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Judges 17:7

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 17:7 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.
Judges 17:7 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 17

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
4And when he restored the money unto his mother, his mother took two hundred [pieces] of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and it was in the house of Micah.
5And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
7And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.
8And 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.
9And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a place].
10And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten [pieces] of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
← Judges 17:6Judges 17:8 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah, etc.] As there were two Bethlehems, one in the tribe of Zebulun, (<061915>Joshua 19:15) and another in the tribe of Judah, the place here designed, Judah is added to it, to distinguish it from the other: of the family of Judah: which refers either to the young man, who was by his father’s side a Levite, and by his mother’s side, as Jarchi thinks, of the tribe of Judah, which seems very probable, though the genealogies of families were not reckoned from the mother; wherefore he might be so called because he had lived chiefly in the tribe of Judah, and particularly at Bethlehem; but Kimchi, and several other Jewish commentators, refer this to…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Beth-lehem-judah--so called in contradistinction to a town of the same name in Zebulun (Jos 19:15). of the family--that is, tribe. of Judah--Men of the tribe of Levi might connect themselves, as Aaron did (Exo 6:23), by marriage with another tribe; and this young Levite belonged to the tribe of Judah, by his mother's side, which accounts for his being in Beth-lehem, not one of the Levitical cities.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The Hebrew words for “he sojourned there” are, שׁם גר gêr shām, which words are used Judges 18:30 in the genealogy of this young Levite, whose name was “Jonathan, the son of Gershom” (גרשׁם gêreshôm). Hence, some read here, “the son of Gershom.” return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Bethlehem - judah - So called here, as Mat 2:1, Mat 2:5, to difference it from Bethlehem in Zebulun. There he was born and bred. Of Judah - That is, of or belonging to the tribe of Judah; not by birth, for he was a Levite; but by his habitation and ministration. For the Levites were dispersed among all the tribes; and this man's lot fell into the tribe of Judah. Sojourned - So he expresseth it, because this was not the proper place of his abode, this being no Levitical city. Judges 17:8”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Beth-lehem-judah, Jdg 19:1, Jdg 19:2; Gen 35:19; Jos 19:15; Rut 1:1, Rut 1:2; Mic 5:2; Mat 2:1, Mat 2:5, Mat 2:6 of the family: That is, of the tribe of Judah by his mother; and of that of Levi by his father. Judges 17:8”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification