Judges 18:23
New International Version
As they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you that you called out your men to fight?”

New Living Translation
They were shouting as they caught up with them. The men of Dan turned around and said to Micah, “What’s the matter? Why have you called these men together and chased after us like this?”

English Standard Version
And they shouted to the people of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you come with such a company?”

Berean Standard Bible
When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?”

King James Bible
And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?

New King James Version
And they called out to the children of Dan. So they turned around and said to Micah, “What ails you, that you have gathered such a company?”

New American Standard Bible
Then they called out to the sons of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you have assembled together?”

NASB 1995
They cried to the sons of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you have assembled together?”

NASB 1977
And they cried to the sons of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you have assembled together?”

Legacy Standard Bible
And they called out to the sons of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you were summoned together?”

Amplified Bible
They shouted to the Danites, who turned and said to Micah, “What is your reason for assembling [against us]?”

Christian Standard Bible
They called to the Danites, who turned to face them, and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you that you mustered the men? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They called to the Danites, who turned to face them, and said to Micah, “What’s the matter with you that you mobilized the men?”

American Standard Version
And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?

Contemporary English Version
and shouted for them to stop. They turned to face him and asked, "What's wrong? Why did you bring all these men?"

English Revised Version
And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They shouted at them. But the people of Dan turned around and said to Micah, "What's your problem? Why did you call your neighbors together to attack us?"

Good News Translation
and shouted at them. The Danites turned around and asked Micah, "What's the matter? Why all this mob?"

International Standard Version
They yelled at the descendants of Dan, who turned around to face Micah and asked, "What's wrong with you? You've assembled together…?"

Majority Standard Bible
When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?”

NET Bible
When they called out to the Danites, the Danites turned around and said to Micah, "Why have you gathered together?"

New Heart English Bible
They cried to the people of Dan. They turned their faces, and said to Micah, "What's wrong with you, that you come with such a company?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And they cried to the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said to Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?

World English Bible
As they called to the children of Dan, they turned their faces, and said to Micah, “What ails you, that you come with such a company?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and call to the sons of Dan, and they turn their faces around, and say to Micah, “What [is this] to you that you have been called together?”

Young's Literal Translation
and call unto the sons of Dan, and they turn round their faces, and say to Micah, 'What -- to thee that thou hast been called together?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will call to the sons of Dan, and they will turn their faces and say to Micah, What to thee that thou criedst out?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they began to shout behind their backs. And when they had looked back, they said to Micah: “What do you want? Why are you crying out?”

New American Bible
They called to the Danites, who turned and said to Micah, “What do you want that you have called this muster?”

New Revised Standard Version
They shouted to the Danites, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter that you come with such a company?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he shouted to the Danites, and they turned and said to Micah, What ails you, that you shout?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he called to the sons of Dan and they turned and they said to Mikah: “What is with you, that you shout?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah: 'What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the children of Dan turned their face, and said to Michaias, What is the matter with thee that thou hast cried out?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Danites Take Micah's Idols
22After they were some distance from Micah’s house, the men in the houses near Micah’s house mobilized and overtook the Danites. 23When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?” 24He replied, “You took the gods I had made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’ ”…

Cross References
Joshua 19:47
(Later, when the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and fought against Leshem, captured it, and put it to the sword. So they took possession of Leshem, settled there, and renamed it after their father Dan.)

Judges 1:34
The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to come down into the plain.

Judges 17:1-6
Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim / said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!” / And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.” ...

Judges 17:7-13
And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. / This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim. / “Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.” ...

Judges 21:25
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

1 Samuel 4:3-11
When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the LORD brought defeat on us before the Philistines today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that it may go with us to save us from the hand of our enemies.” / So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. / When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that the ground shook. ...

1 Samuel 30:1-2
On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down. / They had taken captive the women and all who were there, both young and old. They had not killed anyone, but had carried them off as they went on their way.

2 Kings 17:24-33
Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns. / Now when the settlers first lived there, they did not worship the LORD, so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them. / So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.” ...

Isaiah 10:10-11
As my hand seized the idolatrous kingdoms whose images surpassed those of Jerusalem and Samaria, / and as I have done to Samaria and its idols, will I not also do to Jerusalem and her idols?”

Jeremiah 7:9-10
Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known, / and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’?

Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. / Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ / Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

Matthew 15:8-9
‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

Mark 7:6-7
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’

Luke 6:46
Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say?

John 4:22
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.


Treasury of Scripture

And they cried to the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said to Micah, What ails you, that you come with such a company?

what aileth

Genesis 21:17
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

1 Samuel 11:5
And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.

2 Samuel 14:5
And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

comest.

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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.














When they called out to them
This phrase indicates a moment of confrontation and communication. The Hebrew root for "called out" is קָרָא (qara), which often implies a loud or urgent call. This reflects the urgency and desperation of Micah and his men as they attempt to reclaim what was taken from them. In the broader biblical narrative, calling out often signifies a plea for justice or a demand for attention, echoing the cries of the oppressed seeking redress.

the Danites turned to face them
The Danites, members of the tribe of Dan, are depicted here as responding to the call. The act of turning to face someone in ancient Near Eastern culture often signifies readiness to engage, whether in dialogue or conflict. Historically, the tribe of Dan was seeking a permanent settlement, and their actions in this chapter reflect their determination to secure a place for themselves, even at the expense of others.

and said to Micah
Micah, whose name means "Who is like Yahweh?" is a central figure in this narrative. His interaction with the Danites highlights the personal nature of the conflict. The mention of his name here personalizes the encounter, reminding readers of the individual accounts and struggles within the larger narrative of Israel's history.

What is the matter with you
This phrase can be seen as dismissive or incredulous. The Danites' question implies a lack of understanding or concern for Micah's plight. It reflects a broader theme in Judges of moral and social chaos, where personal grievances are often overshadowed by the larger struggles for power and survival.

that you have called out such a company?
The word "company" here refers to the group of people Micah gathered to confront the Danites. The Hebrew word used can imply a band or troop, suggesting a significant number of people. This highlights the seriousness with which Micah viewed the situation, as he felt compelled to muster a group to reclaim his stolen property. In the context of Judges, this reflects the tribal and familial loyalties that often led to conflict and strife in the absence of centralized leadership.

(23) What aileth thee?--There is again a certain grim humour in the narrative, with some sense of irony for the total discomfiture and pathetic outcries of Micah. Dan showed himself in this proceeding like "a serpent on the way, an adder in the path" (Genesis 49:17). (Comp. Deuteronomy 33:22.)

Verse 23. - That thou comest, etc. - literally, that thou art gathered together, the same word as in ver. 22. It is the idea of the clan, or family, or tribe which causes the phrase. Just as Israel or Judah designates the whole nation, or the whole tribe, under the name of their patriarch, so here Micah would include all the clan who dwelt in Micah's house; and hence the Danites speak of Micah being gathered together.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When they called out
וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ (way·yiq·rə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

after them,
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the Danites
בְּנֵי־ (bə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

turned
וַיַּסֵּ֖בּוּ (way·yas·sêb·bū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5437: To turn about, go around, surround

to face them
פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם (pə·nê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

and said
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to Micah,
לְמִיכָ֔ה (lə·mî·ḵāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4318: Micah -- the name of several Israelites

“What is the matter
מַה־ (mah-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

with you that
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you have called out such a company?”
נִזְעָֽקְתָּ׃ (niz·‘ā·qə·tā)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2199: To shriek, to announce, convene publicly


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OT History: Judges 18:23 They cried to the children of Dan (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 18:22
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