Lay thy hand — That is, be silent. A family — Namely, a tribe, that is, a family.
Related Commentaries of Judges 18:19
Judges 18:19
19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: 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 family in Israel?