1 And there was a man H376 of mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 whose name H8034 was Micah. H4321
2 And he said H559 unto his mother, H517 The eleven hundred H505 H3967 shekels of silver H3701 that were taken H3947 from thee, about which thou cursedst, H422 and spakest H559 of also in mine ears, H241 behold, the silver H3701 is with me; I took H3947 it. And his mother H517 said, H559 Blessed H1288 be thou of the LORD, H3068 my son. H1121
3 And when he had restored H7725 the eleven hundred H505 H3967 shekels of silver H3701 to his mother, H517 his mother H517 said, H559 I had wholly H6942 dedicated H6942 the silver H3701 unto the LORD H3068 from my hand H3027 for my son, H1121 to make H6213 a graven image H6459 and a molten image: H4541 now therefore I will restore H7725 it unto thee.
4 Yet he restored H7725 the money H3701 unto his mother; H517 and his mother H517 took H3947 two hundred H3967 shekels of silver, H3701 and gave H5414 them to the founder, H6884 who made H6213 thereof a graven image H6459 and a molten image: H4541 and they were in the house H1004 of Micah. H4321
5 And the man H376 Micah H4318 had an house H1004 of gods, H430 and made H6213 an ephod, H646 and teraphim, H8655 and consecrated H4390 H3027 one H259 of his sons, H1121 who became his priest. H3548
6 In those days H3117 there was no king H4428 in Israel, H3478 but every man H376 did H6213 that which was right H3477 in his own eyes. H5869
7 And there was a young man H5288 out of Bethlehemjudah H1035 H3063 of the family H4940 of Judah, H3063 who was a Levite, H3881 and he sojourned H1481 there.
8 And the man H376 departed H3212 out of the city H5892 from Bethlehemjudah H1035 H3063 to sojourn H1481 where he could find H4672 a place: and he came H935 to mount H2022 Ephraim H669 to the house H1004 of Micah, H4318 as he journeyed. H6213 H1870
9 And Micah H4318 said H559 unto him, Whence H370 comest H935 thou? And he said H559 unto him, I am a Levite H3881 of Bethlehemjudah, H1035 H3063 and I go H1980 to sojourn H1481 where I may find H4672 a place.
10 And Micah H4318 said H559 unto him, Dwell H3427 with me, and be unto me a father H1 and a priest, H3548 and I will give H5414 thee ten H6235 shekels of silver H3701 by the year, H3117 and a suit H6187 of apparel, H899 and thy victuals. H4241 So the Levite H3881 went in. H3212
11 And the Levite H3881 was content H2974 to dwell H3427 with the man; H376 and the young man H5288 was unto him as one H259 of his sons. H1121
12 And Micah H4318 consecrated H4390 H3027 the Levite; H3881 and the young man H5288 became his priest, H3548 and was in the house H1004 of Micah. H4318
13 Then said H559 Micah, H4318 Now know H3045 I that the LORD H3068 will do me good, H3190 seeing I have a Levite H3881 to my priest. H3548
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 17
Commentary on Judges 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
Jud 17:1-4. Micah Restoring the Stolen Money to His Mother, She Makes Images.
1. a man of mount Ephraim—that is, the mountainous parts of Ephraim. This and the other narratives that follow form a miscellaneous collection, or appendix to the Book of Judges. It belongs to a period when the Hebrew nation was in a greatly disordered and corrupt state. This episode of Micah is connected with Jud 1:34. It relates to his foundation of a small sanctuary of his own—a miniature representation of the Shiloh tabernacle—which he stocked with images modelled probably in imitation of the ark and cherubim. Micah and his mother were sincere in their intention to honor God. But their faith was blended with a sad amount of ignorance and delusion. The divisive course they pursued, as well as the will-worship they practised, subjected the perpetrators to the penalty of death.
3. a graven image and a molten image—The one carved from a block of wood or stone, to be plated over with silver; the other, a figure formed of the solid metal cast into a mould. It is observable, however, that only two hundred shekels were given to the founder. Probably the expense of making two such figures of silver, with their appurtenances (pedestals, bases, &c.), might easily cost, in those days, two hundred shekels, which (at 2 shillings, 4 pence each, is about 23 pounds) would be a sum not adequate to the formation of large statues [Taylor, Fragments].
5. the man Micah had an house of gods—Hebrew, "a house of God"—a domestic chapel, a private religious establishment of his own.
an ephod—(see on Ex 28:6).
teraphim—tutelary gods of the household (see Ge 31:19 and see on Ge 31:26).
consecrated one of his sons who became his priest—The assumption of the priestly office by any one out of the family of Aaron was a direct violation of the divine law (Nu 3:10; 16:17; De 21:5; Heb 5:4).
6. every man did that which was right in his own eyes—From want of a settled government, there was no one to call him to account. No punishment followed any crime.
7. Beth-lehem-judah—so called in contradistinction to a town of the same name in Zebulun (Jos 19:15).
of the family—that is, tribe.
of Judah—Men of the tribe of Levi might connect themselves, as Aaron did (Ex 6:23), by marriage with another tribe; and this young Levite belonged to the tribe of Judah, by his mother's side, which accounts for his being in Beth-lehem, not one of the Levitical cities.
8. the man departed … to sojourn where he could find a place—A competent provision being secured for every member of the Levitical order, his wandering about showed him to have been a person of a roving disposition or unsettled habits. In the course of his journeying he came to the house of Micah, who, on learning what he was, engaged his permanent services.
10. Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father—a spiritual father, to conduct the religious services of my establishment. He was to receive, in addition to his board, a salary of ten shekels of silver, equal to 25 shillings a year.
a suit of apparel—not only dress for ordinary use, but vestments suitable for the discharge of his priestly functions.
12. Micah consecrated the Levite—Hebrew, "filled his hand." This act of consecration was not less unlawful for Micah to perform than for this Levite to receive (see on Jud 18:30).
13. Now know I that the Lord will do me good—The removal of his son, followed by the installation of this Levite into the priestly office, seems to have satisfied his conscience, that by what he deemed the orderly ministrations of religion he would prosper. This expression of his hope evinces the united influence of ignorance and superstition.