: Judges 17:7 There was a young man out (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 17:6
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