Judges 17:6 Meaning and Explanation
“In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The narrator pauses to explain the disorder: with no king in Israel, each person simply did whatever seemed right to himself.
What Does Judges 17:6 Mean?
This single sentence is the refrain that interprets the whole closing section of Judges. With no king to uphold the law and no shared submission to God's authority, the nation fragments into countless private judgments. Micah's shrine is offered as a living example of what such a season produces.
The verse names a danger that outlives ancient Israel: a life ordered by what is 'right in his own eyes' rather than by what is right in God's. When each person becomes the final measure of truth, even worship turns into self-expression. The longing buried in this verse points forward to a true and righteous King, the One in whom God's rule and our good are perfectly joined.
Judges 17:6 in the Original Language
yashar (יָשָׁר), 'right' -- straight or upright; here measured by each man's own eyes rather than God's.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 17:6
What does Judges 17:6 mean?
The narrator pauses to explain the disorder: with no king in Israel, each person simply did whatever seemed right to himself.