Judges
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Judges 17
Judges 17
1And there was a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
2And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou didst utter a curse, and didst also speak it in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son of Jehovah.
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.
Commentary · verses 1-2
3And he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I verily dedicate the silver unto Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
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.
Commentary · verse 3
Micah's mother made images.
4And when he restored the money unto his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and it was in the house of Micah.
5And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
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.
Commentary · verses 4-6
Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. There was no recognized government. The people did not have a connection with God. Micah attempted to hear from God by making one of his sons his priest. Micah's graven image violated the Ten Commandments. Micah also made his own ephod and teraphim, which violated the Law.
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, out of Beth-lehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find a place, and he came to the hill-country of 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 pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
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.
Commentary · verses 7-10
Micah hired a Levite. Why was a Levite available to be hired? Did this have anything to do with people doing what was right in their own eyes instead of checking with God? The Levites were supposed to be supported by the people. This violated the Law. So far, Micah had created a false representation of worshipping God.
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 Jehovah will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
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.
Commentary · verses 11-13
Micah believed that God would do good to him because he had a Levite as his priest. Micah wanted to have a connection to God. Micah deceived himself into thinking he could be the source of his own Salvation and blessing from God and that God would honor Micah's method/HOW. In reality, Micah added to God's Word and created a "man-made" religion. This was similar to Eve in the Garden with the Serpent (Genesis 3:1-4).
Micah, from Ephraim, restored stolen money to his mother.