Judges 18:20 Meaning and Explanation
“And the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Pleased by the offer, the priest gladly takes the sacred objects and joins the Danites.
What Does Judges 18:20 Mean?
The offer works at once: the priest's heart is glad, and he takes up the ephod, the idols, and the carved image, walking off in the midst of the Danite company. The man who served Micah now happily serves a larger paymaster.
His gladness is the saddest detail in the scene. A man set apart for God rejoices not in faithfulness but in advancement, carrying stolen images toward a stolen post. Scripture shows how readily the heart can be bought when it has no anchor in the Lord, and it calls the reader to find true gladness not in promotion but in walking honestly before God.
Judges 18:20 in the Original Language
ephod (אֵפוֹד), 'ephod' -- a priestly vestment, here misused apart from God's appointed sanctuary and priesthood.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 18:20
What does Judges 18:20 mean?
Pleased by the offer, the priest gladly takes the sacred objects and joins the Danites.