Judges 18:19

“And they said unto him, hold thy peace, etc.] Be silent, make no disturbance, be quiet and easy: lay thy hand upon thy mouth; as a token of silence; so the Egyptians used to paint Harpocrates, the god of silence, with his fingers pressing his lips: and go with us; for they wanted him as well as his gods, not knowing well how to make use of them without him: and be to us a father and a priest; to direct them, instruct them, perform acts of devotion for them, and ask counsel on their account; it seems as if it was common in those days to call a priest a father, (see <071710>Judges 17:10) is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a…”

“Lay thy hand - That is, be silent. A family - Namely, a tribe, that is, a family. Judges 18:20”

“lay thine: This was the token of silence. These men were evidently very ignorant; and absurdly concluded that they should, by taking Micah's gods, secure the presence and favour of the God of Israel, in their expedition and settlement. They perhaps supposed the piety of their motives, and the goodness of their end, would justify the means. But it was a base robbery of Micah, aggravated by the Levite's ingratitude, and their menaces. Job 21:5, Job 29:9, Job 40:4, Job 40:5; Pro 30:32; Mic 7:16 a father: Jdg 17:10; Kg2 6:21, Kg2 8:8, Kg2 8:9, Kg2 13:14; Mat 23:9 Judges 18:20”