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Judges 18:1
In those daysthere was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that dayall their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

Judges 19:1
And it came to pass in those days, whenthere was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.

Judges 21:3,25
And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? …

right

Deuteronomy 12:8
Ye shall not do after allthe things that we do here this day, every man whatsoeveris right in his own eyes.

Psalm 12:4
Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lipsare our own: whois lord over us?

Proverbs 12:15
The way of a foolis right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counselis wise.

everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
This phrase underscores the moral and spiritual chaos prevalent during the time of the Judges. Without a central authority or adherence to God's law, people acted according to their own subjective standards. This led to a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, as depicted throughout the Book of Judges. The phrase reflects the human tendency to stray from divine guidance when left to personal judgment, echoing the warning inProverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." This period of moral relativism contrasts with the biblical call for obedience to God's commandments, as seen inDeuteronomy 12:8, where the Israelites are instructed not to do what is right in their own eyes but to follow God's statutes.

The writer signals a specific era—the time of the judges—when Israel drifted repeatedly into cycles of sin and deliverance (Judges 2:16-19). Similar wording inJudges 18:1, 19:1, and 21:25 ties this verse to a pattern: whenever the nation forgot the LORD’s covenant, trouble followed. Think of it as a flashing warning light that says, “Watch what happens next.”

• Israel had rejected pagan monarchies but had not yet received her first God-appointed king (1 Samuel 9:15-17).

• God Himself was to be Israel’s King (Exodus 15:18), ruling through His Law and judges. When that divine order was ignored, chaos filled the gap.

•Deuteronomy 17:14-20 had already outlined how a future king should honor the LORD; the absence of such leadership left the people untethered to a visible standard.

The phrase shifts focus from national leadership to individual choices. Without godly authority, the population defaulted to personal preference. Compare: “All the people broke the covenant” (Judges 2:20) and “everyone turned aside” (Psalm 14:3). A society is the sum of its individual hearts.

• Humanity’s first sin started when Eve saw the fruit was “good” in her own judgment (Genesis 3:6).

•Proverbs 14:12 warns, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

• Calling something “right” without reference to God’s Word creates moral quicksand. Rightness must be measured against commands such asExodus 20 or Jesus’ teaching inMatthew 5-7, not our feelings.

• Eyes symbolize perception and discernment (Psalm 119:105). Here, vision is self-focused, not God-focused.

•Proverbs 3:7 says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.”

•Romans 1:22 describes those who “claimed to be wise” yet fell into futility. When every person is the final authority, society fractures, leading to the gruesome episodes that fillJudges 17-21.

Judges 17:6 is both diagnosis and caution. A lack of godly leadership plus self-defined morality produces disorder and pain. The verse calls us to submit to the true King, align “rightness” with Scripture, and refuse the illusion that we can guide ourselves better than God can.

Did that which was right in his own eyes.--The notice is added to show why there was no authoritative interference of prince or ruler to prevent idolatrous or lawless proceedings. (Deuteronomy 12:8 : "Ye shall not do after all the things which we do here this day,every man what is right in his own eyes.")