The Meaning of Judges 18:17 Explained

Judges 18:17

KJV: And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.

YLT: yea, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up -- they have come in thither -- they have taken the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image -- and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are girded with weapons of war --

Darby: and the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up, and entered and took the graven image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war.

ASV: And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girt with weapons of war.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the five  men  that went  to spy out  the land  went up,  [and] came in  thither, [and] took  the graven image,  and the ephod,  and the teraphim,  and the molten image:  and the priest  stood  in the entering  of the gate  with the six  hundred  men  [that were] appointed  with weapons  of war. 

What does Judges 18:17 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Judges 18

1  The Danites send five men to seek out an inheritance
3  At the house of Micah they consult with Jonathan, and are encouraged
7  They search Laish, and bring back news of good hope
11  Six hundred men are sent to surprise it
16  In their way they rob Micah of his priest and his consecrated things
27  They win Laish, and call it Dan
30  They set up idolatry, wherein Jonathan inherits the priesthood

What do the individual words in Judges 18:17 mean?

and went up five the men who had gone to spy out - the land Entering there they took the carved image and the ephod the household idols the molded image and the priest stood at the entrance of the gate and six hundred the with men [who were] armed with weapons of war
וַֽיַּעֲל֞וּ חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַהֹלְכִים֮ לְרַגֵּ֣ל אֶת־ הָאָרֶץ֒ בָּ֣אוּ שָׁ֔מָּה לָקְח֗וּ הַפֶּ֙סֶל֙ וְאֶת־ הָ֣אֵפ֔וֹד הַתְּרָפִ֖ים הַמַּסֵּכָ֑ה וְהַכֹּהֵ֗ן נִצָּב֙ פֶּ֣תַח הַשַּׁ֔עַר וְשֵׁשׁ־ מֵא֣וֹת הָאִ֔ישׁ הֶחָג֖וּר כְּלֵ֥י הַמִּלְחָמָֽה

וַֽיַּעֲל֞וּ  and  went  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת  five 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים  the  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הַהֹלְכִים֮  who  had  gone 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְרַגֵּ֣ל  to  spy  out 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: רָגַל  
Sense: to go on foot, spy out, foot it, go about, walk along, move the feet.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאָרֶץ֒  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
בָּ֣אוּ  Entering 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לָקְח֗וּ  they  took 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
הַפֶּ֙סֶל֙  the  carved  image 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פָּסִיל  
Sense: image, idol, graven image.
הָ֣אֵפ֔וֹד  the  ephod 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵפֹד  
Sense: ephod.
הַתְּרָפִ֖ים  the  household  idols 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: תְּרָפִים  
Sense: idolatry, idols, image(s), teraphim, family idol.
הַמַּסֵּכָ֑ה  the  molded  image 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַסֵּכָה 
Sense: a pouring, libation, molten metal, cast image, drink offering.
וְהַכֹּהֵ֗ן  and  the  priest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
נִצָּב֙  stood 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
פֶּ֣תַח  at  the  entrance 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
הַשַּׁ֔עַר  of  the  gate 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
וְשֵׁשׁ־  and  six 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, feminine singular construct
Root: שֵׁשׁ  
Sense: six.
מֵא֣וֹת  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
הָאִ֔ישׁ  the  with  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הֶחָג֖וּר  [who  were]  armed 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: חָגַר  
Sense: to gird, gird on, gird oneself, put on a belt.
כְּלֵ֥י  with  weapons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
הַמִּלְחָמָֽה  of  war 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.