Judges17
King James Version · Public Domain
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 Beth–lehem–judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
8And the man departed out of the city from Beth–lehem–judah 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 Beth–lehem–judah, 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.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Judges 17.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The beginning of idolatry in Israel, Micah and his mother. (1–6). Micah hires a Levite to be his priest. (7–13).
vv1-6
What is related in this, and the rest of the chapters to the end of this book, was done soon after the death of Joshua: see chap. Jud 20:28. That it might appear how happy the nation was under the Judges, here is showed how unhappy they were when there was no Judge. The love of money made Micah so undutiful to his mother as to rob her, and made her so unkind to her son, as to curse him. Outward losses drive good people to their prayers, but bad people to their curses. This woman's silver was her god, before it was made into a graven or a molten image. Micah and his mother agreed to turn their money into a god, and set up idol worship in their family. See the cause of this corruption. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes, and then they soon did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
vv7-13
Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.
Key Words
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
הַר: a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
אֶפְרַיִם: Ephrajim, a son of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
שֵׁם: an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
מִיכָיְהוּ: Mikajah, the name of three Israelites
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
אֵם: a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))
כֶּסֶף: silver (from its pale color); by implication, money
לָקַח: to take (in the widest variety of applications)
אָלָה: properly, to adjure, i.e. (usually in a bad sense) imprecate
Cross References
Judges 17Repeats the book's key refrain explaining the moral and spiritual anarchy in Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Identifies 'teraphim' as household idols or tutelary images used in family cults.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Links ephod and teraphim together as illegitimate objects of worship in Israel's history.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explicitly forbids doing 'whatsoever is right in his own eyes' in worship.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Classic precedent of using a molten image to worship Jehovah under false representation.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Asserts the divine requirement of an authorized calling for the priesthood.
Supported by JFB
Uses the term 'king' in the broad sense of supreme ruling authority in Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Reveals the historical consequences and ultimate identity of Micah's unauthorized priesthood.
Supported by JFB
Relates to the swearing and public uttering of curses concerning stolen items.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Distinguishes the graven and molten images in the subsequent narrative.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The divine pattern for the priestly ephod which Micah corruptly mimicked.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates the broad biblical usage of the term 'king' prior to Israel's monarchy.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Danites mockingly echo Micah's offer of being 'a father and a priest'.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Distinguishes Bethlehem-Judah from the Bethlehem located in Zebulun's territory.
Supported by JFB
Shows the usage of 'father' as a title of respect and guidance.
Supported by JFB