Judges 18:14 Meaning and Explanation
“Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The five scouts tell their kinsmen about Micah's shrine objects and hint that they should seize them.
What Does Judges 18:14 Mean?
The five scouts speak up, reminding their fellow Danites of the sacred objects housed at Micah's shrine: an ephod, household idols, and carved and cast images. With the loaded words 'consider what ye have to do,' they invite the tribe to take these things for themselves.
Here religion becomes plunder. Men set out to build a life and choose to furnish their worship by theft. The episode lays bare a faith that prizes objects over obedience, ritual gear over the living God. Scripture exposes the emptiness of a religion centered on things one can carry off, pointing the reader instead to worship in spirit and in truth.
Judges 18:14 in the Original Language
teraphim (תְּרָפִים), 'household idols' -- small domestic images used in folk religion and forbidden to Israel.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 18:14
What does Judges 18:14 mean?
The five scouts tell their kinsmen about Micah's shrine objects and hint that they should seize them.