A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Doing what is right in one's own eyes

Usage

Essentially 'a shot in the dark', a guess at the best course of action.

Definition

The Judges expression, repeated frequently, refers to the near-anarchy of the time; it recognises the good intentions of the people, but their actions were based on ignorance of God's ways. The Proverbs passage refers to the unfounded self-confidence of the fool.

Bible References

Judges 17:6; Proverbs 12:15

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. ²And he said to his mother, The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son by the Lord. ³And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, I dedicate the silver to the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you. ⁴So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image. And it was in the house of Micah. ⁵And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest. ⁶In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. ⁷Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. ⁸And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. ⁹And Micah said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place. ¹⁰And Micah said to him, Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year and a suit of clothes and your living. And the Levite went in. ¹¹And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons. ¹²And Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. ¹³Then Micah said, Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest.

¹And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. ²And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son. ³And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee. ⁴Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. ⁵And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. ⁶In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. ⁷And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. ⁸And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount 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 Bethlehemjudah, 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 shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in. ¹¹And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons. ¹²And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. ¹³Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. ²A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns. ³No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved. ⁴An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. ⁵The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. ⁶The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them. ⁷The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand. ⁸A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised. ⁹Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread. ¹⁰Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. ¹¹Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. ¹²Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit. ¹³An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble. ¹⁴From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him. ¹⁵The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. ¹⁶The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. ¹⁷Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit. ¹⁸There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. ¹⁹Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. ²⁰Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy. ²¹No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. ²²Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight. ²³A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly. ²⁴The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor. ²⁵Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. ²⁶One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. ²⁷Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth. ²⁸In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.

¹Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. ²A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. ³A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved. ⁴A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. ⁵The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. ⁶The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. ⁷The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand. ⁸A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised. ⁹He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread. ¹⁰A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. ¹¹He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding. ¹²The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit. ¹³The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. ¹⁴A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him. ¹⁵The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. ¹⁶A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame. ¹⁷He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. ¹⁸There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. ¹⁹The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. ²⁰Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy. ²¹There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. ²²Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. ²³A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. ²⁴The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. ²⁵Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. ²⁶The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them. ²⁷The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious. ²⁸In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

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